You didn't think yesterday's introduction into the world of bizarre NHTSA complaints was all we had did you? Oh no, there's a nearly endless stream of complaints that make you wonder just how bad things are out there.
So, of course, we decided to post another batch of America's finest. Keep in mind, these customers weren't simply complaining to some service adviser at a dealership, these people were submitting complaints to a federal safety agency. Enjoy the stupidity after the jump.
"THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER OR HEAT IS IN USE, THE CONTACT GETS A NOSE INFECTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE IS NO ODOR IN THE AIR THAT COMES OUT OF THE VENTS, BUT FEELS THAT THE INFECTION MAY BE CAUSED BY THE AIR BEING SATURATED WITH CHEMICALS."
"AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 20 MPH, HE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP OR SLOW DOWN."
"THE CONTACT FOUND A MOUSE NEST TWICE IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AND IS WORRIED THAT THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF SOMEONE IS DRIVING AND A SMALL ANIMAL OR SNAKE COMES CRAWLING FROM UNDER THE SEAT."
"A FRIEND AND I WERE ATTEMPTING TO LAUNCH HIS JETSKI. I BACKED MY TRUCK DOWN THE BOAT RAMP AND MY FRIEND WAS ON THE JETSKI. MY FRIEND WAS HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THE JETSKI TO COME OFF THE TRAILER SO, I PUT THE TRUCK INTO PARK AND GOT OUT TO SHOVE THE JETSKI OFF. AS I GOT OUT I NOTICED THE TRUCK LUNGE AND START TO ROLL BACKWARDS. I ATTEMPTED TO REACH MY FOOT BACK IN TO HIT THE BRAKE. BY THIS TIME MY SHOES WERE WET AND BECAUSE OF THE POSITION OF MY BODY, MY FOOT SLIPPED OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SMASHED THE GAS PEDAL WHICH CAUSED TRUCK TO TAKE OFF IN REVERSE. AS I WAS STILL HALFWAY IN AND OUT OF THE TRUCK THE DOOR DRUG ME DOWN THE BOAT RAMP AND UNDER THE WATER WITH THE TRUCK. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET FREE AND HAD NO SERIOUS INJURIES. THE TRUCK HOWEVER WAS FULLY SUBMERGED AND THE JETSKI TRAILER WAS BROKEN IN THE PROCESS. NOTE: THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION WAS CHANGED OUT UNDER A WARRANTY CLAIM AT AROUND 10,000 MILES BY THE DEALERSHIP"
"A NEW VEHICLE, THE JEEP COMMANDER, ON A WET HIGHWAY, IS A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR ANYONE BEHIND. REASON, HORRIBLE DESIGN RESULTS IN MORE SPRAY AND MIST KICKED UP THAN AN EIGHTEEN WHEELER. THIS HORRIBLY DESIGNED, UNAERODYNAMIC PILE OF JUNK IS A MAJOR MENACE THAT TURNS A WET HIGHWAY INTO A MOVING CLOUD AND THEY WILL BE THE CAUSE OF A MAJOR PILE-UPS. ALL SHOULD BE BOUGHT BACK AND SCRAPPED. TEST ONE ON A VERY WET ASPHALT HIGHWAY AND MY COMPLAINT WILL BE OBVIOUS TO ALL. BAN THIS VEHICLE BEFORE IT KILLS SOMEONE."
"WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY FLIPPED OVER THREE TIMES. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE DRY. DUE TO SHOCK, ALL THE CONTACT COULD REMEMBER WAS CLIMBING OUT OF THE VEHICLE."
dg0472 says:
05:00 AM, 02/19/10
On some of these taken by a clerk (the ones with "the contact" in them), I have to wonder if they're not listening or just getting it wrong. Or if perhaps the contact is so upset they're saying it wrong. Perhaps the contact should have a written copy mailed to them for review and be offered a chance to amend their complaint.
blueguydotcom says:
06:17 AM, 02/19/10
There's a push in the BMW community to submit NHTSA claims about the 335i's engine problems. But I see this kind of nonsense and assume a legit letter will be lost among the detritus.
DLu says:
09:12 AM, 02/19/10
"AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 20 MPH, HE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP OR SLOW DOWN."
is that "unintended acceleration"??
tp660 says:
09:52 AM, 02/19/10
The stupidity of these people is hilarious. Hey Edmunds, how exactly do you find this stuff? I know some people who would get a good laugh from reading these.
actualsize says:
11:11 AM, 02/19/10
@DLu: It would be if they insisted they were standing on the brake. This is a case of unintended writing.
dg0472 says:
12:46 PM, 02/19/10
blueguydotcom,
What is the issue? I've not heard of this. I would note that in order for NHTSA to consider it, it'd probably have to involve sudden stalls in traffic. Even if it's smoking pretty bad, it wouldn't be a safety issue per se as long as it gave enough warning to get out of traffic. CARB would be another matter and if CA gets an agreement to do something, people in other states might could leverage that.
mlh says:
12:55 PM, 02/19/10
@ dg0472
I believe the issue is a recurring fuel pump failure, which can indeed cause sudden stalls in traffic. Hearing about it kept me from considering that car when I made my last purchase.
bimmerjay says:
01:17 PM, 02/19/10
"I believe the issue is a recurring fuel pump failure, which can indeed cause sudden stalls in traffic."
The issue is the High-Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) that feeds the DI system, not the main tank fuel pump. It is and has continued to be a substantial problem. The cars do NOT stall in traffic as both pumps continue to function and deliver fuel - the HPFP is simply not able to pressurize the fuel enough for the DI system which results in an "engine malfunction - reduced power" message and the resulting limp-mode. The car remains driveable in all but the rarest cases unless the owner does not get the car serviced long after the first malfunction occurs. The other symptom of a pending failure are longer than normal crank times.
BMW has responded by covering the HPFP part for 10 years/100,000 miles. I'm hoping the N55 engine has an improved design.
estreka says:
12:03 AM, 02/20/10
I love the truck and Jeep Commander stories.
mikeolan says:
09:16 AM, 02/21/10
If you read Edmunds own user reviews it's fair to say 20% of the car buying public is retarded.
blueguydotcom says:
09:35 PM, 02/21/10
BMW also added two years to the included maintenance on 2007 335is. Doesn't change the fact once you lose a HPFP (which also can result in a stall) your car will probably begin to eat them from that point on. Kinda a bummer as I miss my 335i but after 3 BMWs and all of them with from-the-factory problems (including two with engine issues), my wife convinced me to take a few year hiatus from BMW.