Dear friends,
On 04 Sep 2006, IBN live reported a story on how a family suffocated to death inside a Hyundai Santro, in Faridabad. IBN live claimed it to be a"freak accident" that occurred because of the waterlogging caused bythe rain, which blocked the exhaust pipe, and led to carbon monoxide mixing with the AC air. Please see the story at this site
https://ibnlive.com/news/car-turns-into-gas-chamber-kills-4/20612-3.html
Today, (Oct 30), the Times of India newspaper reported ashockingly similar incident, this time in Chennai. The story is also on theHindu website(https://ibnlive.com/news/car-turns-into-gas-chamber-kills-4/20612-3.html).In both cases it was a Santro, there was rain/waterloggin involved, and the AC was on while the car windows were up. These two incidents within a span of two months show that it is not a "freak accident" as thought initially.There is definitely something wrong with the Santro’s AC.
In the print edition of Times of India, Hyundai officials have claimed that carbon monoxide can never enter the car through the AC vents, apart from other general assurances. I strongly suspect that Hyundai knows that there is indeed something wrong, but would not own up so easily(as it would destroy their business). I also think that they are already trying to cover up the news reports, as neither IBN live nor TOI nor the Hindu are linking the two incidents .
This "review" is my effort to try to spread the word and ensure that the truth is uncovered.whatever it may be. It could be that Hyundai is innocent, and the incident occurred because of refittng of the AC or other modifications done on the car by the owners. But the similarity of the two incidents make me believe that this is not the case, and the car does have a problem. Othewise how can we explain two similar incidents in Faridabad and Chennai?
Till the truth is revealed, I would request all Santro owners to be extra careful with their AC’s when it rains. It’s better to assume that something is wrong and play it safe. I really hope that the media/Govt. pays more attention to this matter and resovles it before another incident occursand more lives are lost. Amen!