2001 Toyota Camry

IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THIS VEHICLE REAR-ENDED AN EXPLORER AT ABOUT 30 MPH, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CAMRY HAS EXTENSIVE FRONT-END DAMAGE WITH ALL FRONT-END SYSTEMS PUSHED BACK INTO ENGINE AND WHEELS. POLICE AT SCENE WONDERED WHY THERE WAS NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, AND TOWING AND FIRE (MEDICAL) PERSONNEL USED EXTREME CAUTION UNTIL SURE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WAS IN FACT DISARMED BY REMOVAL OF BATTERY. *AK

THE POWDERED CHEMICAL ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE AIRBAGS CAUSED SKIN BURNS WHEN THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THIS WAS PARTICULARLY SEVERE WITH RESPECT TO THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE, WHO BURNED, BLISTERED, AND HAS HAD RESIDUAL RASH AND MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR THE CHEMICAL BURNS TO THE CHEST AREA, TWO MONTHS AFTER THE CRASH. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THESE TYPES OF AIRBAG INJURIES ARE MORE TYPICAL OF THE FIRST-GENERATION AIRBAGS, BUT VERY ATYPICAL OF AIRBAGS THAT WOULD BE INSTALLED IN A 2001 MODEL VEHICLE.*AK

ON JANUARY 4, 2002, I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 CAMRY. A CAR IN FRONT OF ME (DODGE STRATUS) WAS STOPPED WAITING TO TURN LEFT. I WAS BEHIND THE CAR IN A STOPPED POSITION. ANOTHER CAR (1999 CADILLAC DEVILLE) TRAVELING AT ABOUT 40 MPH HIT ME FROM BEHIND FORCING MY CAR INTO THE REAR OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME RECEIVED DAMAGE TO TRUNK AND BUMPER WITH ENOUGH FORCE/DAMAGE TO CAUSE THE TRUNK TO NOT SHUT WITHOUT REPAIR. MY QUESTION, CONCERN IS THIS: MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY (NEITHER DRIVER OR PASSENGER) AND ACCORDING TO MY OWNER'S MANUAL THEY SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. ALSO, THE DRIVERS SEAT WAS FORCED INTO APPROXIMATELY A 45 DEGREE RECLINING POSITION DURING THE IMPACT AND IS CURRENTLY LOCKED INTO THAT POSITION. MY CAR HAD A POWER DRIVER'S SEAT AND SHOULD NOT HAVE COLLAPSED. I AM NOT SURE AT WHAT POINT THE SEAT COLLAPSED BUT THE IMPACT MUST HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO THROW ME FORWARD AND THEN BACK HARD ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE SEAT TO FAIL. AS A RESULT I HAVE SUFFERED SOME BACK AND NECK INJURY AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THE SEATS WERE DESIGNED TO DO THIS BUT I CANNOT FIND ANYTHING IN THE MANUAL, ON THEIR SITE OR ON THE WWW TO THIS EFFECT. THE IMPACT WAS ENOUGH THAT A BIG MAC IN MY RIGHT HAND WAS THROWN AGAINST THE ODOMETER, DOWN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR AND INTO THE BACK SEAT ON THE WINDOWS. A 32 OUNCE COKE WAS SPLATTERED THROUGHOUT THE CAR INTO THE DASH ELECTRONICS (CD PLAYER, TAPE DECK, ETC.) AND A CLOSED ARM REST. THE IMPACT SEEMS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO WARRANT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND THE FACT THAT THE SEAT BACK DID NOT PROVIDE BACK SUPPORT IS OF GREAT CONCERN TO ME. AT A MINIMUM, IF THE SEATS ARE DESIGNED TO GO BACK LIKE THEY DID IN THIS SITUATION, THE CONSUMER SHOULD BE AWARE.*AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 65 MPH, REAR-ENDED A STOPPED VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO ACTIVATE AND DEPLOY. UPON EXAMINATION OF DAMAGE FRONT BUMPER ASSEMBLY, AND AIR BAG SENSORS WERE DEMOLISHED. NO DETERMINATION HAS BEEN MADE AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK