NHTSA Complaint #10432209 — 2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE BUTTON WAS PUSHED TO OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR, AND MY 3-YEAR OLD SON WAS STANDING STILL IN THE THIRD ROW, WAITING FOR THE DOOR TO OPEN COMPLETELY. (I WAS STANDING OUTSIDE, DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DOOR AS IT OPENED.) MY SON'S FOOT SLIPPED AND HIS LEG FELL OUT OF THE VAN, AND BECAUSE THE DOOR WAS OPENING IT PINNED HIS LEG BETWEEN THE BOTTOM BAR SUPPORTING THE DOOR, AND THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. MY SON WAS INJURED. THE DOOR WOULD NOT STOP OPENING DESPITE USING MANUAL FORCE TO STOP THE DOOR FROM OPENING. THE BUTTON WAS PUSHED TO CLOSE THE DOOR, THUS PROVIDING RELEASE OF MY SON'S LEG, HOWEVER IN ORDER TO PULL HIM OUT THE DOOR CLOSED ON US AND WE HAD TO AGAIN PUSH THE BUTTON TO OPEN THE DOOR. THIS VEHICLE HAS NO SENSOR FOR THE SIDE SLIDING DOORS OPENING. THE SPACE BETWEEN THE BAR ON THE DOOR AND THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE IS APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES ONCE THE DOOR IS FULLY OPENED. THERE IS ADEQUATE SPACE FOR A SMALL CHILD TO COMPLETELY FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND POTENTIALLY BE CRUSHED. *TR