NHTSA complaint: 2000 JAGUAR JAGUAR — STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
JAG HIT BY OTHER VEHICLE IN LEFT REAR DOOR CAUSING JAG TO SPIN 180 DEGREES AND CROSS OVER TO OTHER SIDE OF ROAD AND BROADSIDE A LARGE TREE. THIS WAS A DIRECT HIT ON THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR CAUSING DOOR TO INTRUDE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE TREE ALSO INTRUDED INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND THE IMPACT WAS SEVERE ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE ROOF AND SUBFRAME TO BUCKLE SUBSTANTIALLY ON THAT SIDE. THE SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. ACCORDING TO PUBLISHED REPORTS, SIDE AIRBAGS ARE DESIGNED TO DEPLOY ON SIDE IMPACT STARTING AT SPEEDS OF 10-16 MPH. I HAVE PHOTOS OF CAR, AND FOR THE TIME BEING, REPAIR HAS NOT STARTED YET. I F A SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN THIS INSTANCE, THEN WHY BOTHER? IF THERE WAS A PASSENGER IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT, THIS PERSON WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED BY NOTHING INTERVENING BETWEEN THEIR HEAD THE INTRUDING TREE. IT IS ABSOLUTELY ASTONISHING THAT THE PUBLIC IS BEING SOLD FALSE PROMISES BY FEATURING NEWER SRS SAFETY FEATURES THAT ARE EITHER NOT ENGINEERED PROPERLY, OR DEFECTIVE. I ONLY WISH THAT YOU COULD HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM NHTSA DOCUMENT THIS CAR IN ITS UNREPAIRED CONDITION AT THE BODY SHOP ON THE SOUTH SHORE OF LONG ISLAND. I TRULY FEEL THAT MANY SERIOUS INJURIES COULD BE PREVENTED AND LIVES SAVED BY CREATING BETTER STANDARDS FOR PERFORMANCE. IT IS VERY UNNERVING TO THINK OF MY FAMILY EVER GETTING BACK INTO THIS VEHICLE AGAIN DUE TO THIS LIFE THREATENING SAFETY ISSUE.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation