NHTSA complaint: 2010 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER — AIR BAGS
I HAD AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL IN SNOWY WEATHER. I HAVE DRIVEN FOR 29 YEARS SO I AM AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER, HAVING DRIVEN THIS ROAD FOR ELEVEN YEARS...WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. MY NEIGHBOR WAS THE FIRST ONE TO COME TO ME AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND HE SAID IT LOOKED AS THOUGH MY BACK WHEELS WERE LOCKED UP. I KNOW NOT TO HOLD THE BRAKES...AND I IMAGINE THAT ALL FOUR BRAKES WOULD HAVE SLID HAD IT BEEN BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE BEING HELD. I WAS HEADED FOR THE DITCH..HOPING TO BE ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN WITHOUT CRASHING AND FOR SOME REASON THE VEHICLE JUST SHOT IN THE OTHER DIRECTION AND STRUCK THREE TREES HEAD ON. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE SEAT BELT CAUGHT EITHER...I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY CHEST AND HURT MY NECK AND MY TEETH CLACKED TOGETHER HURTING THEM. I WAS WEARING THE SEATBELT. I AM QUESTIONING WHY THE SEAT BELTS AND AIR BAGS DIDN'T WORK AND WONDER IF THERE IS A MALFUNCTION IN THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND OR THE ACCELERATION. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation