NHTSA Complaint #10502217 — 2013 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER

I HAD OWNED MY OUTLANDER FOR JUST OVER A WEEK AND WAS ATTEMPTING A NORMAL LEFT HAND TURN. MY LONG-SLEEVE, CUFFED SHIRT BECAME CAUGHT ON THE LOWER PORTION OF THE RIGHT PADDLE SHIFTER. AS I ATTEMPTED TO STRAIGHTEN THE CAR FROM THE TURN, THE WHEEL TURNED AND PULLED MY STUCK RIGHT ARM INTO AN OPENING ON THE STEERING WHEEL.CONSEQUENTLY, MY VEHICLE CONTINUED TURNING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AS I BOTH TRIED TO STOP AND FREE MY ARM. LUCKILY, APPROACHING TRAFFIC SAW MY CAR IN ENOUGH TIME TO AVOID HITTING ME. I WAS NOT ABLE TO FREE MY HAND UNTIL I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP AND REPOSITIONED THE STEERING WHEEL. THE PADDLE SHIFTERS ON THIS CAR ARE EACH OVER 4" LONG AND AWKWARDLY PLACED ON THE STEERING COLUMN. CLOTHING OR JEWELRY CAN EASILY BECOME ENTANGLED IN THE MECHANISM. I BELIEVE MY SAFETY AND THE POTENTIAL SAFETY OF OTHER OUTLANDER OWNERS IS IN QUESTION. I HAVE ASKED THE COMPANY TO REMOVE THEM FROM MY CAR TO WHICH MITSUBISHI CORPORATE REPLIED "WE ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE ANY PROCEDURES OR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE PADDLE SHIFTERS." MY DEALERSHIPS HANDS ARE TIED WITH MITSUBISHI HEADQUARTERS POSITION. I FEEL THAT THE COMPANY IS MAKING LIGHT OF MY CONCERN AND HAS NO INTEREST IN ACKNOWLEDGING OR SOLVING THIS PROBLEM. *TR