NHTSA Complaint #10458148 — 2003 PORSCHE BOXSTER

A STRANGE THING HAPPENED AS MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT IN OUR '03 BOXSTER. THE SEATBACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE MYSTERIOUSLY BEGAN ROTATING FORWARD, ALL EFFORTS TO STOP IT USING BODY FORCE FAILED. MY WIFE WAS CRUSHED INTO THE GLOVE BOX BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND STOP. SHE COULD NOT REACH THE DOOR HANDLE AND WAS BARELY ABLE TO EXTRICATE HERSELF AFTER I OPENED THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE SEAT MOTOR HAD ROTATED THE SEATBACK FORWARD TO A POSITION OF APPROXIMATELY 45 PAST VERTICAL BY THE TIME IT STOPPED. WE LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE SHEEPSKIN SEAT COVER HAD SNAGGED THE PROTRUDING SWITCH ON THE SIDE OF THE SEAT AND HELD IT, CAUSING THE SEAT BACK TO ROTATE. THE POINT I NEED TO MAKE IS THIS; WHAT IF THE SAME THING HAD HAPPENED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE? THE DRIVER WOULD BE CRUSHED AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL AND UNABLE TO STOP. A CRASH WOULD BE INEVITABLE, AND THE DRIVER WOULD SUSTAIN SERIOUS INJURY SINCE THE SPACE BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND WHEEL IS SO SMALL. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO NEED FOR THE SEAT MOTOR TO BE ABLE TO ROTATE THE SEATBACK FORWARD TO SUCH A HUGE ANGLE FROM VERTICAL, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE MECHANICAL LEVER AT THE TOP OF THE SEAT MAY BE USED IF SEAT ROTATION IS REQUIRED. I STRONGLY URGE PORSCHE TO CONSIDER INSTALLING A LIMIT SWITCH ON THE SEAT MOTOR TO PREVENT EVEN THE REMOTEST POSSIBILITY OF THIS EVENT OCCURRING. THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMEONE PLACING AN ITEM IN A POSITION TO SNAG THE PROTRUDING SWITCH AND ACTIVATE THE SEAT ROTATION IS TOO REAL TO IGNORE, AND RAISES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. NOTE THAT THE SHEEPSKIN SEAT COVERS I USE ARE CUSTOM MADE FOR THE BOXSTER SEAT AND HAVE CUTOUTS AROUND THE SEAT SWITCHES; EVEN SO THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. *TR