Consumer Safety Complaints

THIS "LUXURY" VEHICLE THAT I PURCHASED WITH ONLY 48 MILES ON IT BRAND NEW IN OCTOBER OF 1998 FIRST BROKE DOWN ON DECEMBER 17, 1998. SINCE DECEMBER 19, 1998 MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN OFF THE ROAD 42 DAYS AND IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WITH 15 REPAIR ORDERS ALL ON THE COMPUTER/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP NOW TELLS ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING MORE THEY CAN DO FOR ME I HAVE TO DEAL WITH T... Read more

Incident date: Apr 1, 1999

I WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE ABOUT A POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT I READ IN YOUR RECALL SECTION. SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT A FIRE? THE CAR HAS STALLED A FEW TIMES IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. IT IS WELL UPKEPT AND SERVICED REGULARLY. THE RECALL NOTICE SAID ONE INDICATION OF THE PROBLEM WAS STALLING.

POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE, CAUSING HORN TO BEEP WHEN PARKED. *YC

Incident date: Apr 1, 1996

WHILE DRIVING ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, BUT VEHICLE CONTINUED TO OPERATE WITH NO ELECTRIC COMPONENTS WORKING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED REPLACED TRANSMISSION, STABILIZER SOCKETS, BRAKES AND BATTERY, LATCHES ON DOORS, HATCH REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. AK

Incident date: May 15, 1999

A SHORTAGE WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSING AIR CONDITIONER TO BURN/ ELECTRONIC CONTROL BOARD, AND OTHER COMPONENTS WITHIN THE VEHICLE TO MELT. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Incident date: Jul 4, 1998

VEHICLE PARKED. WITNESSES NOTICED SMOKE & NOTIFIED OWNER, WHO CHECKED. VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED & PUT FLAMES OUT. THERE WAS FLAMMABLE LIQUID DROPPING ON DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL. FIRE MARSHALL COULD NOT DETERMINE EXACT CAUSED OF FIRE. REFERENCED IN EA02-025

Fire

Incident date: Apr 5, 1999

AT GAS STATION TO FUEL VEHICLE. REACHED FOR FUEL LID & A BURST OF FLAMES SHOT OUT. DRIVER'S ARM & HAIR WERE BURNED. FLAMES OVER GAS LID. FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT FLAMES OUT. FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT CAUSE OF FIRE WAS STATIC ELECTRICITY. *AK

Incident date: Sep 1, 1997

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT/ AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT TO CAME ON/ SUN VISOR LIGHT/ ELECTRICAK WINDOWS & INNER DOME LIGHTS TO SHORT OUT, AND CRUISE CONTROL TO ACCELERATE /DECELERATE INTERMITTENTLY WHEN ENGAGED. ALSO ,CRUISE CONTROL WOULD ENGAGE BY ITSELF. DEALER/ MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED.*AK

Incident date: Dec 24, 1997

THIS JETTA HAS HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE 8 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. FIRST, IT WAS THE 'DOOR AJAR' CHIME(11/96), THEN THE AIR CONDITIONER ON/OFF, 6/97, THEN THE 'HEADLIGHT IS ON' BUZZER AND THE 'COOLANT WARNING' LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING ON, 12/97, COOLANT WARNING LIGHT FLASHING AGAIN 5/98 , AND FINALLY COOLANT WARNING LIGHT FLASHING CONSTANTLY 6/98.

Incident date: Jun 9, 1999

SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR BECAUSE MILEAGE WAS 1,200 OVER WARRANTY COVERAGE OF 36,000. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/75/15 )

Incident date: Jun 9, 1999

SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR BECAUSE MILEAGE WAS 1,200 OVER WARRANTY COVERAGE OF 36,000. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/75/15 )

Incident date: Sep 1, 1998

EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT / CHIME REMAINED ON AFTER BRAKE WAS RELEASED, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. *YC

Incident date: Jun 1, 1998

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS CAUSING A/C & RADIO TO INTERMITTENTLY FAIL. *YC

Incident date: Jun 1, 1998

COMPUTER CARD FAILED. MJS

ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION CAUSING LIGHTS, SIGNALS AND ALARM TO MALFUNCTION. MJS

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CONTINUED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH CAUSE NO START CONDITIONS AFTER RAINSTORMS, REPLACEMENT OF THE MODULE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HAS NOT CORRECTED PROBLEMS. MJS (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).

Incident date: May 17, 1999

LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER. *ET

Incident date: Aug 19, 1996

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: CHIMES FOR DOOR AJAR, RINGS WHEN DOORS ARE CLOSED. HAD BEEN TO 10 DIFFERENT SHOPS FOR EITHER FUSE REPLACEMENT OR SLIDING DOOR PANEL REPLACEMENT. ALSO, WIRING TO WINDOWS GOES UP OR DOWN WITHOUT BEING SWITCHED EITHER WAY AND DOME LIGHT COMES ON BY ITSELF. IN ADDITION, TRANSMISSIO: WORN OUT DUE TO LEAKAGE (OIL) FROM THEENGINE HEAD GASKETS. NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Incident date: Jun 5, 1999

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND A FIRE STARTED WIHTIN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. VEHICLE WAS BURNED UP. *AK REFERENCED IN EA02-025

Fire

VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 70MPH. VEHICLE HAD TO BE STOPPED, AND ENGINE HAD TO BE TURNED BACK ON. DEALER INDICATED THAT AN ELECTRICAL PART CAUSED VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. *AK

Incident date: Jan 15, 1999

MAJOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS DOORS WILL LOCK ON YOU WHILE IN CAR, SOMETIMES CAR WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. *AK

Incident date: Apr 15, 1999

THIS SWITCH FAILED WHILE PARKED, THANK GOODNESS. A BURNING ODOR BECAME OVERWHELMING WHILE PUTTING ON SEATBELTS TO DRIVE AWAY. IT WAS NIGHT, SO I COULD NOT TELL FOR SURE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. MY NEXT INSTINCT WAS TO TURN THE CAR OFF IN HOPES OF PREVENTING FURTHER DAMAGE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE DOME LIGHT SWITCH WAS MELTED TO THE POINT THAT THE SWITCH, BEZEL AND WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR WER... Read more

Incident date: Feb 4, 1998

AFTER THE COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF THE ABS, MY CAR IS NOW FULL OF ELECTRICAL BUGS THAT THEY WILL NOT WARRANTY. ENGINE STALLS, ETC.

Incident date: Apr 28, 1999

RECURRING A/C, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND WINDOW VIBRATION PROBLEMS HAVE NOT BEEN RESOLVED BY THE MANUFACTURER, DESPITE NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. WAS REFERRED TO A BUICK REGIONAL REP, WHO CONSISTENTLY LIED ABOUT THE FACT THAT BUICK WAS AWARE OF THESE PROBLEMS IN NUMEROUS (MAYBE ALL) 1998 REGALS. WHEN THAT DIDN'T DETER ME AND THE TRUTH ESTABLISHED, HE ATTEMPTED TO USE PHYSICAL THREATS TO GET ME TO BACK DOWN... Read more

AIRBAG'S SENSOR WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. ALSO A BUZZING NOISE AND A SMELL OF ELECTRICAL SMOKE CAME FROM THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE.

EXPERIENCED LOSS OF STEERING, BRAKES, & ELECTRICAL WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IN WET CONDITIONS. *AK

Incident date: Dec 10, 1998

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE CAUSING FUSES TO BLOW AND VEHICLE STALLING. MJS

Incident date: May 15, 1999

1.COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHILE SPEED WAS AT 45MPH CAUSED FULL BRAKE PRESSURE TO BE APPLIED TO VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. I WAS INFORMED AFTER SERVICE A BOLT WAS MISSING HAVING SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ALTERNATOR. I ASKED WHAT COULD CAUSE THIS. THE RESPONSE FROM THE SERVICE ADVISOR WAS "IT PROBABLY WAS NEVER TIGHTENED ON AT THE FACTORY." 2. FOG LIGHTS FAILED TWICE FIRS... Read more

