NHTSA complaint: 2007 SUZUKI SX4 — AIR BAGS
VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW ON 10/30/2007, AND SERVICED REGULARLY AT LOCAL DEALER. INITIAL REPORTS OF "PASSENGER AIR BAG" LIGHT IGNORED REPEATEDLY BY DEALER. ON 3/23/2008 WHILE VEHICLE WAS MOVING IT WAS BACKED INTO BY A TOYOTA CAMRY. THE CAMRY HAD MINIMAL DAMAGE, BUT THE SUZUKI SUSTAINED MORE THAN $4700 IN DAMAGE. NUMEROUS CALLS TO POLICE ENSUE AND FINALLY AFTER 2 HOURS, A FLORIDA HWY. PATROL OFFICER RESPONDS. HE REFUSED TO MAKE/TAKE A REPORT AS HIS SHIFT IS ABOUT TO END. HE HAD A VERY DEMEANING ATTITUDE AND WAS QUITE AGITATED. WHILE INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED, NO ONE KNEW THE EXTENT OF THEM AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. NONE OF THE 7 AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. THE CAR ITSELF WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED AND ALMOST TIPPED COMPLETELY OVER ONTO ITS ROOF. THE PASSENGER LATER LEARNED THAT THE REASON FOR HER SEVERE PAIN AND INABILITY TO WALK 3 WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO A SEVERED HIP JOINT. OF COURSE THE CAMRY DRIVER'S GEICO INSURANCE HANDLED THE INITIAL CLAIM AND REPAIRED THE SUZUKI. THEY BALKED AT THE INJURIES, BUT AFTER RETAINING COUNSEL FINALLY PAID OUT A SMALL PORTION ON THE MEDICAL; THE PASSENGER HAS PERMANENT LIFE LONG PROBLEMS AS A RESULT, LOST HER JOB AND HAS A LARGE PARTIALLY UNPAID MEDICAL BILL. THE VEHICLE WAS "OKAY" AFTER THE REPAIR AND THEN AT 51310 MILES THE "AIR BAG" LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. REPORTS TO NHTSA AND SUZUKI WENT COMPLETELY IGNORED SINCE THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH SUZUKI'S SOLD. SUZUKI ADVISED OWNER TO CONTINUE MAKING CAR PAYMENTS,
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation