Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2006 record →
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipCrash1 injured
Filed Dec 3, 200610,000 milesNJ
BRAKES FAILED TO APPLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT CAUSING ME TO HIT THE BACK OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME; SPEED LESS THAN 10 MPH; BRAKES "BUCKED" AND WOULD NOT RE-ENGAGE AND DID NOT STOP THE CAR IN TIME TO PREVENT ACCIDENT; APPLIED EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TURNED OFF IGNITION TO STOP PROCESS; REPORTED TO LOCAL POLICE; CAR HAS BEEN IMPOUNDED FOR INVESTIGATION AND CONFIRMATION OF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. *NM
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
Filed Dec 1, 20068,900 milesNJ
#1 CAR WOULD NOT STOP, ROLLED THROUGH A STOP SIGN AND PULLED OVER INTO EMPTY LOT AND TESTED BRAKES A FEW TIMES AND THEN IT WAS OKAY. #2 WAS STOPPED BEHIND A VEHICLE ABOUT 2 FEET AWAY, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHEN CAR ACCELERATED AND FELT LIKE IT JUMPED AND I BUMPED THE CAR IN FRONT. THIS WAS ON 11-28-06 ABOUT 1 1/2 HOURS AFTER BRINGING MY CAR TO THE DEALER TO TELL THEM THAT MY BRAKES SOUNDED LIKE METAL AGAINST METAL AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NORMAL ON FOGGY MORNINGS. THE SAME THING HAPPENED THE MORNING BEFORE BUT I WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN THE NEXT DAY BECAUSE THEY WERE BUSY. I DON'T REMEMBER THE DATE OF THE FIRST INCIDENT WHEN I ROLLED THROUGH THE STOP SIGN BUT IT WAS ABOUT 4 WEEKS BEFORE THE SECOND TIME. DEALER HAD MY CAR FOR 2 DAYS BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE INCIDENT. *JB
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Nov 27, 20069,500 milesNJ
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE ENGINE ACCELERATED AND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 12/18/06. *JB
Exterior Lighting › Headlights
Filed Nov 9, 200615,000 milesSC
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEEDS AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THIS OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED AN ELECTRICAL SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jun 29, 200639,000 milesNY
ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES ON INTERMITTENT OCCASIONS WHEN BRAKING FROM SLOW <20 MPH, ALSO ABS PUMP CYCLES ON DURING SLOW TURNS. *JB
Air BagsCrash2 injured
Filed Feb 27, 20063,000 milesNY
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WENT OVER AN EMBANKMENT WHILE GOING 25-30 MPH. THERE WAS PRIOR BRAKING. THE VEHICLE STRUCK A TREE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEATBELTS, BUT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO INSPECTION TO WHY THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.