NHTSA Complaint #10000480 — 2002 JEEP LIBERTY

MY WIFE LOST CONTROL OF OUR 2002 JEEP LIBERTY LIMITED EDITION WHILE DRIVING IN A DOWNPOUR IN THE LATE AFTERNOON ON 12/19/02. SHE CROSSED THE MEDIAN COLLIDING WITH A CAR AND A TRUCK AND CONTINUED INTO A MUDDY FIELD WHERE THE VEHICLE FINALLY CAME TO A STOP. THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY EITHER DURING OR AFTER THE CRASH, HOWEVER, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED DURING THE CRASH EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO PASSENGER IN THAT SEAT. THIS ACCIDENT IS, I BELIEVE, A DRIVER SIDE FRONTAL OFFSET COLLISION TYPE. DEALER CONTACTED INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATOR FOR CHRYSLER WHO OBTAINED CODES FROM THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG FAILED. WE HAVE NO RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION AS YET. LUCKILY, MY WIFE DID HAVE HER SEAT BELT FASTENED OR HER INJURIES WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. SHE DOES HAVE BRUISING AND SORENESS AND BACKPAIN AND ALSO HAS NO MEMORY OF ACTUAL CRASH. NUMEROUS MEDICAL TESTS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED WHILE SHE WAS A PATIENT IN THE HOSPITAL AND AFTER HER RELEASE BUT NO MAJOR HEALTH PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED AS YET.