NHTSA complaint: 2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER — SEATS
WHILE DRIVING IN MICHIGAN ON US 23 IN A 2007 PT CRUISER STANDARD. THE VEHICLE APPROACHED A TRAFFIC JAM AND SLOWED TO A STOP. THEN A BMW VEHICLE SMASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE PT CRUISER AT RATES UP TO 80MPH AND THE BMW DRIVER NEVER APPLIED BRAKES DURING IMPACT OF VEHICLE. THE PT CRUISER THEN CRASHED INTO AND TOTALED A HONDA ACCORD. THE AIR BAGS OF THE PT CRUISER NEVER DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT WITH THE FRONTAL VEHICLE. ALL PASSENGERS WERE WEARING SEATBLELTS WHICH DID SAVE THERE LIVES. THE BACK SEAT WAS JAMMED INTO THE FRONT SEAT WHERE THE PASSENGER BEHIND THE DRIVER RECEIVED A BROKEN FOREARM AND ALMOST HAD A AMPUTATED ANKLE FROM BEING CAUGHT UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT. THE OF THE PASSENGER IN THE BACK SEAT RECEIVED BROKEN RIBS AND A HEART ATTACK FROM IMPACTING THE FRONT SEAT. THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT BROKE ALL RIBS AND A BROKEN BACK FROM HITTING THE DASHBOARD AND ARM WENT INTO THE WINDSHIELD WHEN THE FRONT SEAT WAS FORCED FORWARD. THE DRIVER DID HIT HER HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL AND CAUSED A BASE SKULL FRACTURE AND A BROKEN LEFT PELVIC BONE. ONCE AGAIN ALL WHERE WEARING SEAT BELTS WHICH SAVED THEIR LIVES BUT ARE UNSURE IN WHY THE AIRBAGS WERE NEVER DEPLOYED ON SUCH A HIGH RATE IMPACT WHICH TRAPPED AND SERIOUSLY INJURED ALL PASSENGERS INSIDE. I DO BELIEVE THAT THE VEHICLE DID STAY INTACT ENOUGH AND THE SEAT BELTS WORKED WELL BUT THE FAILURE OF AIRBAGS AND THE BACK SEATS SLAMMING INTO THE FRONT SEATS TO ME DOES NOT SEEM LIKE A CAR THAT RECEIVED A 5 STAR CRASH TEST RATING ON REAR COLLISIONS.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation