1988 PLYMOUTH RELIANT User Comment / Complaint

Seat belt buckles on driver's and passenger's side will not lock in place.  view

One year into the ownership of the vehicle, while driving, the car would simple shut off. if you were moving at the time it would eventually come back on to the running position. if you happened to be at a stop sign or a light and the "stutter" would happen it would completely shut off then you would have to try and start the car again. it would turn over but sometimes it would take several tries to start the car again. this car was purchased in 2003 as a new car. because of these instances of the car shutting off there have been two different accidents. thank the lord none with any personal injuries. these occasions of the car shutting off became more and more prevalent, happening everyday almost all the time towards the end of the life of the car. the car is now not drivable because it literally caught on fire while driving it. it was towed home and there it sits. we are still paying on the vehicle and have to have full coverage on it.  view

One year into the ownership of the vehicle, while driving, the car would simple shut off. if you were moving at the time it would eventually come back on to the running position. if you happened to be at a stop sign or a light and the "stutter" would happen it would completely shut off then you would have to try and start the car again. it would turn over but sometimes it would take several tries to start the car again. this car was purchased in 2003 as a new car. because of these instances of the car shutting off there have been two different accidents. thank the lord none with any personal injuries. these occasions of the car shutting off became more and more prevalent, happening everyday almost all the time towards the end of the life of the car. the car is now not drivable because it literally caught on fire while driving it. it was towed home and there it sits. we are still paying on the vehicle and have to have full coverage on it.  view

Cruise control will not disengage by depressing brake, using the off switch, or depressing the clutch. also, when this occurs, the speed slowly but steadily increases. the only way to correct the problem is to turn off the ignition, or press the brake until the car stops and the engine dies.  view

When headlamp burned out it was discovered that the plastic connector that the bulb plugs into had burned and melted.  view

2004 tdi jetta wagon failed in tank fuel pump.  view

There was smoke coming from the steering column. i immediately shut down the car. after starting the car, i realized my headlights were not working. i pulled on the multi-function switch twice and regained the use of my headlights. i dropped the vehicle off at the dealership (big valley dodge/subaru) on 5/24/06. on 5/26/06, at about 4:20 pm, i received a call from marvin in the service department. he advised they were going to replace the multi-function switch and wire harness. he also advised i was being charged $386.00 + tax as my car is out of warranty. it seems as there is no tsb on this problem although there are many neon owners having the same problems. please see links below. http://www.srtforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3461887#post3461887 http://www.srtforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=255414&highlight=multifunction+switch http://www.srtforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=251467&highlight=multifunction+switch http://www.srtforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=191421&highlight=multifunction+switch.  view

Anti lock brakes malfunctioning. they activate at low speeds on dry pavement.  view

Traveling north on hwy 101 near king city i rode my 2006 harley davidson road king classic over an asphalt patch at approx 70 to 75 mph. the front end began to wobble violently. i thought i had a front tire blow out. i slowed to approx. 45 mph before i could regain control. two riders behind me witnessed the event and were sure i was going down. this on a bike with less than 4000 miles on it. looking on the internet i see that this has been a problem with other riders as well and in one case led to the death of a state trooper. i went to my dealership and told them of the experience which they promptly told me they had never heard of such a thing. i have an appointment on may 30th to have it serviced. hopefully they will pinpoint a cause however i get the feeling they are going to blow me off. i feel that this is a very dangerous condition that has been allowed to continue probably due to settlement requirements that the plaintiff remain silent about the engineering defect. i want to go on record now so if anything happens to me harley davidson can't say they were not made aware of any problems. i have been riding for over 25 years, the only thing that saved me was that guardian angel sitting on my shoulder.  view

I own a 2004 toyota camry le, my problem with this vehicle are two things one is the braking system/abs and the second is the tires bridgestone. the pedal is too soft, doesn't stop the car as it should, the abs locked on many occasions regardless of the weather condition. i managed to hit a the front of the car twice and once in the rear. all of the abs system, while the damage is only to my car its becoming a very serious safety issue regarding the how safe is this vehicle. i have spoken with the dealer and he replaced the pads once, however the problem still exist and the rear breaks are making squeaky sound. i have 21,000 miles on this car and its my first new car and it will be the last toyota i own. the dealer denies any problems and they say its normal but its not.  view

The blue-white halogen lights should be outlawed. the glare is overwhelming and dangerous. it is a distraction while driving and likely leads to accidents, like any other distraction interferes with attentiveness. the glare in rear view mirrors causes drivers to unnecessarily place the rear view mirror in "night driving" position, which limits ability to see ordinary objects.  view

When hitting water in making turn steering wheel will lock up, then it will ease up and return to normal. dealer replaced fan belt  view

Our new 2006 chevrolet ck1500 4x4 extended cab pick up truck has a cruise control defect that chevrolet dismisses as normal. when you are driving using the cruise control and start up a hill the truck slows down at least 10 miles an hour then suddenly without warning the cruise control system jolts the truck forward trying to compensate for the loss of speed. this is startling to say the least. it has happened to us going up hills and around hilly curves. if i did not keep both hands on the wheel i very well could have lost control and crashed. i have met one other person who owns a chevrolet suv and he told me he has the same problem. he simply stated that he "just doesn't use the cruise control". i think chevrolet is fudging the truth to tell me it is normal and has to do with gear ratios when i have had numerous vehicles which do not commit this activity. the dealer has been very helpful concerning this matter and i do not hold him to fault. i do believe that corporate gm has a stake in covering up a problem of this nature that could have devastating potential. some one will lose control of a vehicle somewhere due to this occurrence and someone will lose their life.  view

1) i bought the jeep wrangler used 2)the latch sometimes does not engage when i put the lip of the seat belt into the socket of the seat belt. it sticks...im afraid that if i do get in a wreck it will fail and i will be ejected, especially with a jeep and it having a high rollover risk. 3)im seriously thinking of getting brand new seat belts, not chrysler brand but after market ones, unless chrylser solves the issue.  view

Normal use of 4.2 v6 ford engine oil pressure drops to 0 psig at engine idle after trying to fix the problem my self (25 years auto mechanic 17 years aviation tech) and searching the web for others with the same problem and there are thousands i have found the fix is rebuild or replace the engine $2000.00 - $6000.00 fomoco should share in this expense but i have not heard of anyone with help from ford i will state that many have been and will be injured momentarily.  view

3.11 gm v6 engine has a common problem of a notable intake manifold gasket leak, which oil and coolant system contaminates one or the other or both. had to get an extreme engine flush and further diagnosis and repair is needed.  view

Brake failure incident when suv failed to stop at a red light. brake pedal was completely depressed, but suv continued to move forward.  view

Just started car and pulled up to stop light and hit break pedal. all of a sudden there was a sudden acceleration and the car started forward and i had to lean on the break very hard to stop. this occurred 2 times both after starting the car after at least a 1 hour off time. i thought at first it was my foot on both pedals but the second time i stopped the car with my left foot and was nowhere near the accelerator. i contacted subaru but they denied any problem. i put if off until i saw an article in st louis post dispatch to letters to tom and ray magliozzi the car guys and the letter was from another subaru outback owner with the same problem.  view

Stress cracks from top and bottom of windshield.  view

Comments: i have a 1995 mercury sable with 52,000 miles on it. some years ago, ford issued a letter saying it would make repairs if the head gasket prematurely blew on this car at under 60,000 miles or within 5 years. about two weeks ago, with no warning, my sable blew its head gasket in my garage, after i had turned off the car and gotten out of it. it was just a miracle that i was still in the garage with my husband when it happened. normally, i would have gone in the house and shut the door. at any rate, i turned around and smoke was billowing from the rear of the car. my husband jumped in the car (i wouldn't have done that) and backed it into our court. i ran for the phone and called 911. my point is, that except for the fluke of my being in the garage at the time, my house could have gone up in smoke! when i called the local ford dealer, they referred me to ford customer service. josh at customer service told me that the "customer satisfaction program" on this car had expired and that there are no available coverages. he further stated that i had no recourse to anyone else in the company because ford had "empowered" the customer service program to answer all questions of this type. i think that if my house had burned down, ford certainly would have had some liability. the cost to repair the vehicle is $2,000, nearly as much as it's worth. is there anything you can do to help me with this problem?  view

I purchased a ford freestyle on may 5, 2005. six months after purchasing it i started having problems. the first was the strut bearing at 5,000 miles. then another strut bearing a month or so later. during this time i noticed heavy brake dust on back wheels. everytime i took it in for an oil change i had them check the brakes. they always told me their was no problem. then i had to take it in for the hood vibrating, and they replaced the front hood latch. at 12,000 miles the rear brakes were replaced, because the pad were down to metal, they also had to turn the rotors at this time, too. a right rear turn signal lamp went out at this time. now the vehicle has 13,600 miles and another (left side) turn signal lamp has failed. i am not happy with this vehicle and i do not feel safe in it after having so many problems. my five year old daughter does not even feel safe.  view

Severe vibration in rear end of vehicle between 65 and 70 mph tire rebalancing and rotation did not improve situation at all seems worse after approx. 20 minutes of highway driving. not sure if its a tire or differential problem but it 'feels' like it is about once per rev. of the axle. vehicle has original ford rsc and goodrich 17" tires.  view

When hitting water in making turn steering wheel will lock up, then it will ease up and return to normal. dealer replaced fan belt  view

I own a 1999 vw passat glx with 72,000 miles. approximately one month ago, the abs light, the brake light, the oil pressure indicator, and the tachometer began to behave erratically. two weeks ago, the right front caliper stuck in the extended position, starting a wheel fire at the rotor. i replaced the caliper, rotor, and pads. a non-vw service center replaced the remaining rotors and pads, replaced the master cylinder, and flushed/bled the entire system. the problem with the lights and alarms persists. the lights and alarms are usually absent when the vehicle is completely cold, then usually appear after several minutes of driving. the lights and alarms can disappear while driving, then reappear during later driving. i have not contacted vw directly, because i'm concerned what the estimate might be to attempt repair.  view

I own a 1999 vw passat glx with 72,000 miles. approximately one month ago, the abs light, the brake light, the oil pressure indicator, and the tachometer began to behave erratically. two weeks ago, the right front caliper stuck in the extended position, starting a wheel fire at the rotor. i replaced the caliper, rotor, and pads. a non-vw service center replaced the remaining rotors and pads, replaced the master cylinder, and flushed/bled the entire system. the problem with the lights and alarms persists. the lights and alarms are usually absent when the vehicle is completely cold, then usually appear after several minutes of driving. the lights and alarms can disappear while driving, then reappear during later driving. i have not contacted vw directly, because i'm concerned what the estimate might be to attempt repair.  view

Upper engine wiring harness in my 1992 mercedes benz 500e (81,000 miles) has completely deteriorated. the insulation has become brittle and cracked and flaked of the harness causing electrical shorts within the ignition system causing failure to start or run conditions. through research on the web i have discovered this is a common situation with the w124 chassis cars. since it is a known problem i feel that mercedes benz of north america is obligated to initiate a recall or voluntarily replace this known faulty item.  view

Several times, as i have been driving down the road, the power locks (on every door) in my car suddenly unlock. at other times, only the front two doors unlock. immediately before this occurs, i can hear the power controls on each door make an electrical noise as if an electrical malfunction is occurring. all four of my power windows also intermittently malfunction and refuse to roll down (while at other times they work perfectly). the lock defect creates a dangerous situation as my children who are riding in the can then exit the car.  view

Several times, as i have been driving down the road, the power locks (on every door) in my car suddenly unlock. at other times, only the front two doors unlock. immediately before this occurs, i can hear the power controls on each door make an electrical noise as if an electrical malfunction is occurring. all four of my power windows also intermittently malfunction and refuse to roll down (while at other times they work perfectly). the lock defect creates a dangerous situation as my children who are riding in the can then exit the car.  view

Fuel pump always reads full. i ran out of gas yesterday, and that is enough. i know of two other blazers at my work that are doing the same thing. time for the sending unit to be recalled.  view

A year ago, the driver's side turn signal light on my 2002 ford focus wagon burned out. in trying to replace it at a local auto parts place. the socket was so tight in the lens/reflector assembly that it could not be removed. i took it to my dealer, kain family ford in london. i learned that the problem was that the fitting for the socket had warped from excessive heat, apparently. the dealer searched to see if there was a technical bulletin and found one instance in which a pizza driver in a similar vehicle had a similar problem. they were able to pull the light out and with a pocket knife make the new socket fit in the assembly, and charged me the hourly rate for the work. i suspect this is a manufacturer's defect, because i've heard of two other instances in the same type of vehicle in this area with the same results. i recently replaced the passenger side headlamp and fount the same warping. i have yet to take it to my dealer, but will. is there a way to search repair records for this vehicle to determine if this is a defect and should be recalled? i learned of this site from click and clack on npr's cartalk.  view

Chevy venture minivan rear sliding power doors do not reverse and are very dangerous causing an injury to my 12 year old daughter while entering the van when the door suddenly closed on her and potential death to a young child.  view

Ignition key would not turn to any position. no warning of impending failure. car could not be driven, had to be towed.  view

1993 crown victoria defective speed control deactivation switch caused an under hood fire. ***** the consumer was told that his vehicle was not included in the recall(99s15).  view

Abs brake lights come on. after applying brakes there's plenty of vibration. steering wheel has to be held tightly due to moving from side to side. took to dealer 6 times & brakes repaired each time. problem still exists. manufacturer said met warranty obligation.  view

My gas gauge on my 1999 gmc sierra has not worked for over two years. cost of repair to high.  view

The front driver side door will not latch when the outside temp is below freezing. i had to warm the truck up for 10 minutes to heat up so the door would close correctly. this is a safety hazard and i think the door latch should be recalled because if the door does not latch correctly someone can be seriously injured.  view

On both 9/27/2004 and 1/13/2006 the rear brake cylinders and shoes had to be replaced because of leaking from the cylinder. on the second occasion, mechanics at doug's lynnwood mazda/hyundai did not notice the problem on the original visit (12/2/2005), and i had to bring it to their attention in order to get it fixed.  view

Experienced two major failures. the initial failure involved the shearing off of one of the left suspension components. resulted in steering failure. fortunately, i was only going 20 mph and was able to stop before further damage incurred. $4500 in repairs to front end/suspension--covered by local dealer/jaguar. the second failure involved transmission failure at speeds of 40 - 70 mph. happily, when taken to the dealership, it left them stranded on the street. this resulted in the recommendation of a new transmission at $6500 on a component not due to require service for another 30,000 miles. (car had 69,000 miles.)  view

On april 4, 2006, my 1998 ford explorer caught fire and was totaled. i arrived at work at approximately 3:15 pm. i went in and went to work. at about 3:55, i was paged over the intercom to get to the north entrance immediately. when i got there the security guards told me that my truck was on fire. as i looked out the doors, the front of my truck was engulfed in flames. the fire department had got there and was in the process of putting the fire out. when the fire was put out, all that was left was a big mess. my truck was gone. the vehicle had been running fine. my cruise control had went out about 1 month prior to the fire. i was unaware of any recalls except for a screw in the drivers seat (which was the only recall letter that i had received.) for days that they can't speak to me about the vehicle or incident because i have an insurance claim and my insurance adjuster says that they won't speak to him either. what are we as consumers supposed to do when the products we purchase, and for the amount they ask for their product , are lost due to the manufacturers defects? how are we as consumers protected?  view

My 2004 chevrolet silverado has dangerous brake problems. the brakes give way unexpectedly with the pedal going all the way to the floor. this has happened four times in the past two months- each time the situation was different. the first time i was just parking the car in the garage moving it from the driveway. the second time i was pulling a trailer loaded with a tractor across town and the only thing that stopped me was the electric brakes on the trailer. the third time was moving it across the yard. the last time was in the city driving to a store, i was going down a hill to a red light. the pedal suddenly gives way and goes all the way to the floor with no warning. it then begins working again just as suddenly as it quit. the brake pedal will snap back up and the brakes start to hold again. one time it took 15 minutes before it started working again, the other times it was a matter of 3 to 5 minutes without brakes.  view

Dt*: the contact stated while starting the vehicle the airbag light illuminated without any prior problems. called chrysler dealer , who stated problem could be serious, not knowing which sensor malfunctioned. the air bag could deploy while driving without an accident. the mechanic at the dealer showed concern and initially wanted to help, but after finding out that the vehicle had 70,000 miles on it, he indicated there were too many miles past the warranty, and the dealer would not cover it. the contact insisted that it was a safety issue and that mileage had nothing to do with it. however, dealer refused to fix it.  view

Dt*: the contact stated while catching a bus downtown, the red latch on the bottom of the infant carrier that attaches the carrier to the stroller broke. the carrier moved forward and the baby fell out of the carrier. the baby sustained minor cuts and bruises to the head and was transported to the hospital. the manufacturer of the infant carrier/stroller combination is evenflo, the model number is: 5831270p1 and the date of manufacture is: 06-29-05.  view

The ignition switch locked up, not allowing the key to turn.  view

Dt*: the contact stated while pressing the button to close the automatic sliding door, the door hit a passenger. the dealership was alerted. they determined it was the way the vehicle was manufactured. the manufacturer was alerted however no repairs were made. updated 05/04/06.  view

Abs: braking on wet/damp pavement, vehicle would pick up speed; did not slow down. happens at 25 mph or less. took to dealer & nothing was found.  view

Stock gm high polished right rear corvette c5 18" x 9.5" wheel cracked. tire went flat, discovered cracks at 2 spokes, leaking air through cracks replaced wheel with atermarket. updated 05/01/06  view

Stock gm high polished right rear corvette c5 18" x 9.5" wheel cracked. tire went flat, discovered cracks at 2 spokes, leaking air through cracks replaced wheel with atermarket. updated 05/01/06  view

Dt*: the contact stated the driver's side front seat belt buckle assembly will not stay secured. the dealer was alerted. the contact is planning on having the vehicle repaired. updated 5/3/2006 - the buckle spring broke due to wear which resulted in the belt not latching.  view

Dt*: the contact stated while driving at 30 mph going around a curve the steering became difficult and then locked. the vehicle was towed to the dealership for inspection and determined there was nhtsa recall #03v121000 for the steering hydraulic power assist hose, piping and connections. the hose clamp on the power steering hose was replaced. updated 5/2/2006 - the vehicle had been recalled and replaced in 2003 for the hose clamps. contact was told by mercedes that this failure did not involve the clamp but the hose wore out. also, was told that the steering failure had nothing to do with the mechanic who had serviced the vehicle 2 days prior. it was just something that happened, and that there are no problems with the current clamp/ hose in the steering column. when the contact pickup the vehicle from dealer noticed a charge for replacing the steering hose clamp and lower hose. the contact was told it was only a billing code for the work done by the mechanic. the new clamp was also defective. simpson mercedes reimbursed the contact with $1,950.00 because it was felt this should not hav ehappened. contact uneasy about the steering in the vehicle.  view

Dt*: the contact stated the air bags did not deploy in a frontal impact accident at 50 mph. the air bag warning light was not illuminating prior to the accident. the dealership told the contact to call the manufacturer. the vehicle was totaled as a result of the accident. the contact sustained. injuries. the police were notified, and a report was taken.  view

Dt*: the contact stated mechanical vibration noise at frequency of wheel rotation, persisting after complete wheel change when changing from all-weather to winter tires. repair shop continued diagnosis. problem solved upon replacement of wheel bearings in left-rear wheel.  view

Dt*: the contact stated while the hood was raised, rust was noticed on the strut tower. the vehicle was taken to the dealership, which determined the strut tower should be welded or replaced. updated 05/03/06.  view

Dt*: the contact stated the front wheel bearings were defective. the bearings failed every 15,000-20,000 miles. there was a knocking noise that seemed to come from the front of the vehicle, and the vehicle did not steer properly. the dealership replaced the wheel bearings four times. t the wheel bearing were replaced four times, the dealer replaced them 3 times, but would not replaced them the fourth times. however manufacturer and dealer could not determine why this was happening.  view

Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 55 mph the vehicle went in a ditch, causing damage to the front end. when this occurred the airbags did not deploy. the seat belt was worn, but the contact sustained minor injuries. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and has not been seen by a mechanic. updated 05/03/06.  view

Dt*: the contact stated the splash guard panel underneath the vehicle that protects the radiator, power steering, and vacuum hoses, is very low to the ground and can be struck by objects in the roadway. although a failure did not occur, the vehicle was seen by a dealer for inspection. the dealer was unable to duplicate the problem. . splash guard always made contact with the bumper stop on parking lot, when a car pulled out the splashing guard made contact with it, making a terrible noise, the panel became more warped each time that it happened. because it covered vital engine and steering parts, this panel should be straight and more secure.  view

When applying the brakes the pedal goes almost to the floor, and vehicle takes longer to stop. truck is on fourth pair of brake pads in 2 years.  view

Tuesday, march 21st-i drove from my home to my work. (approximately 5 miles /12 minutes from our home.) i arrived to work safely. i left work at approximately 1pm. turned left onto market st. (oh.7) and plan to continue straight on market st. while approaching the market st. and midlothian blvd. intersection i had the green light and planned to continue driving straight through the intersection when suddenly the car turned a sharp right and the handicap steering wheel locked causing our van to crash into a car stopped at the red light of the intersection. i was transported by ambulance to beeghly emergency room in boardman, ohio. the regular steering wheel was locked in a right position and the aevit screen came on. the error was a steering error. the regular steering wheel eventually unlocked with instruction from the installer. the consumer asked if it was unsafe or harmful to the system if the system was engaged and disengaged often for regular or adaptive use and was told no.  view

My car, which is a 94 grand am, is a good running car but i been working on it hard time for 5 weeks trying to get it to run. it has some problem where the fuel pump fuse keeps on blowing on it. i replace spark plug coil, fuel injectors, fuel pump, fuel filter, under the hood wiring harness, control module, ignition switch, vacuum lines, and the little box that sounds off your alarm when you leave the lights on and/or keys in the ignition when you open your door. i don't know what else to do i am tired of busting my butt on it. it takes a lot for me to say that.  view

My car, which is a 94 grand am, is a good running car but i been working on it hard time for 5 weeks trying to get it to run. it has some problem where the fuel pump fuse keeps on blowing on it. i replace spark plug coil, fuel injectors, fuel pump, fuel filter, under the hood wiring harness, control module, ignition switch, vacuum lines, and the little box that sounds off your alarm when you leave the lights on and/or keys in the ignition when you open your door. i don't know what else to do i am tired of busting my butt on it. it takes a lot for me to say that.  view

2001 tribute rack and pinion and shaft broke into pieces making it difficult for consumer to steer. the master cylinder had to be replaced due to an irreparable leak.  view

I purchased a 2006 ford focus on 12/3/05, it had 4 miles on it when i drove out of the dealership. on thursday may 3, 2006, it caught fire in my carport. the mileage is between 2,000-3,000 miles, i believe. i arrived home from a meeting at a local bank, having driven approximately 2 miles. i parked the car in the carport, turned off the engine and entered the house. i did not notice any strange noises or odors. my husband arrived home about 15-20 minutes later. he began tooting the horn on his vehicle to get my attention. when i opened the door, he yelled "get your keys." i could see flames under my car and smoke seeping out the sides of the hood. i threw him the keys and ran for the fire extinguisher. he entered my focus got the engine started and backed the vehicle out of the carport and away from the house. as he backed up the vehicle, flaming parts began falling out from under the car onto the concrete floor. he got the car backed up about 10 feet and the engine quit and would not restart. he exited the car and tried to open the hood. the hood was very hot to the touch but he got it opened. the flames were about a foot high at the back of the engine area on the left side. we were able to put out the flames with the extinguisher. we then extinguished the flames on the pieces that were lying on the carport floor. both continued to smoke for some time but the fire did not re-ignite. when the smoke cleared and we felt it safe to approach the vehicle, we could see the charred remains and melted parts. in retrospect i remember on two occasions seeing the battery icon lighted on the dash while a sat outside my office waiting for the bank to open with the car idling and the radio on. both times i revved the engine and the light went out.  view

2001 saab 9-5 idm is defective, consumer was told that all the spark plugs need to be replaced. *****  view

The driver side window will not roll down on the chevrolet lumina 4dr. i had the window fixed for about $400.00 and 90 days later the window did not roll down again, just after the warranty on the work was over.  view

2000 ford focus zts exhibiting problems since october 2005. two mechanics unable to identify problem. in may the car stalled while cruising and was unable to start. it was towed to mechanic. mechanic diagnosed with a failed starter switch, which had been replaced over a year before. if this incident had happened on a busier road it may have resulted in a serious accident.  view

I own a 94 toyota 4runner and a 94 toyota sr5 pickup truck. back in '98 i received a recall notice i brought both my vehicles to fred anderson toyota in response to the recall. they replaced the head gaskets on both vehicles. recall notice: a 3vz-e head gasket replacement june 26, 1998 vehicle: toyota truck 4x4 mileage: 46,623 july 17, 1998 vehicle: toyota 4runner mileage: 38,037 the beginning of february 2006 of this year, my toyota pickup truck blew a head gasket when i cranked it up one afternoon. dense smoke and radiator fluid flowed from the tailpipe and the engine was vibrating. less than 12 hours after the head gasket blew in my pickup truck, the very next morning i started my wife's 4runner to make a trip into town. immediately when i started it, dense smoke and radiator fluid flowed from the tailpipe and the engine was vibrating even worst than before. i immediately turn the truck off. toyota opened a case# 200602060829. i was told they would call chan coleman at sanford toyota and try to get a special price. i called chan and was told i would need to speak with someone in his service department. he transferred me to service and was quoted a price of $1,600 per vehicle to repair. i had both vehicles towed and repaired by a local repair shop. below are the dates and mileage for the repairs. february 16, 2006 vehicle: toyota truck 4x4 mileage: 120,000 february 4, 2006 vehicle: toyota 4runner mileage: 102,000 i was told by the mechanic at the local repair shop that the reason the head gaskets were blowing was because of a casting design flaw with the engine heads and not the head gaskets. the heads had dimples which over time would cause the head gasket to blow. the heads on both my vehicles had to be resurfaced to remove the dimples. i called toyota with this information but was told they show both my vehicles were fixed in accordance to the recall and it is a one time fix only and the owner needs to take responsibility at some point.  view

I work for the west milford bd. of education driving a school bus. my regular bus was out of service and i was assigned bus 206 which has a driver seat defect. it has been reported numerous times over the past year by many other drivers, however, nothing has been done about it. management and mechanics have given a range of answers such as they are fully aware of the problem, but it can't be fixed, to it has been fixed, to there is nothing wrong with it. the seat which is an air seat, violently bounces up and down slamming you on the floor of the bus causing loss of vision out of windshield for a second then jerking you up again and you must hang on so tightly to the steering wheel that you jerk the wheel and could possibly veer off the road or into the other lane of traffic. the seat belt gives no support because it is not attached to the floor, it is attached directly to the seat. as a result of my driving this bus i am now out on workmans compensation because my rotator cuff was injured from this bus. some drivers have written statements about this problem, however others will not because they fear retribution from management.  view

Recall 96v172002; no parts. the manufacturer is not sure of when the parts will be ready in 1998.  view

The events leading up to this failure were daily normal driving. for the second time in two years, the rear end of my car began to exhibit a whining sound when accelerating in 4th gear, and the sound became progressively louder. the differential on my car was replaced under warranty.  view

Dt*: the contact stated when the vehicle was initially placed in drive, there was a clunking sound coming from the engine in the area of the transmission. the same clunking noise was heard every time the vehicle automatically downshifted at any speed. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined there was internal problem with the transmission; however no further diagnostic testing or repairs were completed.  view

Consumer 2005 reno s used 35 gallons of gas in the first 688 miles. the window sticker stated that the vehicle should receive 22 mpg city and 30 mpg highway. the vehicle gets on average 19 mpg. the consumer has complained to the dealer three times. the driver's side door was out of alignment. the consumer also has issues with the vehicle's transmission and exterior workmanship.  view

Copy of email sent to gm: i recently contacted a local dealer concerned about my abs system engaging at low speeds. he notified me that there was in fact a recall on the truck in canada and certain states in the us for corrosion problems around the abs speed sensor. he also informed me that he could not perform the recall since the truck was built and initially sold in canada. he then gave me gm "800" number to call, which i did (ref#1-409390276). she also informed me that my only option was to have the dealer perform the necessary recall and then submit the receipts to gm for "possible" reimbursement. i have since removed the abs fuse from my truck and am currently driving the truck with this feature disabled to prevent from hitting someone or something. i plan to replace the front brakes and rotor soon and i'll see if i can clear the debris problem myself. i sat and tallied the cars i've owned the last 30 years and came up with 6 different cars/trucks. as far as a historical reference this truck has been pretty good as far as typical american vehicles go. i've only had to replace the abs modulator ($1000), the rear brakes and rotors ($200 my repair), and the driver side door window drive mechanism ($200). all this with less than 60000 miles on the vehicle. there's been a severe draft on the passenger side since i bought the truck (bought one year old with 20k miles). hmmmmm. i wonder why my other two vehicles are toyota camry's and my next truck will probably be a toyota as well. thanks for the memories. jeff.  view

2005 odyssey ex air bags failed to deploy during an accident.  view

Consumer 1990 chrysler new yorker windows, air conditon were inoperative, engine over heated and abs accumulator was replaced.  view

Consumer 1990 chrysler new yorker windows, air conditon were inoperative, engine over heated and abs accumulator was replaced.  view

Consumer 1990 chrysler new yorker windows, air conditon were inoperative, engine over heated and abs accumulator was replaced.  view

Harley davidson horn doesn't work. the horn was replaced at 1000 miles. still doesn't work. it sounds like a wounded duck. harley dealer says the horn is fine and that you must be running the engine at 2000 rpm for the horn to work. it worked fine when purchased. i say its a defect in manufacturing. if you need the horn you must be driving at 2000 rpm or better. makes no sense. you must investigate this problem. someone will get hurt.  view

Emergency brake sometimes engages while driving or backing out of my driveway in the morning. the brake light on the dash comes on when this occurs. dealer cannot find a problem after at least three attempts to fix it. the emergency brake sometimes pops when engaged also - as if the cable snapped or slipped. you have to put the lever down and reset it.  view

When depressing the brakes hard the abs and brake light comes on for approximately 5 second.  view

Rear hatchback was taken to ford for a recall regarding the hatchback. prior to that, there were problems with the hatchback, i.e. accidentally opening. now just below the rear window of the hatchback, it is cracking. similar to many owners listed on this site.  view

Dt: the odomoter was not reading correctly. on 2 separate occasions the contact tested the odometer and the results were not correct. the contact believed that if the odometer was not reading correctly then the speedometer was not reading correctly.  view

While driving any speed, the vehicle stalled. . the cause was not determined. updated 5/3/2006 - the consumer sat for about ten minutes and the vehicle was restarted. when it was restarted it made a lot of noise. the consumer drove the vehicle home about 10 mph. the next morning the vehicle was towed to a local repair facility who indicated that the problem was probably with the engine or transmission.  view

While driving any speed, the vehicle stalled. . the cause was not determined. updated 5/3/2006 - the consumer sat for about ten minutes and the vehicle was restarted. when it was restarted it made a lot of noise. the consumer drove the vehicle home about 10 mph. the next morning the vehicle was towed to a local repair facility who indicated that the problem was probably with the engine or transmission.  view

1) on 4/15/06 my husband was driving my car and complained that it was not running right, and was missing. the check engine light came on. my husband drove the car directly to the nissan dealer in corona, ca. 2) the dealer service department checked out the car and stated cylinder #1 misfire, butterfly bolt fell into #1 cylinder broke spark plug. 3)removed intake manifold to replace butterfly bolt. removed catalytic converter for inspection, minor hairline crack no codes. customer decided to have old cat reinstalled. reinstalled intake manifold and replaced related gaskets. 4) service representative stated this was a common problem and knew what it was right away. they charged me $727 to repair and i still have a cracked catalytic converter. i have checked out messaging forums and found that this is a known problem for nissan altima's.  view

Dt: the contact stated while driving at night the headlights malfunctioned. the vehicle was taken to a certified dealership. upon inspection the dealer determined that the wiring harness to the head lights melted. also, the oil light was coming on intermittently. the oil valve was replaced. these repairs were made at the contact's expense. ...headlights did not blink but went off altogether. when the consumer reported it to the dealer, was told we see this all the time with that make and model. consumer wanted to know why there was no recall.  view

Dt: the contact complained about vehicle over steering. he must constantly move the steering wheel to keep the vehicle driving straight and from wondering. the service dealer completed diagnostic testing and test drove the vehicle. the dealer was aware of the problem, and contacted the manufacturer. however, the manufacturer stated no solution was available. the alignment specifications on the tires was checked to rule out any tire concern with the steering. no repairs have been made. the vehicle is a 2006 mazda mx5 convertible.  view

Dt*: the contact stated while driving at various speeds, while applying brake pressure the vehicle lurched forward and struck an oncoming vehicle. the vehicle sustained damage to the front end. a police report was taken. there were no injuries. the vehicle was taken to the dealership for inspection. upon inspection, the dealership was unable to duplicate the problem. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop for further evaluation. the contact indicated the crash was caused by mechanical failure in the vehicle. the contact was never notified of the mechanical failure. also, the contact did not receive nhtsa recalls o4v0120000 concerning vehicle speed cables; o3v528000 concerning electrical system wiring , and o4v578000 regarding battery cables. the contact felt aforementioned recall failures could have caused the accident.  view

Dt*: the contact stated while driving at various speeds, while applying brake pressure the vehicle lurched forward and struck an oncoming vehicle. the vehicle sustained damage to the front end. a police report was taken. there were no injuries. the vehicle was taken to the dealership for inspection. upon inspection, the dealership was unable to duplicate the problem. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop for further evaluation. the contact indicated the crash was caused by mechanical failure in the vehicle. the contact was never notified of the mechanical failure. also, the contact did not receive nhtsa recalls o4v0120000 concerning vehicle speed cables; o3v528000 concerning electrical system wiring , and o4v578000 regarding battery cables. the contact felt aforementioned recall failures could have caused the accident.  view

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle stalled while driving 10-40 mph on seven occasions. there was no warning prior to the stalling and the vehicle restarted immediately after each incident. the vehicle has been inspected by a service dealer twice. the first time the dealership flushed out the air conditioner in an attempt to remedy the problem, but the remedy offered was ineffective. the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the problem or offer any other remedies when the vehicle was returned a second time for inspection.  view

When depressing the brakes hard the abs and brake light comes on for approximately 5 second.  view

Engine repeatedly stalls at idle while moving in normal stop and go traffic causing loss of control. potential problem with "heat management system" which reportedly restricts fuel to engine in advance of an overheat condition thereby lowering rpms below normal idle speed to the point at which the engine will stall, every time. engine idle speed failure happens only when air temperature is greater than 70 degrees, engine is warmed up, and operating in stop and go traffic. as temperature and traffic increases, engine idle speed falls off gradually until engine stalls. during failure condition (in stop and go traffic), engine must be kept running by opening / revving throttle thereby increasing operating danger.  view

We have a 1995 dutchman pop up camper, i have read on the internet that there are many others that have had the same problems with them collapsing and the roof being dry rotted this also happened to my family (july 2004) thankfully no one was hurt. this camper is decaying and a piece of garbage because of fatly manufacturing. it was fixed and had to have outside brackets put on because the wood is such pore condition, it is once again unusable because of problems with the roof again, they told us it needs a new roof. please invested and help all of use that have these campers. thank you, wiley & mary vanhooser.  view

My 2003 ford e-350 with the 7.3 l diesel quit, with 74,000 + miles. the cause of the problem was a failed cam shaft synchronizer, ford replacement part f7tz-12k073-a.  view

Hearing popping noise in the front suspension whenever you make a turn in the vehicle and the rear stabilizing bar is bad. back end swings.  view

Hearing popping noise in the front suspension whenever you make a turn in the vehicle and the rear stabilizing bar is bad. back end swings.  view

Driving on 4 lane twisty parkway, the left tie rod broke without any warning, lost all steering control, applied brake and tried to control vehicle, took about 200 yards to come to a stop. fortunately i was able to avoid a crash, had vehicle towed to dealer where car is always serviced and maintained, and replaced all 4 tie rods.  view

My 2001 mazda 626 transmission suddenly went bad on the interstate. my husband knows a salvage yard owner and he says he can't keep them in stock because they are notoriously bad. it only has 79k miles on it. this is so wrong on a whole new level. i see the other people on the internet with the exact same problem. mazda corp. doesn't seem to be interested in accepting responsibility for their shortcomings. i bought this car new at the dealer. i won't make the mistake of purchasing a mazda again.  view

Tie rod came apart causing me to lose control of the truck. truck veered into path of car causing collision.  view

Locked up ignition switch cruise control fell apart gear shift shifter not secure and slides up the shift.. both oxygen sensors failed all four windows electric motors, and racks have been replaced front end vibration when stopped or parked on incline dash board leather cover came loose and rolled up like a used rug original fuel filter have to be pried out of line and then pieces left had to be removed with needle nose pliers. fuel gauge as never worked. now its running about 4 miles and then quits, sets for 30 minutes and drive another 4 miles then quits. code reader says engine running lean, (problem is 4 to 5 sensors including the injectors could be causing this, no way to tell with replacing them until it runs. the expense of this could be 1000 to 3000 dollars. electric door locks failed , replace switch, only works part of the time.  view

Locked up ignition switch cruise control fell apart gear shift shifter not secure and slides up the shift.. both oxygen sensors failed all four windows electric motors, and racks have been replaced front end vibration when stopped or parked on incline dash board leather cover came loose and rolled up like a used rug original fuel filter have to be pried out of line and then pieces left had to be removed with needle nose pliers. fuel gauge as never worked. now its running about 4 miles and then quits, sets for 30 minutes and drive another 4 miles then quits. code reader says engine running lean, (problem is 4 to 5 sensors including the injectors could be causing this, no way to tell with replacing them until it runs. the expense of this could be 1000 to 3000 dollars. electric door locks failed , replace switch, only works part of the time.  view

Key won't turn in ignition, had to be fixed twice.  view

Very hard turning especially when cold. loud wining noises when turning wheel. was unable to check fluid level due to pump being located under the rear of the engine compartment. was diagnosed as leaking hose leading to rack unit and pump failure. that was replaced in april 2004. car was just diagnosed with bad rack unit and pump again in may 2006. mileage at first incident was 52000, car now has 74000 with the same symptoms. $1800 est for repair that only lasts 22000 miles???  view

Locked up ignition switch cruise control fell apart gear shift shifter not secure and slides up the shift.. both oxygen sensors failed all four windows electric motors, and racks have been replaced front end vibration when stopped or parked on incline dash board leather cover came loose and rolled up like a used rug original fuel filter have to be pried out of line and then pieces left had to be removed with needle nose pliers. fuel gauge as never worked. now its running about 4 miles and then quits, sets for 30 minutes and drive another 4 miles then quits. code reader says engine running lean, (problem is 4 to 5 sensors including the injectors could be causing this, no way to tell with replacing them until it runs. the expense of this could be 1000 to 3000 dollars. electric door locks failed , replace switch, only works part of the time.  view

My child care provider was involved in a single car accident. she was driving approximately 40 mph in wet/rainy conditions when she lost control of the car and hit a tree. this impact caused the car to spin and hit a second tree. the car was totaled and sustained damage to the front end, the passenger door and the driver side door. the most damage was to the front end and the driver side. the air bags failed to deploy and she was knocked unconscious sustaining a severe head injury.  view

2000 miles after my warranty went out so did my speedometer it will work for about a week then register 60-100 mph even setting still. i contacted earl dunn in madison cause that is where i purchased the truck and the extended warranty that really wasn't extended. the warranty they sold me didn't exceed the manf. warranty . they told me at the dealer it was a additional 36,000 miles ,huh ,that's what i get for not reading the very fine print. now i can honestly see why american company's are going belly up and that's a sad thing. last gm for me. i contacted a dealer in carthage tn there service manger said they would have fixed the problem, no cost , but since it was purchased at another dealer he couldn't really do nothing about it. he also said it was a major problem for chevy/gmc, p/u's,avalanches,escalades,tahoes, but gm was doing nothing about it and they couldn't get new parts to fix it. the instrument cluster had to be sent off to be remanufactured.  view

My 2004 jeep grand cherokee after 30,000 miles has developed what is known as "warped rotors" there is a pulsation when applying the brake pedal at high speeds. this has become even worse. it seems that these rotors keeps going bad for the jeep cherokee. the government should issue a recall on the front rotors of all cherokees from 1999 to 2004. my wife uses the car everyday to take our two small children to school. she is afraid to drive the car now. dealer says there is nothing they can do. i am supposed to pay for a new sets of rotors but the real problem is the material that was used to make the original rotors.  view

Mb usa refuses to replace faulty wiring harness, this is a know issue. disintegrates with age do to use of sub-standard harness covers.  view

I recently had my 40k mile service done and was preparing to go on vacation. the car made it there without incident however the second day into out vacation the asr light came on and then the prnd432 all stayed lit. it had been beautiful weather for several days however there was easily two inches of water on the passenger side. the vehicles check engine light came on and it stopped automatically shifting. the vehicle is at the shop waiting repair.  view

After the heavy rains had occurred here in miami on may 16th, 2006, there were unknown vibrations in my right front tire. about a week later, i was out with a friend. while turn out of a parking lot, we noticed a load popping sound. when we arrived at the location to pickup his vehicle. he got out of the car to inform me that i was missing three lugs from my rim. the next day i went back to the parking lot and found the broken lugs from my car. i also tried to remove another lug from the rim to ensure its' integrity and it broke off as well. when i called one of the nearest hyundai dealers, i was informed that they know how tight to tighten the lugs and that it must have been my error.  view

While i was parking and while applying little pressure to the gas pedal the automobile accelerated and surged forward crashing two other automobiles and a motocycle. this has caused significant economic damages and an emotional distress on me and my family.  view

On many occasions the anti-theft light on this 2000 malibu has come on and the car will not start for 20 to 30 minutes. one time it came on while driving and the car stalled. it has been to the dealer 3 times and they have not been able to fix it.  view