WASHINGTON - Hyundai Motor America believes its 1995-97 Accents have been unfairly singled out by federal safety officials for an investigation of their front passenger airbags, blamed in the deaths of seven children.
The company is cooperating with the investigation but questions the rationale behind it, says Mike Anson, Hyundai's manager of product public relations.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Feb. 24 that it is intensifying its investigation of Accent airbags. The agency has upgraded the case from a preliminary evaluation to the more serious level of engineering analysis.
Agency officials opened the preliminary evaluation last July because they considered the rate of Accent airbag deaths to be high. Then, five deaths were blamed on airbags in the 171,000 cars on the road. Now, the death total is believed to be seven.
Anson said the agency failed to consider that Accent owners may be younger and have more children. So the exposure rate may be higher. In addition, all of the children killed apparently were unbelted or improperly belted.
'One injury or death is one too many,' Anson said. But with only a few suppliers making airbags, all carmakers have similar systems, he said.
NHTSA, in its monthly report of defect investigations, also said it is intensifying a case involving 1997-99 Buick Park Avenue seat belts.
The agency and the manufacturer have received more than 200 complaints about webbing that jams. Buick also has handled more than 14,000 warranty claims, some of them for repeated repairs on the same vehicles.
NHTSA said it upgraded the case in part because dealers seem unable to fix the problem. About 171,000 cars are affected.
NHTSA closed three other cases.
Two ended when manufacturers decided to do recalls. They stemmed from complaints about improper airbag deployments in the 1995 Mazda Miata and about windshield wiper malfunctions in the 1997-98 Buick Century and Regal, Pontiac Grand Prix and Oldsmobile Intrigue.
NHTSA closed a third case after finding insufficient evidence that airbags deployed improperly in 1995 Dodge and Plymouth Neons.
Here are the new defect investigations NHTSA said it has opened:
1998-99 KIA SEPHIA, SPORTAGE
Problem: Turn signal switch fails, sometimes affecting emergency flashers.
Complaints: Nine.
Vehicle population: 90,000.
2000 FORD F-150
Problem: One end of center lap belt is not anchored to seat frame.
Complaints: One.
Vehicle population: To be determined.
2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA
Problem: Use of traction control activates security system, immobilizing the vehicle.
Complaints: One.
Vehicle population: To be determined.
