NHTSA Complaint #11271252 — 2016 ACURA MDX

I WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT ON A BUSY STREET ON A VERY BRIGHT DAY AND DID NOT SEE THAT THE STOP LIGHT I WAS APPROACHING HAD TURNED RED. WHEN I REALIZED IT WAS RED, I BRAKED RAPIDLY OF COURSE BUT STILL GOING AT A PRETTY GOOD SPEED I HIT THE STOPPED CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE COLLISION WAS BETWEEN DRIVERS SIDE OF MY MDX AND RIGHT REAR OF A MEDIUM-SIZED WHITE JEEP. MY 17 YR OLD SON WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND HIS AIR BAG DEPLOYED, HOWEVER MY DRIVER BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH SEAT BELTS LOCKED UP. THE IMPACT WAS VERY STRONG ON DRIVER SIDE GIVEN THAT IS WHERE WE HIT. FORTUNATELY, MY SEAT BELT KEPT ME FROM HITTING THE WINDSHIELD. MY ONLY INJURIES ARE NECK ACHE, HEAD ACHE, SEAT BELT BRUISES, AND RINGING EARS. MY CONCERN IS FOR FUTURE USE OF MY CAR. IF THE DRIVER AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY GIVEN THIS HARD OF A HIT, I DO NOT BELIEVE IT WILL DEPLOY IN ANY COLLISION. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH ACURA REQUESTING THEM TO INSPECT THE AIRBAG AND BLACK BOX TO DETERMINE WHY IT DID NOT DEPLOY AND THEY SAID THAT AIRBAGS ARE DESIGNED TO ONLY DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED AND IN THIS CASE THE CARS COMPUTER DETERMINED IT WAS NOT NEEDED HENCE THERE IS NO REASON TO INSPECT IT FURTHER. I BELIEVE THAT IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHERE THE IMPACT WAS LESS THEN THE AIR BAG SHOULD HAVE ALSO DEPLOYED ON THE DRIVER SIDE. MY INSURANCE ADJUSTER ALSO SUPPOSEDLY REQUESTED ACURA TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND THEY ALSO DID NOT GET ANY FAVORABLE ACTION FROM ACURA. HONDA/ACURA OF AMERICA RETURNED MY PHONE CALLS TWICE AND SIMPLY SAID THERE IS NO SUPPORTING INFORMATION INDICATING THAT THE AIRBAG OR CARS COMPUTER SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. THEY ALSO DID NOT ASK ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ACCIDENT IN WHICH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION COULD BE PROVIDED. THE ESTIMATED REPAIR ON THE CAR IS OVER $12K.