NHTSA complaint: 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA — SEAT BELTS:FRONT
WHILE DRIVING SOUTH ON US68, AN ONCOMING NORTHBOUND CONCRETE TRUCK TURNED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US. WHEN WE HIT, THE PASSENGER'S SHOULDER HARNESS OF MY 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA FAILED TO "LOCK". I WAS THROWN AGAINST THE DASH AND THEN THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED DIRECTLY AGAINST MY CHEST. MY WIFE'S AIRBAG (SHE WAS DRIVING) DEPLOYED SLIGHTLY FASTER, BUT LATE ENOUGH THAT IT OPENED UNDER HER CHIN AND POPPED HER HEAD BACK. SHE HAS THREE DAMAGED DISKS IN HER NECK (TWO HERNIATED AND ONE BULGING). MY SHOULDER HARNESS WAS NO HELP, AND MY AIRBAG ACTUALLY INJURED ME BY FIRING LATE AND IN CONTACT WITH MY CHEST. MY WIFE'S AIRBAG, ALTHOUGH SLIGHTLY FASTER, CAUSED HER INJURY BY DEPLOYING SLOWLY. *NM
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation