NHTSA Complaint #10554812 — 2005 LEXUS ES

MY WIFE ENTERED AN INTERSECTION AND WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR, BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH. THE DRIVER'S DOOR WINDOW EXPLODED ON IMPACT AND SHE WAS HIT WITH FLYING GLASS IN THE FACE. THE DRIVER'S DOOR WAS BENT INWARD APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES FROM THE FORCE. WE BELIEVE SHE HIT HER HEAD ON THE B PILLAR, BECAUSE SHE SUFFERED A CONCUSSION AND A JAGGED CUT ABOVE HER LEFT EYE. SHE ALSO SUFFERED A BROKEN LEFT RIB IN THE ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. THE MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED THE REPAIR NOTED THAT THERE WAS INTRUSION ON THE DRIVERS DOOR, THAT THE LOWER ROCKER HAD BEEN PUSHED IN, AND THAT DUE TO PRESSURE ON THE B PILLAR THE REAR DOOR DID NOT OPEN PROPERLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH SIDE CURTAIN AIRS BAGS WHICH DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE OWNER'S MANUAL OF THE VEHICLE SHOWS AIRBAG SENSORS IN ALL FOUR DOORS OF THE CAR. GIVEN THE DIRECT HIT ON THE DRIVERS DOOR AND THE RESULTING EXPLOSION OF THE DRIVERS WINDOW, WE FEEL THE SIDE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED, WHICH WOULD HAVE LESSENED OR ELIMINATED THE INJURIES MY WIFE SUFFERED. I INFORMED TOYOTA MOTOR SALES THAT I WAS UNHAPPY WITH THE AIRBAG'S FAILURE TO DEPLOY, AND WAS INFORMED THAT SINCE "THE IMPACT FORCES WERE NOT DIRECTED TOWARDS THE B-PILLAR, DEPLOYMENT WAS NOT WARRANTED". TO ME THIS INDICATES THAT THERE ARE NOT SENSORS IN THE DOORS AS SHOWN IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WERE FORCES EXERTED TO THE B-PILLAR IN THE ACCIDENT, AS NOTED BY THE MECHANICAL INSPECTION. *TR