NHTSA complaint: 2003 GMC S UTILITY — EQUIPMENT
I OPENED MY TAILGAGE TODAY, 12/13/09, TO PUT SOME ITEMS INTO MY TRUNK. I LEANED IN TO GET THEM SITUATED & SECURE WHEN SUDDENLY THE LIFTGATE SLAMMED DOWN ON MY LOWER BACK, TRAPPING ME AGAINST THE INSIDE OF MY TRUNK. I WAS UNABLE TO LIFT THE GATE AND HAD TO SLITHER OUT ONTO THE GROUND, AT WHICH POINT THE LIFTGATE COMPLETELY CLOSED. I REOPENED THE LIFTGATE, UNSURE OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND WOOSH! IT SLAMMED SHUT AGAIN. THE LIFTGATE WILL NOT STAY UP, AND CLEARLY THE SENSORS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO DETECT OBJECTS IMPEDING IT'S CLOSURE ARE NOT WORKING. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN WHO OFTEN GET ITEMS OUT OF THE TRUNK - SUCH AS JACKETS OR UMBRELLAS - AND IF THIS HAD HAPPENED TO THEM, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THEIR HEAD OR NECK THAT GOT CAUGHT. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO LEHMER'S GMC IN CONCORD CA THIS MORNING AFTER VISITING THE DOCTOR WHO LOOKED AT MY SWOLLEN LOWER BACK. THEY TOLD ME SINCE I WISHED TO FILE A CLAIM WITH GMC -- NOT FOR COMPENSATION, SIMPLY TO HAVE OFFICIAL WRITTEN NOTICE THAT THIS IS A DANGEROUS OCCURRENCE -- THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE LIFTGATE AND WOULD HAVE TO GIVE IT BACK TO ME STILL DAMAGED AND DANGEROUS. I'M QUITE SURPRISED THAT THEY WOULD RETURN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS VEHICLE TO A CUSTOMER. MY LOWER BACK IS CURRENTLY SWOLLEN AND SORE. I'VE CALLED MY DOCTOR'S OFFICE TO REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT FOR TOMORROW MORNING WHEN THEY OPEN AND I WILL BE TAKING THE CAR INTO CONCORD GMC FOR SERVICE. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation