NHTSA Complaint #704596 — 1999 SUBARU LEGACY

ON 3/12/99 @ 0330 SAID VEHICLE WAS EASTBOUND ON I-70 AND 3RD IN TOPEKA, KANSAS. THE VEHICLE HIT A PATCH OF BLACK ICE AND SWERVED OUT OF CONTROL IMPACTING THE K-RAIL DIVIDER WALL ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT @ 55 MPH. THE INERTIA GENERATED BY THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT THEN CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLINGSHOT BACK ACROSS THE INTERSTATE AND IMPACT W/ THE OVERPASS WALL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT @ 45 MPH. THE SRS AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I HAVE BEEN TOLD SEVERAL TIMES AT THE DEALEARSHIP THAT BOTH OF THE AIRBAG SENSORS IN THE FRONT BUMPER MUST BE TRIGGERED AT THE SAME TIME IN ORDER TO DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS. BOTH SENSORS WERE TRIGGERED, JUST NOT AT THE EXACT SAME TIME. I FEEL THAT THE SENSORS SHOULD OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER AND EACH SHOULD BE ABLE TO TRIGGER THE AIRBAGS. MY WIFE AND I FEEL THAT THIS CONSTITUTES A FLAW IN THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE AND THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BEING KILLED IN A CRASH AND THE AIRBAGS FAIL TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE IS AT FIGGS IMPORTS, INC. IN TOPEKA, KANSAS. THEIR PHONE NUMBER IS 785-267-2390. WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE A QUICK RESPONSE TO THIS REPORT. THANK YOU.