NHTSA Complaint #10670024 — 2007 HYUNDAI ENTOURAGE

COMING INTO MY DRIVEWAY, WHICH I HAD DONE THOUSANDS OF TIMES BEFORE, PUSHED THE OPEN BUTTON ON THE VAN'S MIRROR, MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WAITING FOR THE GARAGE DOOR TO OPEN, MY DAUGHTER TO GET OUT. HOWEVER, BEFORE SHE COULD REMOVE HER SEAT BELT, THE VAN LUNGED FORWARD WITH SUCH SPEED, WE WERE BOTH SCREAMING IN SHOCK. IT SMASHED THRU THE GARAGE DOOR LUNGED WITH SUCH FORCE TEARING DOWN THE CLOSET IN THE BACK OF THE GARAGE, RUNNING OVER LAWN MOWER AND POWER TOOLS, AND SMASHING EVERYTHING IN ITS PATH. MY DAUGHTER, WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL DRIVER, SLAMMED IT INTO PARK, AND I TURNED OFF THE KEY, STILL IN SHOCK. MY FOOT FELT LIKE IT WENT THRU THE FLOOR I WAS ON IT WITH SUCH FORCE. MY HUSBAND HEARD THE CRASH (HE IS NEARLY DEAF)SO HE RUSHED TO PULL ME OUT AS I WAS STUNNED, MY DAUGHTER GOT OUT, CALLED 911 AS SHE SMELLED GAS. THE FIRE DEPT CAME AND TURNED OFF THE GAS, DID A METER READING AND THERE WAS NO NATURAL GAS LEAKS. IN ALL MY 60+ YRS OF DRIVING ALL TYPES OF VEHICLES, ALL OVER THE WORLD, MY HUSBAND IS RETIRED MILITARY, I HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN. WE WERE PLANNING ON PACKING THE VAN TO LEAVE ON A TRIP, IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON A HWY OR SCHOOL ZONE OR AT A BUSY SECTION OF TOWN, I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED, PERHAPS WE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR WORSE, OTHERS WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED OR KILLED. I'VE DRIVEN WITH THE SAME INSURANCE CO. FOR 59 YRS AND HAVE A SUPER GOOD DRIVING RECORD, TO THIS DAY, I CAN NOT GET INTO A CAR OR VAN AND DRIVE...THIS HAS REALLY MADE ME REALIZE, THAT CARS/VANS ARE UNSAFE TODAY. WHEN MY HUSBAND TALKED TO OUR MECHANIC'S, THEY TOLD HIM, IT HAPPENS OFTEN, THAT A GARAGE DOOR OPENER CAN SET OFF THE ELECTRONICS IN A VAN OR CAR AND IT WILL LUNGE FORWARD OUT OF CONTROL. OMG SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE THEM SAFER NOT MORE GADGETS. *TR