NHTSA complaint: 2011 LEXUS RX330 — STRUCTURE:BODY
MY WIFE WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT. THERE WERE TWO LANES. ONE GOING STRAIGHT AND THE OTHER TURNING RIGHT. SHE WAS TURNING RIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, BOTH HER AND THE CAR GOING STRAIGHT ADVANCED. A CAR COMING FROM ANOTHER DIRECTION, SWERVED PAST THE CAR GOING STRAIGHT AND HIT MY WIFE ON THE LEFT SIDE FRONT, AND THEN PUSHED HER INTO A TRAFFIC POLE IN THE MEDIAN OF THE STREET SHE WAS TURNING INTO. MY WIFE'S CAR WAS TOTALED AS A RESULT. THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED AND SHE SUFFERED A FRACTURED STERNUM, IN GREAT PAIN. WHEN I WENT TO THE BODYSHOP WHERE THE CAR WAS TAKEN, I SAW ANOTHER RX 330, SAME AMOUNT OF DAMAGE AND IT TO, DID NOT HAVE A DEPLOYED AIR BAG. THE EXPLANATION I RECEIVED FROM THE DEALER WAS, THAT AT THE FIRST IMPACT TO THE FRONT SIDE (AT THE HEADLIGHT), THAT IMPACT DAMAGED THE SENSORS TO THE AIRBAGS, AND WHEN IT THEN STRUCK HEAD ON, THE SENSORS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAG. : IF THE SENSORS WERE COMPROMISED, WHY WOULD THEY NOT DEPLOY...ISN'T THAT THE PURPOSE OF AIR BAGS??? *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation