NHTSA Complaint #10277001 — 2005 HONDA ELEMENT

WHILE DRIVING ON I95 NORTHBOUND AT APPROX. 60 MILES PER HOUR, MY 2005 HONDA ELEMENT SIDE-DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY; IT FELT LIKE A BOMB WENT OFF. MY 12 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER IN THE BACK CAR SEAT WAS COMPLETELY TRAUMATIZED BY THE SEVERITY OF THE EVENT. MY EARS WERE RINGING AND MY LEFT REAR SHOULDER WAS HIT BY THE BAG. NOTHING HIT MY CAR TO CAUSE THE DEPLOYMENT. AFTER REGAINING MY COMPOSURE I CONTACTED HONDA USA WHO TOLD ME TO CONTACT MY INSURANCE COMPANY. MY INSURANCE COMPANY SAID THEY DO NOT COVER AN EVENT SUCH AS THIS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO APPARENT COLLISION. HONDA USA THEN SAID TO TAKE IT TO A HONDA DEALERSHIP FOR AN INSPECTION. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE ELEMENT AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS OR REASON AS TO WHY THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY. HONDA USA ASSIGNED ME A CASE #, BUT HAS YET TO CONTACT ME. THE HONDA DEALERSHIP ALSO REFUSED TO RELEASE MY CAR BECAUSE THEY NOW DEEM THE CAR "UNSAFE TO DRIVE". I CAN GET THE CAR IF I SIGN A WAIVER STATING THAT I WILL NOT SUE THE HONDA DEALERSHIP IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. MY ATTORNEY HAS BEEN CONTACTED. ALSO, MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER DEPLOYED AIRBAGS. THE SITUATION STILL REMAINS UNRESOLVED. *TR