NHTSA complaint: UNKNOWN UNKNOWN — SUSPENSION
CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE BRAKES REPAIR PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON APRIL 9, 2013. AS A RESULT OF THE INCIDENT, THERE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS., THAT SAME DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED THREE WEEKS LATER. THE AXLES THAT WERE USED WERE PORTRAYED AS BEING GOOD AS NEW WITH ALL THE APPROPRIATE WARRANTIES. SOON AFTER, THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE GEARS NOT MESHING CORRECTLY, TO THE POINT WHERE GAS CONSUMPTION WAS EXTREMELY HIGH. THE CONSUMER THEN NOTICED SMALL SPOTS OF OIL ON THE DRIVEWAY. WHEN HE LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE, HE DISCOVERED A LEAK WAS COMING FROM WHERE THE DRIVE SHAFT CONNECTED TO THE AXLE HOUSING. HE WAS INFORMED BY A STAFF MEMBER, THAT NEARLY TWO QUARTS OF OIL HAD LEAKED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE ONGOING PROBLEMS WAS DUE THE AXLES THAT WERE PUT ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER THEN DECIDED TO HAVE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WORKED ON BY A LOCAL MECHANIC. HE ALSO REQUESTED TO HAVE THE REAR BRAKES CHECKED. THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THREE TO FOUR PIECES MISSING FROM THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, AS WELL AS A GOUGE ON THE OUTER SIDE OF THE CALIPER, AND THE AXLE WAS BENT WAS VERY LIKELY CAUSING THE ROTORS TO BE TIGHT, THE ROTORS WERE CROOKED, THUS MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE CALIPERS AND THE ACCOMPANYING BRAKE SHOES TO FIT IN THEIR APPROPRIATE PLACE.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation