POWER-SLIDING DOOR

SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE AVAILABLE WITH AN OPTIONAL POWER SLIDING DOOR. THE INTERIOR HANDLE IS ORIENTED IN THE VERTICAL POSITION IN THE DOOR PANEL AND LINES UP AT THE ELBOW LEVEL WHEN THE OCCUPANT IS SEATED IN THE 2ND-ROW OUTBOARD POSITION. IF THE OCCUPANT HOLDS THE INTERIOR HANDLE IN THE THUMB UP POSITION DURING POWER-ASSISTED OPENING, THE ARM/WRIST CAN BE PUSH BACK WITH FORCE AGAINST THE 2ND-ROW BUCKET SEAT OR CAPTAIN'S CHAIR SEAT BACK CREATING A RISK OF INJURY (OTHER SEATING CONFIGURATIONS HAVE AMPLE SEAT TO DOOR CLEARANCE TO AVOID ENTRAPMENT OF THE LOWER ARM). AMONG THE 103 TOTAL REPORTS, THERE WERE 102 ALLEGED INJURIES INCLUDING ARM/WRIST, THUMB AND SHOULDER INJURIES. A COUNT OF INJURIES REVEALS THAT 76 INJURIES WERE A FRACTURED OR A BROKEN ARM/WRIST REQUIRING AN IMMOBILIZING CAST FOR FOUR-TO-SIX WEEKS. ALL INJURIES INVOLVE THE RIGHT SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR. THE LEFT SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR IS ON FAR FEWER VEHICLES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT PRODUCES LESS FORCE. GM NOTIFIED THE AGENCY BY LETTER DATED DECEMBER 21, 2004, THAT IT WILL RECALL MODEL YEAR 1997 THOUGH EARLY 2005 GM U-VAN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A RIGHT SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR AND WITH 2ND-ROW BUCKET SEATS OR CAPTAIN CHAIRS (NHTSA RECALL #04V597). AS PART OF THE RECALL REMEDY, GM WILL REPLACE THE DOOR HANDLE WITH A "FLUSH MOUNTED HANDLE" THAT WILL PREVENT AN OCCUPANT FROM GRASPING THE HANDLE WITH THE PALM BETWEEN THE HANDLE AND DOOR PANEL (THUMB UP ORIENTATION) AND THUS ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL FOR ARM/WRIST ENTRAPMENT. THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.