Consumer Safety Complaints

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT EXTERIOR LIGHTING PROBLEM. *AK

Incident date: Dec 16, 2003

2 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE, FLOORBOARD WAS DRENCHED AND TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAIRED.THEY SAID IT WAS;HOWEVER, THE NEXT BIG RAIN THE CAR WAS DRENCHED AGAIN. THE CAR STAYED FOR ALMOST 2 WEEKS DURING WHICH TIME, THE MECHANICS COULD NOT "FIGURE IT OUT" AND I WAS INFORMED THAT SOME "EXPERIMENTAL" FLUID WAS USED TO TRY TO STOP THE LEAK, BUT THAT DID NOT WORK SO IT WAS BEING REMOVED. THE MECHANICS ... Read more

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYED ON. WHEN DRIVING LIGHTS TURNED OFF THEN FLICKERED. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND AUTOMATIC LOCKS OPERATED POORLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS.*AK ON FOR OCCASIONS CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. ANOTHER PROBLEM CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING IS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHILE IN USE.... Read more

Incident date: Aug 15, 2003

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S POWER STEERING SYSTEM.*MR CONSUMER NOTICED THE FAILURE WHEN DRIVING OFF THE LOT BUT THOUGHT I WAS DUE TO COLD WEATHER. LATER SHE LEARNED THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO FLUID LEAKING. AFTER THE REPAIR, CONSUMER STARTED HEARING GRINDING NOISE WHEN TURNING. ON 10/08/03, THE CONSUMER LEARNED THE STEERING PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER PICKING UP T... Read more

VARIOUS PROBLEMS WITH 2002 FORD EXPLORER.*MR THE LEFT SIGNAL WIRE INSULATION RUBBED THROUGH THE BOAT TRAILER. WHEN IT SHORTED OUT THE FUSE BLEW AFTER IT TOTALLY MELTED THE INSULATION OFF THE WIRES THROUGH THE TONGUE OF THE TRAILER ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE LEFT SIGNAL LIGHT. CONSUME NOTED THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN, HAD THIS BEEN A CAMPER A FIRE WOULD'VE RESULTED. *PH

Incident date: Dec 5, 2003

1997 TOYOTA CAMRY LE / MANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS RELATED TO VARIOUS TAIL LIGHTS / TURN SIGNALS / BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING. NOW IT SEEMS THE HEADLIGHTS ARE BURNING DIMLY. NEW BULBS MAKE NO DIFFERENCE. SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN ENGINEERING ISSUE OVERALL WITH RESPECT TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON THIS YEAR / MODEL OF CAR. *LA

Incident date: Jan 1, 2003

ALL FORD VEHICLES DO NOT HAVE DAY TIME DRIVING LIGHTS.AS A SAFETY GROUP YOU, KNOW THAT VEHICLES WITH DAY TIME DRIVING LIGHTS GET IN TO LESS ACCIDENTS. AND HOW MANY PEDESTRIAN ARE INJURED OR KILLED EACH YEAR BECAUSE THEY DID'T SEE THE VECHICLE. IT IS THE LAW IN CANADA. WHAT ABOUT US HERE IN THE USA?*AK

Crash Fire

Incident date: Aug 26, 2003

CUSTOMER STATES DRIVER SIDE EXTERIOR LIGHT INOPERATIVE. *AK

Incident date: Aug 15, 2003

CUSTOMER STATES THAT NO RUNNING LIGHTS AT REAR ARE WORKING. *AK

Incident date: Sep 24, 2003

COACH REAR RUNNING LIGHTS INOPERATIVE, BROKEN GROUND WIRE. *AK

Incident date: Aug 25, 2003

CLEARENCE LIGHTS NOT WORKING. *AK

Incident date: Jul 15, 2003

CUSTOMER STATES RUNNING LIGHTS INOPERATIVE. *AK

CONCERNS WITH DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. *MR THE CONSUMER FELT LIKE GM WAS EAGER TO ADD ADDITIONAL COST AND POSSIBLE HEALTH PROBLEMS TO THE CONSUMERS. *SCC *JB

REAR LIGHTS SIMULTANEOUSLY GO OUT, THEY INCLUDE TAIL/BRAKE/ REVERSE, AND STOP LIGHTS. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS UNDETERMINED, ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED 9 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL 03V389000 REPAIRS CONCERNING DASHBOARD WIRING HARNESS. THE REPAIRS WERE DONE, BUT VEHICLE WAS STILL HAVING PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS/ HORN/ INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEMS. THE DEALER WAS ASKING CONSUMER TO PAY $500 TO DIAGNOSES AND RESOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER WAS REQUESTING A CALL BACK.*AK

Incident date: Nov 10, 2003

I OWN A 1998 PONTIAC TRANSPORT, BOUGHT NEW, AND HAS 80000 MILES ON IT. WAS JUST TOLD THAT THE INTAKE IS LEAKING, ANS WILL NEED MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACEMENT. WAS TOLD THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING. ALLED LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER (MATTHEWS PONTIAC, VESTAL, NY 607-798-8000) AND THEY CONFIRMED THIS, AND THAT THERE IS A NEW AND IMPROVED GASKET, BUT THEY WOULDN'T HELP WITH THE COST... Read more

PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, CLUTCH, PISTONS, DASH FAN AND REAR RIGHT MOLDING. *MR THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. SATURN REPAIRED THE PART BUT WOULD NOT REIMBURSE THE CONSUMER FOR REPAIR COST DUE TO THE VEHICLE EXCEEDING THE WARRANTY. AT THE TIME OF THE REPAIR THE VEHICLE HAD 96K PLUS MILES. THE VEHICLE ALSO EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING: ENGINE KNOCKING/LOSS OF POWER ... Read more

Incident date: Oct 29, 2003

1999 FORD EXPEDITION: 4.6 SOHC EAD GASKET LEAKS OIL FIXED TWICE STILL LEAKS. MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH REPLACED ONCE,DOE'S NOT WORK AGAIN. EXPEDITION HAS ROUGH IDLE ,NEVER BEEN ABLE TO FIX. *AK

Incident date: Nov 4, 2003

GENERAL MOTORS HAS BEEN PUTTING DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ON MOST OF THEIR VEHICLES THAT ARE TOO BRIGHT. THESE LIGHTS ARE SO BRIGHT THAT ONE TENDS TO TURN ONE'S HEAD AWAY OR SHIELD THE EYES WHEN APPROACHED BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THESE LIGHTS CAN CAUSE DISTRACTION SERIOUS ENOUGH TO MAKE A PERSON IGNORE SITUATIONS THAT CAN BE DANGEROUS. THE EXTRA GLARE FROM THESE LIGHTS CAUSES EXTRA EFFORT TO BE PUT I... Read more

Incident date: Jun 21, 2003

3 PROBLEMS. I THINK THEY ARE ALL ELECTRICALLY RELATED. FIRST, IS ONE THAT HAS BEEN NOTED ON THIS SITE ABOUT THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND HEADLAMPS DIMMING OCCASIONALLY FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. SECOND IS THE RIGHT FRONT BLINKER DOESN'T ALWAYS BLINK WHEN SIGNALING, IT JUST STAYS ON. AT LEAST THE INTERIOR TURN SIGNAL BLINKS FAST TO INDICATE THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS. LASTLY, THE ENGINE HAS "MISFIRED" ON... Read more

Incident date: Oct 9, 2003

THE HEADLIGHT AND DAYTIME RUN LIGHTS BURN OUT WHEN IT RAINS... INSTEAD OF FINDING OUT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS, THE DEALER JUST REPLACES THE BULBS AND SENDS ME ON MY WAY. THE FOLLOWING RAINY DAY, THERE I AM BACK AT THE DEALER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SO FAR THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME, NOT INCLUDING THE PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVETRAIN/REAR DIFF THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE DASH AND CABIN RATTLES THA... Read more

WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. AS A RESULT, AIR BAGS WERE INOPERATIVE AND WOULDN'T DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED, PER DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED EVERY AIR BAG COMPONENT, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED.*AK THE RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT HELD MOISTURE AND THE FOG LIGHT HELD WATER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS. THE BULB FOR THE LEF... Read more

ONCE THE FUEL GAUGE REGISTERED HALF FULL IT WOULD STOP OPERATING. THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRING TO THE FUEL PUMP HAD MELTED AND THE FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK *CB THE REAR TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS CRACKED.*JB

Incident date: Aug 15, 2003

1999 DODGE DAKOTA WIRING PROBLEM. MY 1999 DODGE DAKOTA HAS A WIRING PROBLEM THAT CAUSES THE CRUISE CONTROL TO BE STUCK IN THE ON POSITION AND CAUSES THE TURN SIGNAL TO FREEZE WHILE AT A LONG LIGHT. THE CRUISE CONTROL IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE IT CAN NOT BE DISENGAGED WITH THE BRAKE, YOU MUST MANUALLY TURN THE SYSTEM OFF. SUPERIOR DODGE IN NICHOLASVILLE, KY HAS ALREADY CHARGED ME FOR 2 HOURS... Read more

Incident date: Oct 1, 2003

MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL 01V364000; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WA SNOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK *BF *NM

Incident date: Oct 17, 2003

HEADLIGHTS TOO BRIGHT AND DRIVERS DRIVING WITH BRIGHT LIGHTS ON ALL CARS AND TRUCKS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE MADE WITH AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT DIMMERS. CARS IN THE 50'S & 60'S HAD THIS. ALSO ALL CARS AND TRUCKS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE A TIMER ON THE FOG/ROAD LIGHTS SO THEY DON'T BLIND DRIVERS ,THEY WOULD GO OUT AFTER 10 MINUTES. *LA

VEHICLE FAILED EMISSIONS DUE TO A HIGH HYDROCARBON OUTPUT/ PROBLEMS WITH LIGHTS, BRAKES, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, STARTER, AND SEAT BELTS. *MR THERE WAS A CRACK FOUND IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *SCC *JB

Incident date: Oct 9, 2003

THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH THAT CONTROLS HEADLIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL MALFUNCTIONED. DRIVER TRIED TO USE THE TURN SIGNAL AND HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION DUE TO ANOTHER VEHICLE NOT SEEING THE HEADLIGHTS. DRIVER SUSTAINED CHEST AND STERNUM INJURIES. *AK

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Oct 9, 2003

THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD STICK CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THIS WILL EVENTUALLY GET SOMEONE KILLED. FORD SHOULD RECALL VEHICLE. *AK THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE PROBLEM REMAINED THE SAME. *SCC THE REVERSE LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE, THE HEATER CONTROL VALVE WAS REPLACED, THE LEFT REAR BRAKE LIGHT WAS REPLACED. *JB. SURGES INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITH BRAKE... Read more

Incident date: Oct 6, 2003

A TRACTOR TRAILER WAS PASSING ME ON THE INTERSTATE. JUST AS HIS TRAILER WAS APPROXIMATELY 2/3 PAST ME, MY LIGHTS DIMMED OUT ON MY CAR BY THEMSELVES. THE DRIVER OF THE TRACTOR TRAILER THOUGHT I HAD FLASHED MY HEADLIGHTS AT HIM, TO LET HIM KNOW HE HAD CLEARED MY CAR AND WAS SAFE TO COME INTO MY LANE, WHICH WAS NOT THE CASE. THIS MADE THE DRIVERS BEHIND ME AND THE TRACTOR TRAILER IN ALL 3 LANES, TO... Read more

1 injured

WHILE DRIVING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STOPPED FUNCTIONING ,CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE BRAKE POWER/POWER STEERING/LIGHTS, AND ENGINE STALLING. DEALER HAS NOT DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER WHICH CAUSED INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS NOT TO FUNCTION. ALSO, DRIVER NOTICED THAT WHEN TAPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL BRAKES LOCKED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

