NHTSA Complaint #714571 — 1998 VOLVO V90

THE VOLVO AUTOMOBILE WAS HIT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY A MERCEDES- BENZ ML 320 SPEEDING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. THE SIPS DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY ; NEITHER DID THE DRIVER'S FRONT AIRBAG. THE FAILURE TO DEPLOY CAUSED OR FAILED TO MINIMIZE SEVERE INJURIES TO MY WIFE' S NECK AND BACK. WHEN I DISCUSSED THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WITH MR. WILLIAM THOMAS OF BERGERON VOLVO, THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD THE CAR TO US, HE STATED THAT THESE SIPS AIRBAGS WERE INTENDED ONLY TO ACTIVATE WHEN STRUCK DIRECTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THE VOLVO ADVERTISING, SALES LITERATURE, COMMENTS MADE BY THE SALES STAFF AND THE SALES MANAGER AT THE VARIOUS VISITS PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE ALL LED US TO BELIEVE THAT WE WERE PROVIDED WITH SIDE IMPACT PROTECTION. THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE 1998 VOLVO MODELS V90, S90, S70 AND C70. I AM INTERESTED IN ANY OTHER REPORTS BY OWNERS/ OPERATORS OF THESE VEHICLES TO NHTSA REGARDING SIDE AIRBAG FAILURE, AS WELL AS HAVING NHTSA INVESTIGATE THESE DESIGN DEFECTS, FALSE ADVERTISING, INTENTIONALLY MISLEADING STATEMENTS, AND FAILURES TO ADEQUATELTY APPRISE PURCHASERS AND PROSPECTIVE PURCHASERS OF THE TRUE PROTECTION PROVIDED BY THESE SIPS AIRBAGS.