NHTSA Complaint #10357672 — 2006 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

THE DRIVER'S SIDE METAL SEAT FRAME WAS SHATTERED INTO 3 PLACES. THE SEAT WOULD NOT RECLINE PROPERLY, AND AS I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER WHEN I TOOK IT IN TO BE FIXED: THE SEAT WAS FLOATING LOOSELY IN THE CAR WHEN IT ARRIVED AT HIS SHOP. THE CORVETTE HAD ONLY 29,900 MILES ON IT, WAS NOT A DAILY DRIVER, AND HAD ONLY SEEN RECREATIONAL WEEKEND USE. THE CORVETTE WAS NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT, ALWAYS GARAGED, AND WELL TAKEN CARE OF. AS AN AEROSPACE ENGINEER, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THERE WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE SEAT FRAME THAT LED TO THIS FAILURE. THE SEAT HAD ONLY SEEN 29,900 MILES OR LESS OF REGULAR, EVERY DAY USE BEFORE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THERE WERE HAIRLINE FRACTURES IN THE METAL SEAT FRAME BEFORE IT WAS INSTALLED IN MY CORVETTE AT THE ASSEMBLY PLANT. FAILURES IN BOTH THE SUPPLIER'S MANUFACTURING PROCESS AND CHEVROLET'S QUALITY INSPECTION PROCESS OCCURRED IN THIS INSTANCE. HAD I BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT WITH A SEAT THAT WAS NOT SECURED TO THE CORVETTE, THE INJURIES I WOULD HAVE SUSTAINED WOULD HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH CHEVROLET ABOUT THIS, AND BELIEVE THE COMPLAINT DID NOT RECEIVE THE ATTENTION THAT IT SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED. THERE WAS NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE FAILED PART, AND I WAS ONLY PARTIALLY REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF REPAIR. AS A RESULT, I AM FILING A SEPARATE COMPLAINT WITH THE GOVERNMENT SO THEY CAN PROVIDE THE PROPER OVERSIGHT IN THIS MATTER. REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE, AND I WAS CHARGED BECAUSE THE REPAIRS WERE DEEMED BY CHEVROLET TO BE OUT OF BOTH THE 3 YEAR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY DUE TO TIME (THE CORVETTE WAS 4 YEARS OLD), AND THE AND THE EXTENDED (GMPP) 5 YEAR/60,0000 MILE BUMPER TO BUMPER NO DEDUCTIBLE WARRANTY THAT I HAD PURCHASED FOR $1700 DUE TO THE FACT THAT, AS CHEVROLET SAID, BEING "NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY" I HAD PURCHASED FOR EXTRA. *TR