NHTSA complaint: 1999 DODGE RAM — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ON JANUARY 8, 2000, I WAS A PASSENGER IN A 1999 DODGE RAM PICKUP WESTBOUND ON INTERSTATE 44 NEAR MILEMARKER 274 IN MISSOURI. A FENTON FIRE DEPARTMENT PUMPER TRUCK CUT FROM THE CENTER LANE ACROSS THE PASSING LANE (WHICH WE WERE IN) AND TRIED TO GET ONTO THE SHOULDER. THIS MANEUVER WAS DONE WITHOUT ANY EMERGENCY LIGHTS, SIRENS, TURN SIGNALS, ETC. WE HAD APPROX. 2 SECONDS TO REACT AND THE DRIVER ONLY HAD TIME TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES. WE HIT THE RIGHT REAR CORNER OF THE FIRE TRUCK WHERE IT PROTRUDED INTO THE PASSING LANE AT APPROX 50 MPH. THE DODGE PICKUP WE WERE IN WAS TOTALLED PER SAFECO INSURACE COMPANY. SEATBELTS SAVED OUR LIVES, BUT WE WERE INJURED MUCH WORSE THAN WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IF THE AIRBAGS HAD GONE OFF. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRBAGS REMAINED UNDEPLOYED UP UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS LAST SEEN ON 1-13-2000. DODGE CLEARLY MADE A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT IF A CRASH OF THIS MAGNITUDE DID NOT SET OFF EITHER AIRBAG. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE DODGE, AND CAN E-MAILTHEM IF REQUESTED. THE AMBULANCE REPORT ALSO DOCUMENTS THE NON-DEPLOYMENT. THIS NEEDS LOOKED INTO. THE ODDS OF EVEN ONE AIRBAG NOT GOING OFF IN A CRASH THIS HARD MUST BE ASTRONOMICAL, BUT FOR BOTH TO NOT GO OFF, SOMETHING WAS SERIOUSLY WRONG. *AK
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation