NHTSA complaint: 2004 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER — VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
I AM WRITING TO YOU TO ALERT YOU TO A HORRIBLE HAZARD IN CARS WITH ELECTRIC WINDOWS. IN NOVEMBER 2003 MY FAMILY AND I WERE ON VACATION IN SAN DIEGO AND WE RENTED A PT CRUISER. AT ONE POINT WE WERE PARKED IN A PARKING LOT WITH THE CAR RUNNING TALKING TO ANOTHER GROUP WHEN MY 6 YEAR OLD STUCK HER HEAD OUT THE WINDOWE TO JOIN THE DISCUSSION. WHEN SHE DID, SHE ACCIDENTIALLY KICKED THE POWER WINDOW BUTTON WITH HER FOOT. THE BUTTON WAS LOCATED NEAR THE FLOOR IN THE BACKSEAT ON THE MIDDLE CONSOL. SHE ROLLED THE WINDOW UP ON HER OWN HEAD AND WAS STUCK IN THE WINDOW. SHE ONLY LIVED THROUGH THE EVENT BECAUSE 1) HER HEAD WAS TILTED AT THE TIME SO THE WINDOW ROLLED UP ON THE SIDE OF HER NECK AND NOT ON HER TRACHEA; AND 2) HER 8 YEAR OLD SISTER IN THE BACK SEAT WITH HER HEARD HER SCREAMS AND GOT HER FOOT OFF THE BUTTON AND ROLLED THE WINDOW BACK DOWN. IT WAS TERRIFYING AND PAINFUL AND TOTALLY PREVENTABLE. THE BUTTON SHOULD BE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE WHERE IT CANNOT BE KICKED OR BUMPED SO EASILY, AND THERE SHOULD BE A MECHANISM THAT ALLOWS THE WINDOW TO ROLL BACK DOWN IF IT MEETS RESISTANCE. I AM WILLING TO TESTIFY OR TO SIGN AN AFFIDAVIT OR HELP IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN TO GET THIS MATTER RESOLVED THROUGH CHANGES TO INDUSTRY STANDARDS. I KNOW THAT OTHER CHILDREN HAVE DIED FROM THIS. PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO THE APPROPRIATE DIVISION IF I HAVE SENT THIS TO YOU IN ERROR OR PLEASE NOTIFY ME SO THAT I CAN CONTACT THE APPROPRIATE DIVISION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *AK
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation