NHTSA Complaint #10679602 — 2009 SCION XB

TRAVELING NORTH ON I-75 IN INDEPENDENCE TWP, MI SOUTH OF ORTONVILLE RD AT 10:55AM IN A SNOW STORM, DRIVER USED THE PASSING LANE TO OVERTAKE A SLOW MOVING VEHICLE IN THE CENTER LANE. ACCELERATING TO 70MPH, DRIVER BEGAN TO MERGE BACK INTO CENTER LANE BUT ENCOUNTERED A HEAVY BUILDUP OF SLUSH BETWEEN LANES AND BEGAN TO LOOSE TRACTION. VEHICLE STARTED TO VEER TO THE RIGHT. DRIVER REMOVED FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR AND TURNED WHEEL SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT TO CORRECT THE SKID BUT THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY ENTERED INTO A RAPID 360 DEGREE SPIN TO THE RIGHT. NO OTHER VEHICLE WAS STRUCK. DRIVER RECOVERED FROM THE SPIN MOMENTARILY AND CAR WAS FACING NORTHBOUND BETWEEN THE CENTER AND RIGHT LANES BUT STILL VEERING TO THE RIGHT. THE FRONT WHEELS CONTACTED DRY PAVEMENT WHILE THE REAR WHEELS WERE ON WET PAVEMENT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO MAKE A SHARP RIGHT TURN HEAD ON INTO THE GUARD RAIL AT 60 MPH. THE GUARD RAIL GAVE WAY AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED HEAVY DAMAGE. HOWEVER THE VEHICLE REBOUNDED AND REMAINED IN THE ROAD WAY, SLIDING SIDEWAYS AND EVENTUALLY SPINNING ANOTHER 270 DEGREES AFTER AGAIN STRIKING THE GUARD RAIL. THE INITIAL HIGH SPEED IMPACT WITH GUARD RAIL APPEARS TO HAVE IGNITED THE SODIUM AZIDE AS EVIDENCED BY A GUNPOWDER LIKE ODOR IN THE VEHICLE HOWEVER NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. ADDITIONALLY, THE SEATBELT WHILE PROPERLY FASTENED DID NOT RETRACT AND RESTRAIN THE DRIVER. THE SEATBELT EXTENDED ALL THE WAY OUT AND REMAINED IN THIS POSITION. THIS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND CAUSED THE DRIVER TO IMPACT THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE GUARDRAIL WAS STRUCK. THIS RESULTED IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RIB CAGE, WITH POSSIBLE HAIRLINE FRACTURES TO THE RIBS, TORN MUSCLES, AND BRUISING OF THE LIVER. DRIVER'S HEAD ALSO IMPACTED THE CEILING. UPON SECOND GUARDRAIL IMPACT, DRIVER'S LEFT ARM IMPACTED THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR