NHTSA Complaint #10067767 — 2003 HONDA CIVIC

MY 2003 CIVIC HYBRID WAS T-BONED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BY A NISSAN ALTIMA TRAVELING 30-35MPH. THE MAJORITY OF THE IMPACT WAS ON THE LEFT REAR DOOR AND MIDPOST BETWEEN THE LEFT FRONT AND LEFT REAR DOOR. THE LEFT FRONT DOOR WAS CRINKLED LEAVING WINDOW AND DOOR UNABLE TO FUNCTION. LEFT REAR DOOR COMPLETELY SMASHED AND LEFT REAR WINDOW BROKEN OUT. THE SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I INQUIRED WITH HONDA (LOCAL AND NATIONAL) INQUIRING IF THE SIDE AIR BAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. BOTH LOCAL AND NATIONAL HONDA SAID THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE SIDE AIR BAG DEPENDS ON THE ANGLE OF IMPACT, ETC. I TOLD THEM I WAS CONCERNED IF THE AIRBAGS WOULD FUNCTION IF I HAD ANOTHER WRECK. THEY SAID IF SIDE AIR BAGS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING, A WARNING LIGHT WOULD BE ACTIVE ON THE DASH. NO PARTS WERE REPLACED, ETC. WHEN THE CAR WAS BEING REPAIRD AND WAS TORN DOWN IN BODY SHOP, I WENT TO THE SHOP AND LOOKED AT THE SENSORS AND THEIR LOCATION. THEY WERE LOCATED AT THE BASE (FLOOR LEVEL) OF THE CAR, MIDWAY BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR DOOR. THE CAR IS A COMPACT, AND NATURALLY SITS LOW ANYWAY. MOST CAR BUMPERS ON IMPACT WILL HIT 1/3 OR 1/2 WAY UP THE DOOR, ESPECIALLY TRUCKS/SUVS. IT SEEMS TO ME THE SENSORS ARE TOO LOW. ALSO, I RECEIVED A LACERATION ON MY HEAD. AS THE CAR SHIFTED STRONGLY TO THE RIGHT AT IMPACT, MY HEAD SLAMMED INTO THE SUPPORT HANDLE THAT IS POSITIONED ABOVE THE DRIVER'S WINDOW IN THE INTERIOR. IN MY CALL TO HONDA'S NATIONAL OFFICE, I SUGGESTED THEY CHECK THE SIDE AIR BAG SENSORS ENGINEERING, AND THAT THEY REMOVE THE INTERIOR HANDLE ABOVE THE DRIVER'S WINDOW (I'VE NOTICED OTHER BRANDS OF VEHICLES DON'T HAVE THEM THERE). SECOND INJURY WAS MY WIFE'S NECK BEING SORE AFTER THE WRECK FROM WHIPLASH. SUMMARY: TWO CONCERNS 1) ARE SIDE AIR BAG SENSORS WORKING AND/OR ENGINEERED PROPERLY, AND 2) THE SUPPORT HANDLE THAT IS HEAD- HIGH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULD BE REMOVED.*AK