NHTSA complaint: 2000 PONTIAC MONTANA — STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
MY THREE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS STARTING TO ENTER OUR MINIVAN AS THE POWER SLIDING DOOR WAS CLOSING. SHE REACHED IN TO STOP THE DOOR AND REVERSE IT (BY PRESSING THE INTERIOR BUTTON)AND THE DOOR CLOSED ON HER HAND AND SHUT. AN ADULT HAD TO COME AND OPEN THE DOOR BEFORE HER HAND COULD BE FREED. THE DOOR IS SUPPOSED TO REVERSE WHEN RESISTANCE IS ENCOUNTERED. I HAVE TRIED TO STOP THE DOOR AND THE AMOUNT OF RESISTANCE IT TAKES TO STOP THIS DOOR WOULD BRUISE MY ARM AND DEFINATELY CRUSH HER HAND OR ANY OTHER BODY PART INCLUDING HER HEAD. LUCKILY ONLY ONE SIDE OF HER HAND WAS STUCK AND SEVERELY BRUISED AND NOW SWOLEN AND BRUISED ACROSS HER KNUCKLES AND DOWN HER HAND. THE POWER OF THIS DOOR EXCEEDS ANY POWER BROUGHT ABOUT BY A GARAGE DOOR AND THEY SEEM TO HAVE HIGHER SAFETLY STANDARDS THAN A MINIVAN WHICH IS GEARED TOWARD FAMILES WITH CHILDREN. I BROUGHT THIS TO PONTIAC'S ATTENTION AND RECEIVED NO EXPLANATION OR ANSWERS. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A BEAM, AS IN GARAGE DOORS, OR AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE RESISTANCE NEEDED TO REVERSE THE DOOR BEFORE MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS OCCUR.*AK
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation