DRIVING ALONG I-495 SOUTHBOUND IN MASSACHUSETTS JUST BEFORE EXIT FOR I-90. SPEED WAS 65 MPH. HOOD LATCH FAILED CAUSING THE HOOD TO COME UP WITHOUT WARNING. THE WINDSHIELD WAS SMASHED, THE ROOF WAS DENTED, AND THE HOOD WAS BENT WITH THE HINGES PARTIALLY DEFORMED AND CRACKED. THE HOOD HADN'T BEEN OPENED OR TOUCHED IN SEVERAL WEEKS/>2000 MILES. PASSENGER AND I WERE LUCKILY UNHARMED, I WAS ABLE TO CLOSE THE HOOD AGAIN, AND DROVE HOME AT 50 ON THE HIGHWAY, 25 ON REGULAR ROADS. WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED THE FOLLOWING WEEK, HOOD STILL DAMAGED. HOOD SECURED WITH BUNGEE CORD AS I NO LONGER TRUST THE LATCH. LOOKING INTO INSTALLING HOOD PINS WHEN I FIND A REPLACEMENT HOOD, SIMPLY FOR SAFETY/LIABILITY REASONS. THE ONLY REASON THIS WASN'T A MUCH MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAS THAT I WAS ALREADY IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE, AND WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE INSTANTLY. HAD TO DO THIS BLINDLY, AS I COULD NOT SEE AROUND THE HOOD. *TR
2011
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DOES NOT TURN ON WHEN ADULT FEMALE ~120LBS IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. MINIMUM WEIGHT TO CONSISTENTLY ACTIVATE AIRBAG SEEMS TO BE ABOUT 140LBS. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY RE-CALIBRATED THE PASSENGER SEAT WEIGHT SENSOR BUT THIS DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WERE AWARE OF OTHER CUSTOMERS COMPLAINING OF THIS ISSUE BUT THEY DID NOT HAVE A SOLUTION (AND DID NOT THINK THE RE-CALIBRATION WOULD HELP). THEY ALSO STATED THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM FOR OTHER CUSTOMERS. *TR