NHTSA Complaint #10252238 — 2003 HONDA ELEMENT

SAT. 11/1/08 -HONDA ELEMENT WAS PARKED, BUT RUNNING, IN FRONT OF OUR HOME. MY KIDS WERE IN THE BACK, MY HUSBAND WAS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT. AFTER STRAPPING MY CHILD INTO THE CARSEAT, I CLOSED THE BACK DOOR AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED! NO ONE WAS HURT, JUST SCARED. I CONTACTED HONDA DEALER & TOOK IT IN ON MON 11/3/08 & WAS TOLD THAT HONDA REP WOULD HAVE TO INSPECT. SERVICE MEN AT DEALERSHIP WERE VERY NICE & FELT IT WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF. I WAITED FOR CALL FOR APPT W/ HONDA REP. I WASN'T GIVEN AN APPT UNTIL WED. 12/17. HONDA REP REFUSES TO PAY SAYING IT IS NOT HONDA'S FAULT. SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY & NOT A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. REP SAID IT MIGHT BE THE SENSOR BUT THAT I COULD HAVE HIT A POTHOLE OR SOMETHING CAUSING THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOME. WE HIT NOTHING! THE AIR BAG JUST DEPLOYED! HONDA REP TOLD ME TO FILE WITH MY INSURANCE. STATE FARM DENIES CLAIM AND SAYS IT WILL NOT PAY BECAUSE THIS IS "CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT." THE HONDA REP ALSO SAID HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS EVER HAPPENING BEFORE. SO DID THE HONDA CUSTOMER RELATIONS HEADQTRS IN CA THAT I CALLED TODAY. BUT I HAVE GOOGLED THIS ISSUE AND FOUND OTHER ELEMENT OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THEIR SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOY FOR NO REASON. AT LEAST ONE WHILE HE WAS DRIVING! PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND LET ME KNOW IF OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THIS TO YOU. I WOULD LIKE HONDA TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND HOPEFULLY CORRECT IT SO NO ONE WILL GET HURT. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT! CLOSING THE BACKDOOR SHOULD NOT DEPLOY THE AIRBAG!! *TR