10504648¶

1 excerpts.

NHTSA Owner Complaint ODI 10504648¶

nhtsa.gov/complaints/10504648 · p. 1 · Applies to: 451

Manufacturer: SMART USA DISTRIBUTOR LLC Components: STRUCTURE Date filed: 03/26/2013 | Date of incident: 01/31/2013 Vehicles affected: - MY

Owner narrative: THE POLYCARBONATE ROOF HAS CRAZING OR SPIDERWEBBING THROUGHOUT. THIS IS ONLY NOTICEABLE WHEN THE SUN IS OUT. I FEAR THE ROOF WILL FRACTURE AND FALL INTO THE CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED SMART ABOUT REPLACING THE ROOF. THEY HAVE OFFERED TO GIVE ME A NEW ROOF AND I WILL NEED TO PAY FOR THE INSTALLATION AND SEALANT WHICH WILL COST AROUND $500! FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON LINE THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THESE ROOFS IN 2008 AND SOME OF THE 2009 CARS ALSO HAVE THIS ISSUE. MINE BEING ONE OF THEM. I DO NOT FEEL IT IS RIGHT FOR SMART TO ASK ME TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR. I HAVE TRIED TALKING WITH THEIR HEADQUARTERS ABOUT THE ISSUE STATING I FEEL IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THIS ROOF. THEY TOLD ME MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY SO IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY. I MAINTAIN THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE FROM MANUFACTURE AND FEEL IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. AFTER REQUESTING TO SPEAK WITH A SUPERVISOR NUMEROUS TIMES THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP PUT IN A REQUEST FOR ME. HIS SUPERVISOR CALLED ME AND SAID EITHER ACCEPT THE OFFER OR HE WILL RESCIND THE OFFER. OBVIOUSLY SMART WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I HAVE A CAR WITH A DEFECTIVE ROOF WHICH I BELIEVE PRESENTS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. I'VE READ OF OTHER CARS HAVING SUNROOFS THAT HAVE CRAZED AND THEN EXPLODE. SEEING HOW THE ENTIRE ROOF OF MY CAR IS CRAZED, I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT MY SAFETY AS WELL AS ANY PASSENGER IN THE CAR. SHOULD THE ROOF FRACTURE OR EXPLODE WHILE I'M DRIVING THIS WOULD MOST CERTAINLY CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE A MANUFACTURER DO A SAFETY RECALL, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY NEEDS LOOKING INTO. THANK YOU. *TR