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. NLM

Incident date: Jul 15, 1997

VEILCLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH ELETRCAL SYSTEM, WHICH INTURN, CAUSED PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR,/OOR MOTOR, ENGINE CHECK LIGH/ODOMETER . ALSO, STEERING WHEEL WOUD LOCK UP INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON ELEVEN OCCASIONS, AND NO CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN DONE. *AK

Incident date: May 12, 1999

WHILE CONSUMER WAS IN A STORE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO A SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM . *AK

Fire

Incident date: May 8, 1999

WHILE DRVING ABOUT 50 MPH THE REAR PANEL THAT GOES FROM THE WINDOW TO THE BACK SEAT, ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, CAUGHT ON FIRE CLOSE TO THE ROOF. IN AUGUST 1997 THERE WAS A FIRE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, WHERE CAUSE OF FIRE WAS BEING INVESTIGATED. *AK

Fire

VEHICLE EXPERIENCING LOSE OF POWER.

Incident date: Mar 1, 1999

BRAKE LIGHTS ONLY WORK WHEN THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED...ABS DOES NOT WORK, LIGHT CONTINUALLY ON...HAZARD LIGHTS ONLY WORK IN THE REAR...ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS HAD ON GOING PROBLEMS SINCE THE WIPER/CRUISE CONTROL RECALL

ELECTICAL AND FUEL INJECTION COMPONENT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD

Incident date: Oct 3, 1997

VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. MJS

Fire

Incident date: Apr 25, 1999

POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE RESULTED IN INSTRUMENT PANEL AND OTHER COMPONENTS TO FAIL. NM

Incident date: Mar 23, 1999

VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. MJS

Fire

Incident date: Mar 18, 1999

VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. MJS

Fire

Incident date: Dec 9, 1998

VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE, FIRE CAUSED VEHICLE PARKED TO THE SIDE TO BURN AS WELL. MJS

Fire

Incident date: Jun 25, 1996

VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. MJS

Fire

VEHICLE FIRE IN THE ENGINE DUE TO POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. MJS

Fire

Incident date: May 4, 1999

CONSUMER HAS BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS/FAILURES WITH POWER SEAT AND OTHER ELEMENTS ON THE VEHICLE. *AK

Incident date: Mar 6, 1999

ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE PEDAL TO TRAVEL TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO PROBLEMS WITH THE STRUTS WHICH BROKE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUCTIONED, CAUSING HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT LIGHTS TO GO ON AND OFF, AFFECTING VISIBILITY AND MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

Incident date: Mar 8, 1999

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING FIRE, WHILE PARKED WITH THE IGNITION OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED. *YC

Fire

Incident date: Dec 3, 1997

1. 12/23/97: CAR DIED IN SLOW FREEWAY TRAFFIC; RESTARTED AFTER 5 MINUTES, BUT "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" STAYED ON. DIAGNOSED AS PROBLEM WITH AIR MASS SENSOR, WHICH WAS REPLACED. 2. 11/11/98: RIGHT REAR DOOR LOCK FAILED; MOTOR REPLACED. 3. EACH OF FRONT HEADLIGHT BULBS BURNED OUT WITH LESS THAN 15K IN MILEAGE. 4. 1/13/99: RT AND LT OUTER TAIL LIGHTS BURNED OUT; BULBS WERE REPLACED. 5. 3/3/99: RIGHT TURN... Read more

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE HAS CAUSED THE HEADLIGHTS, POWER WINDOWS & THE POWER LOCKS TO FAIL. *YC

ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE IN THE ENGINE, RESULTED IN A VEHICLE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

Fire

Incident date: Dec 1, 1997

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, DUE TO POOR PERFORMANCE. *YC

Incident date: Jul 1, 1997

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. *YC