NHTSA complaint: 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TRAVELING 55 MPH ON CA INTERSTATE WHEN CAR DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME ABRUPTLY STOPPED. THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR ME TO STOP, SO I IMPACTED THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE HEAD ON AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. NOT ONE OF THE AIRBAGS IN MY VEHICLE DEPLOYED. CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT THIS AND THEY SAID IT IS THEIR "OPINION THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED IN THIS SITUATION." I ASKED THEM WHERE THE FRONTAL IMPACT SENSORS WERE, AND WAS TOLD DIRECTLY UNDER THE HEADLIGHTS IN THE BUMPER. WELL, BOTH SENSORS WERE IN THE IMPACTED AREA ON MY VEHICLE, THE ENTIRE BUMPER AND ASSEMBLY IS BEING REPLACED. THE COST TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE IS $10,000.00 THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS THE AIRBAGS WILL DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL CRASH AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, I WAS DOING AT LEAST 45 MPH! TOYOTA REFUSES TO ADMIT THE FAILURE OF THE AIRBAGS, AND NOW I WILL BE DRIVING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. *JB
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation