NHTSA Complaint #10250663 — 2007 HYOSUNG GV650

IN SEPTEMBER 2008 MY HYOSUNG GV250; PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 2007, EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF THE STARTER SYSTEM AND WOULD NOT START. AFTER ABOUT 5 WEEKS AT A HYOSUNG DEALER (SF MOTO IN SAN FRANCISCO, CA) THE STARTER MOTOR AND STARTER SOLENOID WAS REPLACED, AND THE MOTORCYCLE WAS PICKED UP. WITHIN TWO WEEKS THE MOTORCYCLE STARTING SYSTEM FAILED AGAIN, AND THE MOTORCYCLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME FOR REPAIR (MID NOVEMBER 2008). ON DECEMBER 3, 2008, I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE JUST STARTING TO WORK ON THE MOTORCYCLE AND THAT HYOSUNG AMERICA HAD INFORMED THEM THAT THEY HAVE HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. AS THE DEALER DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM "THE FUEL PETCOCK WAS LEFT ON; WHEN NOT RUNNING, AND FUEL HAS GOTTEN INTO THE STARTER CAUSING IT TO FAIL". THIS EXPLANATION MAKES NO SENSE TO ME, SINCE THE START IS NO WHERE NEAR THE FUEL PETCOCK OR EVEN THE CARBURETORS. IF THIS IS THE CASE THEN IT IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE; AS SPARKS CAN BE GENERATED BY THE STARTER SHOULD IT TURN AND COULD IGNITE ANY FUEL VAPOR IN OR NEAR THE INTERNAL WORKING OF THE STARTER. I REQUEST THIS BE INVESTIGATED AS A SAFETY ISSUE, AND IF NECESSARY HYOSUNG AMERICA BE REQUIRED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE OR RECALL THE PRODUCT FOR RECTIFICATION. DAVID MCNARY *TR