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2002 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

crash1 injured · 427703 · 2003-08-29

Vehicle

Make
CHRYSLER
Model
PT CRUISER
Year
2002
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Miles at failure
3,200
Speed
30 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

ON JULY 10, 2003, MY WIFE WAS RETURNING HOME AFTER DONATING BLOOD. SHE PASSED OUT AND THE 2002 PT CRUISER THAT SHE WAS DRIVING HIT A SMALL PINE TREE WITH A GLANCING BLOW TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE FENDER, AND THEN HIT A POWER POLE HEAD ON. THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE POWER POLE HARD ENOUGH TO BREAK THE POLE AND BRING THE HIGH VOLTAGE WIRES DOWN ACROSS THE TOP OF THE CAR. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, SHE WAS TRAVELING APPROX. 30 TO 35 MPH WHEN THE IMPACT OCCURRED.THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT , HER HEAD SNAPPED FORWARD AND HIT SOMETHING (I ASSUME THE RIM OF THE STEERING WHEEL) WHICH CAUSED A BONE-DEEP GASH IN BER FOREHEAD REQUIRING 10 (TEN) STITCHES TO CLOSE.I CONTACTED CHRYSLER, AND THEY SENT AN INVESTIGATOR TO LOOK AT THE CAR BEFORE REPAIRS WERE BEGUN. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT "....THE IMPACT, (WHICH DID NOT INVOLVE THE FRAME) DID NOT CREATE THE LONGITUDINAL (FRONT TO BACK) DECELERATION NECESSARY TO DEPLOY AIR BAGS.".IN FACT, THE FRAME WAS BENT. ACCORDING TO THE BODY SHOP MANAGER, THE RIGHT FRAME RAIL WAS MOVED BETWEEN 7 AND 10 MM.*AK MY CONTENTION IS THAT AN IMPACT SUFFICIENTLY HARD ENOUGH TO BREAK A POWER POLE SHOULD HAVE CAUSED THE AIR BAGS TO DEPOLY. I SAID THAT IN A LETTER BACK TO CHRYSLER AND HAVE RECEIVED NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION FROM THEM. TOTAL COST TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE TO THE PT CRUISER WAS $9,147.92

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10036852
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown