NHTSA Complaint #11101853 — 2011 CADILLAC SRX

I WAS PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY AND OPENED THE REAR LIFTGATE TO REMOVE MY SON'S HOCKEY BAG FROM THE BACK. I WAS LEANING IN PRETTY FAR BECAUSE THE BAG HAD SLID TOWARD THE BACKSEAT, WHEN THE LIFTGATE CLOSED ON ITS OWN. I HAD NOT PRESSED ANY BUTTONS, NO ONE ELSE WAS IN THE VEHICLE OR AROUND. THE LIFTGATE HIT ME IN THE BACK AND PUSHED ME FORWARD AS IT CONTINUED TO CLOSE. I WAS PINNED (WITH HALF OF MY BODY IN THE CAR AND HALF OUT OF THE CAR) AND THE DOOR WAS CONTINUING TO CLOSE. MY LEFT ARM WAS STUCK UNDER ME. I WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO TURN SLIGHTLY AND USED MY RIGHT ARM AND RIGHT HIP TO TRY TO OPN THE HATCH. IT DID EVENTUALLY START TO OPEN. I WAS RELIEVED AND TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND THEN STARTED TO RETRIEVE THE HOCKEY BACK WHEN I REALIZED IT HAD CLOSED AGAIN. THIS TIME WAS EVEN WORSE AS I WAS COMPLETELY PINNED. I TRIED TO ROTATE AND USE MY RIGHT HIP AGAIN. I HONESTLY THOUGH MY CAR WAS GOING TO KILL ME. THE DOOR DID EVENTUALLY OPEN AGAIN AND THAT TIME I IMMEDIATELY GOT OUT OF THE CAR. I WATCHED AS THE HATCH OPENED AND THEN IMMEDIATELY CLOSED AGAIN. (THANKFULLY, WITHOUT ME IN IT THIS TIME.) I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY DEALERSHIP. THEY MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR ME IN ONE WEEK, SO I DID NOT USE THE HATCH AGAIN. I ALSO CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AS I WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD KILL SOMEONE. THE AGENT SAID SHE HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED FREQUENTLY AND THAT THE RIGHT STRUT IN MY LIFTGATE WOULD BE THE PROBLEM. SURE ENOUGH THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM AND REPAIRED IT AT MY EXPENSE. NOW, GM HAS PASSED ME FROM AGENT TO AGENT AND HAS DONE NOTHING FOR ME. THEY SAID THAT I "HAVE AN OBLIGATION AND RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLE AND ITS RELATED COMPONENTS ARE MAINTAINED AND PRESERVED IN THEIR IMMEDIATE POST-INCIDENT CONDITION.." I HAD IT FIXED BECASUE IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE NOT TO.