ORLANDO, Fl. — A Florida woman has filed a lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles after she said her head rest "forcefully" shot forward while she was driving on the highway.
Wilma Perez said she wasn't injured in the incident as it happened on her passenger side seat, but she was still shook up.
"I heard a loud noise, like a pop," said Perez."If it would've happened on my side, I could've crashed. I could've hit someone else."
Attorney Robby Bell agrees that the malfunctioning is an issue.
"This is a public safety concern," said Bell. "The plastic housing or bracket that's a critical bracket in the design of the headrest has ultimately deteriorated and failed and that is what caused the unexpected deployment."
FCA told Channel 9 in a statement that customer safety is paramount and that there is no "unreasonable risk of injury" and that there is no safety defect.
Perez now uses zip ties in the mean time to keep her safe while driving. She said the headrest is impossible to stick back into its original place now.
The cost for a replacement is $600, which Perez is hoping the company will pay for.
"I just want people who have these same cars to look into it," said Perez.
Since Channel 9's original report, others have come forward to voice their complaints of similar experiences.
Craig Rood said that the headrest on his 2013 Dodge Avenger struck him in the back of the head while he was driving on I-4.
"It's kind of like getting a baseball bat in the back of the head," said Rood. "I mean, it packs some punch."
Sandy Drenner is another customer upset that FCA won't pay for the repairs.
"I think it's some BS," said Drenner. She told us that he headrest in her 2013 Dodge Caravan also malfunctioned.
"I just wish they would find out what's causing it and fix it for us," said Drenner. "That's all we're asking."
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