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NHTSA complaints for DJ


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There are quite a few complaints files to the NHTSA for DJ's as I'm sure with any car, and specifically for our year DJ (2010) There are 131 complaints and most of them are brake failures (covered under warranty) and random electronic issues mainly regarding starting the vehicle and such. Hopefully this isn't a ticking time bomb on most DJs and isn't a failure waiting to happen to most like some cars inevitable failures. Has anyone submitted a complaint to the NHTSA? and what for if you did?

linkvhttp://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchResults.action;jsessionid=ZwdvRnjp2cklmjWF2M9j2pn2CT30SFn70qXpy8r1QSLT1Lv2xyhG!1013286136

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Well, Bramfrank I was just starting a thread and conversation like a forum is for, its nice to see if anyone has filed a complaint, some of the complaints have no followup of any sort to see if there was a fix or anything. and reading over 300 complaints after a while gets very boing I read a little over 100 before I could take it

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The NHTSA doesn't do follow ups with complainants - I spearheaded a recall with them (and with Industry Canada up here) for a serious defect on one of Yamaha's high end motorcycles - Yamaha doesn't like me anymore - they had to replace the electical harnesses on some 13000 motorcycles because they had their heads up their rear ends - but through all of it the NHTSA (according to my rep there) 'declined to pursue the matter' until I got IC to kick serious butt in Canada - there's a reciprocal agreement in place, so if Canada orders a recall, the US has to follow if the model is the same..

The NHTSA was like a black hole - they suck in the data, but never show their hands. Unless it is a Toyota - 3 defects reported in a million vehicles and they push the company to do a massive recall . . . go figure.

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I went on the NHTSA website and looked at some vehicles (all 2012s), that I was considering when I was looking at replacing my aging van.

In order of least complaints to most.

1. Chev Traverse -3

2. Hyundai Tuscon - 10

3. Dodge Journey -13

4. Toyota Rav4 - 24

Like I said in another thread, no vehicle is perfect. I think what counts is how the dealer/manufacturer deals with the issues.

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Bear in mind that all the NHTSA cares about are safety related defects that can result in unforeseen catastrophic results (crashes, fires and such). So many (likely most) of the complaints they receive are posted, but quickly discarded as not the type of issue they are concerned with, though the complaints will still be there for the reading. They do NOT publish the status of any investigations because of commercial implications and legal liabilities associated with the potential impact of unverified rumours.

The Buel stator issue is an example of something that they don't care about - because a dead stator results in a gradual degradation of performance as do such issues such as brakes that wear out quickly, gas gauges that are pessimistic and door locks that won't unlock the door from the outside. On the other hand, the 'keys would cause the ignition to switch itself off' recall that Dodge/Chrysler went through a couple of years ago would have vehicles spontaneously switch off while underway. A design issue where a door lock might not release a door from the inside - which has implications for life safety after an accident or a defect that could cause unanticipated acceleration (a bad OEM floor mat design that could press the accelerator - think Toyota - are the types of things they investigate.

The solution for something like the FOBIT recall COULD have been as simple as them providing a sticker that said not to put your FOBIT on a keychain - since what was happening was that the weight of other keys was sometimes enough to turn the FOBIT to the accessory position from 'run'. The delivered solution apparently increased the amount of tension required to turn the FOBIT.

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No. But I am a very curious person and very tenacious - so whatever I run into I tend to study up on and then drive it to a conclusion.

When one of my Motorcycles developed a problem, I discovered that I was not alone and the defect was outright dangerous - so I drove IC and the NHTSA to force a recall. I learned a lot about the process - and garnered the hatred of the manufacturer. Strangely, the recall has not yet been applied to my machine after 18 months. The parts never seem to ever arrive at my dealer (and I have excellent relations with him).

Not a problem. I'm an electrical engineer by training and I've installed a work-around, so the delay isn't an issue for me.

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