CONSUMER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION THAT VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL 01V146000. DEALERSHIP HAS INFORMED CONSUMER THAT COMPONENTS TO CORRECT DEFECT ARE NOT AVAILABLE. NO TIME FRAME HAS BEEN GIVEN AS TO WHEN THE PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.*AK
2011
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2011 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE I REALIZED THAT THE REAR HEAD RESTRAINTS FOLDED FORWARD (TO ALLOW FOR EASE OF VIEWING THROUGH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BY THE DRIVER). THESE HEAD RESTRAINTS DO NOT LOCK UP AND FOLD OVER VERY EASILY. IT IS LIKELY THAT IF THE VEHICLE STOPPED SUDDENLY OR STRIKE SOMETHING FROM BEHIND THAT THESE HEAD RESTRAINTS WOULD FOLD FORWARD. WHEN FORWARD THESE RESTRAINTS REST AT THE BASE OF MY NECK AT ABOUT THE C1-C2 JUNCTION. THIS LOCATION IS THE MOST COMMON SOURCE OF SEVERE SPINAL DAMAGE AND PARALYSIS WHEN INJURED. WHILE I AM HOPEFUL THAT NOONE HAS BEEN INJURED YET, I AM NOT PLEASED WITH SUZUKI'S RESPONSE WHICH WAS ESSENTIALLY THAT THE NHTSA TESTED THE VEHICLE AND PASSED SO IT MUST BE SAFE. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS HEAD RESTRAINT WAS A PARTY TO ANY DIRECT IMPACT CRASH TESTING WITH REAR OCCUPANTS (WITHER WITH OR WITHOUT THE RESTRAINT IN THE DOWN POSITION. MY HOPE IS THAT IT IS TESTED TO DETERMINE ITS SAFETY BEFORE SOME ONE'S LIFE IS FOREVER ALTERED. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY IN MY OPINION. AS FOR MY GRAND VITARA. I HAVE REMOVED MY HEAD RESTRAINTS AND WOULD RATHER RISK WHIPLASH THAN PARALYSIS. *TR