NHTSA complaint: 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
I WAS FILLING UP MY WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID AND WAS TRYING TO PUT THE CAP BACK ON MY 2002 PASSAT WHEN THE HOOD STRUT FAILED AND THE HOOD CRASHED DOWN ON MY FOREARM, PINNING MY ARM BETWEEN THE HOOD AND CAR FRAME. I SCREAMED OUT BOTH IN PAIN AND NOT BEING ABLE TO PULL MY ARM FREE AND HAD SOMEONE RUSH OVER TO ME WITHIN SECONDS. HOWEVER, THE HOOD LATCH HAD ENGAGED BUT WOULD NOT RELEASE SINCE THE HOOD WAS NOT CLOSED ALL THE WAY, MY ARM BLOCKING THIS FROM HAPPENING. THE FIRST GENTLEMAN TRIED TO ALLEVE THE PRESSURE ON MY ARM, WHICH HAD ALREADY STARTED GOING NUMB, WHILE HE CALLED OUT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO COME AND HELP AND BRING A HEAVY METAL BAR TO PRY ME OUT. THE SECOND GENTLEMAN CAME WITH A LARGE WRENCH AND WAS ABLE TO BEND THE FRAME ENOUGH FOR ME TO PULL MY ARM OUT. MAJOR INDENT OF MY FOREARM HAD ME MAKE AN EMERGENCY ROOM VISIT. XRAYS SHOWED NOTHING WAS BROKEN THOUGH 1 WEEK LATER I AM STILL SWOLLEN AND SORE. ABOUT $1900 BODY DAMAGE TO CAR, AS WELL AS AT LEAST $250 MEDICAL. MY MECHANIC NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE HOOD STRUT, SO THIS INCIDENT CAME AS A TOTAL SURPRISE TO HIM. HE HAS ORDERED A REPLACEMENT STRUT TO BE INSTALLED TOMMOROW. *CN
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation