NHTSA Complaint #10226557 — 2004 NISSAN MURANO

I RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN ROAD HITTING A LARGE TREE WITH THE DRIVER'S DOOR, THEN CONTINUED DOWN THE HILL ANOTHER ~20 FEET SLAMMING INTO A BOULDER. WHEN I HIT THE TREE, THE DRIVER'S DOOR WINDOW BROKE AS WELL AS THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR DOOR. THE DOOR WAS JAMMED SHUT. THE NISSAN WAS EQUIPPED WITH FRONT SIDE IMPACT AIRBAGS AND BOTH FRONT AND REAR HEAD PROTECTION AIRBAGS. NONE WERE DEPLOYED. WHEN I HIT THE BOULDER, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, BUT THE DRIVER'S FRONT AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE PRE-TENSIONER ON THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT DID NOT LATCH RESULTING IN ME HITTING MY UPPER CHEST AND LOWER JAW ON THE STEERING WHEEL SINCE THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FUEL CUT-OFF DEVICE ALSO FAILED TO ACTIVATE AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. AFTER ALMOST A MINUTE, I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE WITH THE KEY. I HAD BEEN KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. THE 2004 NISSAN MURANO SUSTAINED OVER $25,000 IN DAMAGE WHICH RESULTED IN IT BEING TOTALED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THE AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE BRIEFLY WHEN STARTING THE CAR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. SO THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF AN AIRBAG MALFUNCTION. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS THE FRONT AND UNDERCARRIAGE. MY INJURIES WERE LIMITED TO BRUISES TO MY CHEST AND LOWER JAW. THE ACCIDENT ALSO GREATLY AGGRAVATED A PRIOR INJURY TO MY UPPER BACK. WHEN I WENT TO GO REMOVE MY PERSONAL BELONGINGS FROM THE VEHICLE, I FOUND THAT THE JACK, MOUNTED IN THE REAR FLOOR HAD COME COMPLETELY OUT. *TR