NHTSA complaint: 1997 MAZDA MPV — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
I AM FILING A COMPLAINT IN REGARD TO MY VEHICLE'S EQUIPMENT THAT FAILED AND WAS FAULTY IN A RECENT AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MPH IN A STRAIGHT LANE WHEN A VEHICLE QUICKLY ENTERED ACROSS MY PATH TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN. I HAD NO TIME TO BRAKE, SO THE OTHER CAR IS WHAT STOPPED MY MOTION. IT WAS A HARD HIT! MY MAZDA MPV CRASHED INTO THE OTHER PERSON'S CAR. DURING OUR FRONT IMPACT WITH THE OTHER CAR'S DRIVER SIDE, MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING INJURY. HAD THE AIRBAG WORKED, I FEEL I WOULDN'T HAD SLID INTO THE DASH AND BEEN JERKED BACKWARDS BY MY SEAT BELT RESTRAINT CAUSING INJURY TO MY BACK AND OR SPINAL ALIGNMENT. I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING EVERY DAY FROM THE ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS INJURY. IN ADDITION TO THE CHEST/LAP BELT BEING USED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, I SECURED MY DAUGHTER'S CHEST DURING THE CRASH WITH MY RIGHT ARM, WHICH I BELIEVE HELPED HER TO NOT ATTAIN EVEN MORE INJURY FROM THE AIR BAG NOT DEPLOYING. SHE WAS, HOWEVER,INJURED ON HER LEG FROM THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT UNDER HER SEAT RELEASING ON IT'S OWN FROM THE CRASH AND HITTING HER LEGS CAUSING A CUT THAT WAS TREATED AT THE E.R. THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RELEASE IN A WRECK. I BELIEVE YOU WILL CONSIDER THIS PROBLEM TO ALSO BE FAULTY IN NATURE. I URGE YOU TO INVESTIGATE THESE PROBLEMS SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE MAY BE NOTIFIED WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. I ASK THAT YOU AND/OR MAZDA INVESTIGATE THE DEFECTS WITH MY VEHICLE VERY SOON BEFORE I HAVE TO SIGN THE TITLE OVER TO
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation