NHTSA Complaint #10692182 — 2013 TOYOTA VENZA

AUTOMATIC REAR HATCHBACK POWER DOOR, CLOSED UN-COMMANDED, PINNING AND CRUSHING MIDDLE 3 FINGERS OF BOTH HANDS BETWEEN BOTTOM EDGE OF DOOR AND CAR BODY/BUMPER. ACTIVATING OPENING SWITCHES ONLY CYCLED DOOR TO AUTO CLOSE - SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING THE AUTOMATIC SYSTEM PRESSURE AND RESULTANT PAIN. ONLY ABLE TO EXTRICATE FINGERS AFTER SECOND PERSON WAS ABLE TO ASSIST BY PRYING HATCHBACK DOOR WITH A GARDEN SHOVEL WHICH ALLOWED JUST ENOUGH RELIEF TO ALLOW PULLING FINGERS FREE. IF ALONE, I WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN FREE - THE DAMAGE WOULD HAVE LIKELY BEEN AT LEAST THE LOSS OF MY MIDDLE FINGERS TO THE FIRST JOINT AND IF ALONE IN A REMOTE ENOUGH LOCATION THE RESULT WOULD HAVE BEEN DEATH. I REPEAT, BOTH HANDS WERE TRAPPED AND COULD NOT BE EXTRICATED WITHOUT SOMEONE ELSE'S ASSISTANCE. THE REAR HATCHBACK DOOR AUTOMATICALLY CLOSED, UN-COMMANDED AND COULD NOT BE OPENED BY ANY MEANS. THERE WAS NO EFFECTIVE SAFETY DEVICE TO PREVENT THE CLOSING SYSTEM FROM ENTRAPPING AND CRUSHING MY FINGERS. THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL OVERRIDE OR OPENING MECHANISM....UPDATED 05-27-15 *BF