NHTSA Complaint #10782824 — 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE

I HAD BEEN DRIVING MY MAZDA FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES ON A 75 DEGREE DAY IN SOUTH TEXAS WHEN TURNING ONTO A FLAT, UNOBSTRUCTED, SMOOTH PAVED ROAD THROUGH A KOA PARK. AFTER TURNING, I WAS ONLY DRIVING THE 5 MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT THROUGH THIS PARK, WHEN SUDDENLY THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG EXPLODED IN MY FACE WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER . THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD HAVE EVEN SLIGHTLY INDICATED A COLLISION -- NOT A SPEED BUMP, NOT A BIRD OR ANIMAL, OR ANYTHING. IT WAS JUST A SMOOTH, SLOW DRIVE AT 5 MILES AN HOUR ON A SUNNY DAY. THERE WAS 60% HUMIDITY FROM PRIOR DAYS RAIN. I HAD MY ARM UP TO MY FACE ALREADY WHEN IT HAPPENED, WHICH TOOK THE BRUNT OF THE HIT TO MY WRIST AND FOREARM. WITHIN LESS THAN 5 SECONDS THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG EXPLODED ALSO. BOTH RANG OUT A SHOT LIKE A PISTOL IN THE CLOSED WINDOW CAR. SMOKE AND BURNING SMELL STARTED FILLING THE CAR, AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP SINCE ONLY GOING 5 MILES AN HOUR, AND GET MYSELF OUT OF THE CAR QUICKLY. MY ARM SUSTAINED HUGE WELTS FROM THE IMPACT AND WRIST FELT EXTREMELY HURT AND BRUISED AND BECAME VERY STIFF AND HARD TO BEND. THIS WAS ALL WITNESSED BY AN RV CAMPER AT THE KOA PARK WHO WAS SITTING 15 FEET AWAY AND WAS STARTLED BY THE PISTOL FIRE SOUND OF THE EXPLODING BAGS. HE CAME OVER TO HELP, WHILE I LET THE SMOKE AIR OUT OF THE CAR. THE DRIVER'S SIDE EXPLOSION DESTROYED THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL, AND A LARGE CHUNK OF 3"X5" PLASTIC HAD BEEN TORN LOSE AND PROPELLED DURING THE EXPLOSION. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT IS WHAT PUT THE WELTS ON MY ARM OR THE BAG ITSELF IT HAPPENED SO SUDDENLY. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC 3 MILES AWAY, DAN'S AUTO SERVICE OF PORT ISABEL, TEXAS, TO HAVE HIM INSPECT WHAT HAPPENED. HE INDICATED HE COULD SEE NO INDICATION THAT THE COLLISION SENSORS HAD BEEN TOUCHED TO SET THEM OFF, AND HAD NO IDEA WHY THE BOTH BAGS WOULD TRIGGER LIKE THAT.