NHTSA Complaint #10779174 — 2010 MAZDA CX-9

VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE TAILGATE WAS OPENED MANUALLY. I WAS MOVING ITEMS AROUND IN THE TRUNK TO MAKE ROOM FOR NEW PURCHASES. MY HUSBAND DID NOT SEE THAT I WAS MOVING ITEMS IN THE TRUNK. HE APPROACHED THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND PRESSED THE POWER TAILGATE BUTTON INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND THE TAILGATE BEGAN TO CLOSE. IT MADE CONTACT WITH THE BACK OF MY NECK AND PUSHED MY FACE DOWN INTO THE FLOOR BOARD. THE SENSORS DID NOT WORK. WHEN THE TAILGATE MADE CONTACT WITH ME IT PUSHED DOWN HARDER AND FASTER INSTEAD OF GOING BACK UP TO OPEN. THIS CAUSED A SERIOUS INJURY TO MY NECK. SPECIFICALLY CERVICAL 5-7 HAD TO BE SURGICALLY FUSED WITH A TITANIUM PLATE AND SCREWS, AND MY SPINAL CORD HAD TO BE DECOMPRESSED AS THE DISCS HAD COMPRESSED MY SPINAL CORD AND COULD HAVE CAUSED COMPLETE PARALYSIS FROM MY NECK DOWN.