NHTSA complaint: 2007 HONDA FIT — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
I OWN A 2007 HONDA FIT, SPORT MODEL- THAT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THERE WAS A LATE MODEL TOYOTA TUNDRA PICKUP TRUCK INFRONT OF MY CAR AND IT CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP. I COULDN'T STOP QUICK ENOUGH- I WAS TRAVELING AT LOW SPEED MUST BE UNDER 15MPH. MY CAR HIT THE BUMPER OF THE PICK UP TRUCK INFRONT OF ME AND THE HOOD, LIGHTS AND ENTIRE "TOP" FRONT END SUSTAINED ABOUT "$7000" WORTH OF DAMAGE. BUT NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT ALL. LOTS OF LIGHTS ON THE GAUGE CLUSTER CAME ON AND WENT OFF BUT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE TUNDRA ONLY SUSTAINED A SCRATCH ON THE REAR BUMPER. AFTER A TEAR DOWN BY THE BODY SHOP IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SENSORS WERE INSTALLED AT THE SIDES AT THE FRONT END OF THE FRAME RAIL. THIS IS A VERY LOW POSITION ON THIS CAR SINCE ITS ALREADY LOW TO THE GROUND. I BELIEVE THE AIRBAG SENSORS ARE TOO LOW ON THESE CARS BY POOR AND IRRESPONSIBLE DESIGN BY HONDA. HAD THESE SENSORS BEEN PLACED AT A HIGHER ELEVATION THEN THE AIRBAGS WOULD HAVE GONE OFF AND THE INJURIES WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN MINOR. THIS DESIGN DECISION SEEMS LIKE IT WAS DEVELOPED TO SATISFY THE FRONTAL CRASH TESTS CONDUCTED BY THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY. DURING THOSE TESTS THE CARS ARE EVALUATED FOR CRASHES TO A SOLID OBJECT ANCHORED TO THE GROUND. THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH SCENARIO WITH ANY VEHICLE THAT WOULD NOT BE A COMPACT CAR. I WAS LUCKY BECAUSE THERE WAS NO LOSS OF LIFE BUT THE SA
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation