NHTSA Complaint #11055358 — 2007 ACURA TL

WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY 35 MPH ON ROUTE 9 IN CROTON-ON-HUDSON, NEW YORK THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AND FRONT SEAT AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON ALMOST CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT. THE SEAT BELT ACTUATOR IS NOW LOCKED RENDERING THE SEAT BELT USELESS. ACURA TOWED THE CAR TO A DEALER WHO UPLOADED ALL THE COMPUTER CODES AND CLAIMS THAT THE OWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AIRBAG REPLACEMENT! THE CODES LISTED ON THE RECEIPT ARE F3-11, 61-1, 81-55, 25-11. THEY LIST A DEFECT CODE 03217. CUSTOMER SERVICE AT ACURA NORTH AMERICA CITED THE CONDITION OF THE 4 RIMS, (WHICH ARE ALL SCUFFED AT THE EDGES), AND SCUFFS ON THE BUMPER INDICATE POSSIBLE REASONS FOR AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. IF THIS WAS POSSIBLE, SHOULDN'T THE AIRBAG HAVE DEPLOYED WHEN THE SCUFFS OCCURRED? THERE WAS NO EVENT THAT SHOULD HAVE CAUSED THE AIRBAG ACTIVATION UNDER STEADY DRIVING. ACURA SEEMS TO HAVE HAD MORE EXAMPLES OF THIS PROBLEM AS EVIDENCED ON VARIOUS ACURA FORUM WEB PAGES WHERE UNPROVOKED SIDE AND SEAT AIRBAGS UNEXPLAINABLY DETONATE. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT AT ACURA HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR THIS. HAD THIS RESULTED IN A PHYSICAL INJURY RATHER THAN AND EMOTIONAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL ONE, A COURT CASE COULD HAVE BEEN PURSUED.