NHTSA Complaint #11674239 — 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX

I was following my usual routine with my young child. I unlocked the vehicle, secured him in his car seat, then placed my bag (containing the key fob) inside the vehicle. I then closed the door and walked to the driver’s side to enter the car—as I do daily. However, when I reached for the door, every door was locked—including the trunk—and the vehicle would not respond to any button pressing, handle pulling, or proximity unlocking. My child was locked inside the car on a 92-degree day with no way for me to gain access. I immediately called emergency services. Both police and fire arrived quickly, but due to the design of the locking system and the placement of the lock buttons, they were unable to use their unlocking tools. Ultimately, they had no choice but to shatter a window to rescue my child, who had been trapped for 25 minutes in extreme heat. This malfunction could have led to serious injury or worse. I’m extremely shaken and concerned that this happened at all—especially considering I had the key fob in the vehicle and never manually locked the doors.