NHTSA Complaint #10408870 — 2011 KIA FORTE

MY MOTHER PURCHASED A NEW KIA FORTE A FEW DAYS AGO. CAME HOME FROM FOOD SHOPPING OPENED THE TRUNK TO TAKE OUT HER GROCERIES. SHE BENT OVER REACHED IN THE TRUNK TO REMOVE A BAG AND THE TRUNK SLAMMED DOWN ON THE BACK OF HER NECK CAUSING SEVERE BRUISING. I WENT OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG . THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVEWAY AND WHEN I RAISED THE TRUNK AND LET GO IT SLAMMED DOWN. I WAS WITH HER WHEN SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THE TRUNK STAYED OPEN BY ITSELF . WE COULD NOT FIND ANY VISIBLE REASON WHY THIS HAD HAPPENED. I THEN MOVED THE VEHICLE UP AND PARKED IT UNDER THE CARPORT AND WAS GOING TO TAKE OUT THE REST OF THE GROCERIES. THE TRUNK STAYED OPEN THIS TIME AND DID NOT SLAM SHUT BY ITSELF. THE DIFFERENCE WAS THAT NOW THE CAR WAS PARKED ON A LEVEL SURFACE, BEFORE IT WAS PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE IN THE DRIVEWAY. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. MY MOTHER IS 85 YEARS OLD AND SMALL IN STATURE.. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE SHE PURCHASED A CAR THAT SHE FELT COMFORTABLE AND SAFE IN. I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WE NEEDED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT AN INJURY OCCURRING WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. HER DOCTOR WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND SHE DID NOT WANT TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. I TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE BRUISING AND SWELLING ON HER NECK AND SHE HAS HAD A HEADACHE AND PAIN. SHE WILL SEE HER DOCTOR ON MONDAY, AND I WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT EXAMINED. SHE IS LUCKY THAT THE TRUNK DIDN'T SLAM ON HER HEAD AND KILL HER. I DO HOPE THIS WILL BE INVESTIGATED AND THAT NO ONE ELSE WILL BE INJURED. *TR