NHTSA complaint: 2005 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY — STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
MY 2 YEAR OLD SON WAS EXITING OUR CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY VAN WHEN HE REALIZED HE HAD FORGOTTEN HIS DVD PLAYER IN THE CAR. I HAD ALREADY PRESSED THE BUTTON TO AUTOMATICALLY CLOSE THE DOOR AND WHEN HE REACHED IN THE DOOR CLOSED SECURELY ON HIS FINGERS. I HAD TO MANUALLY OPEN THE DOOR AND GET HIS FINGERS RELEASED FROM THE DOOR, WHICH WERE SMASHED!!! WE WERE PROMISED WHEN WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE THAT IT HAD A SENSOR THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW FOR THIS KIND OF THING TO HAPPEN. WE HAVE SINCE LOOKED AT NEWER ONES, AND AGAIN HAVE BEEN GUARANTEED THAT THIS IS THE ONLY MINIVAN THAT PROMISES TO STOP THE DOOR CLOSING PROCESS IF SOMETHING IS IN IT'S WAY!!! WITH ALL OF THESE PROMISES, I HAVE TO SAY THAT WHEN WE CONTACTED CHRYSLER ABOUT THIS, THEY SENT OUT AN INSPECTOR THAT TOOK PICTURES OF THE MINIVAN, AND EXPERIENCED NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE DOOR STOPPED HIMSELF. THEY MAILED US A LETTER ABOUT A WEEK OR SO LATER THAT SAID THEY WERE SORRY FOR MY CHILDS INJURED HAND, BUT IF YOU READ YOUR OWNER'S MANUAL THAT IT STATES TO BE CAREFUL WHEN OPENING OR CLOSING THE ELECTRIC DOORS!!! WE HAVE HEARD OF SEVERAL OTHER CASES OF THIS HAPPENING, AND ONE WAS A CHILD'S HEAD THAT GOT CLOSED IN THE DOOR. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO PREVENT THIS FROM BEING MORE SERIOUS THAN A HAND!!! CHRYSLER DOES NOT CARE AS LONG AS THEY'RE SELLING CARS AND PUTTING SAFETY HAZARDS IN FINE PRINT!!! UNFORTUNATELY WE DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT DATE OF THE INCIDENT SINCE IT DID HAPPEN 2 YEARS AGO, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE WE ARE STILL VE
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation