NHTSA Complaint #10201682 — 2005 BUICK TERRAZA

SLIDING DRIVER'S SIDE REAR DOOR OPENED WHILE I WAS FUELING THE CAR. MY WIFE PUSHED THE OPEN DOOR BUTTON. A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION DEVELOPED AS THE SLIDING DOOR SLID BACKWARDS TOWARD THE GASOLINE HOSE. I JAMMED THE DOOR WITH MY BODY AND ATTEMPTED TO PRESS THE DOOR BUTTON BUT THE DOOR KEPT TRYING TO SLIDE BACK. I SQUEEZED THE HANDLE AND YANKED THE HOSE OUT OF THE GAS TANK FILLER. I SPLASHED QUITE A BIT OF GAS ON THE SIDE OF THE CAR. THERE SHOULD BE SOME SAFETY SWITCH THAT WOULD PREVENT THE SLIDING DOOR FROM OPERATING WHEN THE GAS TANK DOOR IS OPEN. MY WIFE WAS DISORIENTED AT THE TIME BECAUSE OF A DIABETIC SUGAR LOW AND FELT SHE NEEDED AIR. I HAD VISIONS OF THE SLIDING DOOR STRIKING THE GAS HOSE AND STARTING A FIRE. THE DOOR HAS A SAFETY SWITCH THAT PREVENTS IT FROM CLOSING IF AN OBJECT IS IN THE WAY. BUT THERE IS NOTHING TO PREVENT THE DOOR FROM OPENING EVEN WHEN IT IS HELD OR STRIKES SOMETHING. *JB