Incident date: Sep 29, 2003

I HAVE HAD REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH THE EXTERIOR FRONT LIGHTING ON MY NEW 2003 SATURN ION WHICH IS A SAFETY HAZARD. ON 5/15/03 I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE ALBUQUERQUE SATURN DEALERSHIP TO FIX THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE RUNNING LIGHT AND LEFT TURN SIGNAL. THEY REPLACED THE BULBS, BUT I HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN ON 7/18/03 AFTER HAVING DRIVEN IT LESS THAN 100 MILES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 25, 2002

ELECTRONIC CONTROLS OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT DO NOT FUNTION PROPERLY. TURN SIGNALS,LIGHTS,CRUISE. GAUGES,WINDOWS,RADIO,AIRBAG ETC.. ALL HAVE MALFUNTIONED SINCE THE CAR WAS PICKED UP FROM THE DEALER. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT A ELECTRICAL PROBLEM EXISTS IN THE VEHICLE BUT DODDGE/CHRYSLER IS UN WILLING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE .THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE. I HAVE NUMEROUS WITNESSES AND HAVE STARTED VIDEO RECORDING THE... Read more

Incident date: Sep 16, 2003

THIS VEHICLE HAS NUMEROUS DEFECTS, AND HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE COUNTLESS AMOUNTS OF TIMES. MB PROMISED TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE IF THEIR FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE COULD VERIFY MY COMPLAINTS. THEY ABSOLUTELY FOUND NUMEROUS, REDUNDANT DEFECTS AND NOW ONLY WANT TO FIX THE VEHICLE, RATHER THAT REPLACE THE VEHICLE. WHAT A BUNCH OF LIARS. THE VEHICLE HAS ISSUES WITH THE STEERING SYSTEM, THE WHEEL RUBS AND TH... Read more

VEHICLE'S LOW BEAMS ARE AIMED TO LOW FAILING TO PROVIDE ILLUMINATION.*MR HIGH BEAMS CAUSED REFLECTIONS HIGH UP ON VERTICAL OBJECTS AT THE SIDES OF THE ROADS. DEALER STATED THAT WAS THE WAY THE LIGHTS WERE DESIGNED AND THEY COULD NOT BE CORRECTED. *PH *JB

Incident date: Jul 21, 2003

I HAVE A 2002 FORD FOCUS ZX5 4 DR HATCHBACK MY PROBLEMS STARTED ON 7/21/03 WHEN MY BRAKES LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNAL AND RADIO STOPPED WORKING. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER NOW THE RADIO WILL NO LONGER RESPONSE TO ME TURNING THE VOL. UP OR DOWN AS WELL AS I ONLY ONLY SET THE TIME ON MILITARY TIME. NOW ON 9/7 MY BRAKES HAVE STARTED TO GRIND. ON 9/11 MY CAR NOW ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 8, 2003

MULIFUNCTION SWITCH ON 1998 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BOWER 2WD SMOKING AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. MFS BEGAN SMOKING AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, POTENTIALLY CAUSING A FIRE HAZARD. NO FIRES REPORTED AFTER NUMEROUS VEHICLE STARTS, HOWEVER, SMOKE BECOMING MORE PREVELANT AFTER EACH VEHICLE START. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEABLE. MFS WAS REPLACED. *AK

Incident date: Aug 28, 2003

2002 BRAND NEW ACURA [XXX]. FRONT FOF LAMPS ARE MADE OF BREAKABLE GLASS. SO FAR I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWICE. THIS GLASS ID HEAVY/LARGE CHUNKS THAT COULD CAUSE TIRE DAMAGE. THIS GLASS BREAKS IN SHARDS AND IT VERY DANGEROUS. A PIECE BLEW UP AND SCRATCHED PAINT. THE DEALERSHIP IS REPLACING THE FOG LIGHTS WITH SAME BREAKABLE. THE 2003 MODELS HAVE CHANGED TO A NON-BREAKABLE, BUT WILL NOT FIT THE 200... Read more

Incident date: Aug 22, 2003

EXTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSE OF FAILURE IS UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK

Incident date: Aug 6, 2003

1998 JAGUAR VAN DAN PLAS HAS A SEVERE DEFECT. CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING AND ENGINE LOOSES ALL POWER. ALSO THE DRIVE BELT SHUTS DOWN AFTER COMPUTER CHIP FAILURE CAUSING OVER HEATING AND DISCHARGING OF BATTERY. EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE CHIP, THE SAME OCCURS AFTER SOME MILES. LEFT HEADLIGHT KEEPS ON BURNING OUT. *NLM

Incident date: Nov 23, 2002

THE DESIGN OF THE AUTOMATIC LIGHT CONTROL FOR THE HEADLAMPS SUBJUGATES THE RESPONSIBILITY STATE LAW PLACES ON THE VEHICLE OPERATOR. THE OPERATOR CERTANTLY CAN _CHOOSE_ TO ALLOW A AUTOMATIC SYSTEM TO OPERATE THE LIGHTS IF THEY WANT TO, HOWEVER SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO USE IT IF THE OPERATOR IS NOT COMFORABLE WITH THE WAY THE AUTOMATIC SYSTEM OPERATES. ADDITIONALLY, THE AUTOMATIC LIGHTING SYSTEMS C... Read more

Incident date: Jul 6, 2003

THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE LEFT REAR TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY WHICH IS CAUSING LEFT BLINKER TO SHORT OUT AND/OR BLINK FAST. WHEN CHECKING FOR A USED REPLACEMENT ASSEMBLY, WE DISCOVERED THAT WE COULD NOT FIND ONE THAT HAD NOT ALREADY SHORTED OUT.

Incident date: Jul 22, 2003

THE LIGHT SWITCH ASSEMBLY ON MY 1992 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS THAT CONTROLS THE HEADLAMPS, TAIL AND BRAKE LIGHTS HAS FAILED TWICE WITHIN A 7 YEAR PERIOD REQUIRING FULL REPLACEMENT. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS, ALL BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS FAIL TO OPERATE AS WELL AS THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS.*AK

Incident date: Oct 30, 2001

HEADLIGHT BURNED OUT FOR 2ND TIME IN LESS THAN 30,000 MILES. *AK

Incident date: Nov 10, 2002

I TO HAVE A 2002 MONTE CARLO SS,THAT WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE LIGHTS,INSIDE AND OUT, FLICKER ON AND OFF.OTHER CARS COMING AT ME CAN ALSO SEE THIS.*AK

THE CONSUMER STATED THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY DETERIORATED, WHICH CAUSED A MISALIGNMENT OF THE HEADLIGHTS. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. *AK CADILLAC REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE COST OF EACH HEADLIGHT REPLACEMENT. THE CONSUMER FELT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. *PH *JB

Incident date: Jun 1, 2003

REAR LIGHT OVER LICENSE PLATE WOULD NOT GO OUT, LEAVING MY CAR AT NIGHT ILLUMINATED. TAKEN TO DEALER. PROBLEM RESOLVED.*AK

PROBLEMS WITH HEAD LIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS ON ONCOMING VEHICLES BEING ANNOYING. *MR THE CONSUMER FELT THE PROBLEM WITH MISDIRECTED HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS OF ONCOMING VEHICLES WERE DANGEROUS. (NOW WITH THE HIGH INTENSITY HEADLIGHTS ONE CAN DRIVE BLIND FOR A LONGER PERIOD) THE CONSUMER SUGGESTED THESE LIGHTS BE BANNED. *SCC *JB

Incident date: Jun 30, 2003

I OWN A 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII AND HAVE BECOME VERY CONSERNED ABOUT THE POOR LIGHTING THIS VEHICLE HAS DURING THE NIGHT HOURS. IT IS BECOMMING HARDER AND HARDER TO USE THE FACTORY LIGHTING TO HAVE A GOOD FISION OF THE AREA AHEAD AND ANY OBSTICALS THAT MIGHT BE THERE.*AK