NHTSA Complaint #10365128 — 2007 TOMBERLIN E-4

SEAT BELT FAILURE: SEAT BELT RECEIVER FELL OFF IN MY HAND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO FASTEN SEAT BELT.. IT IS CONNECTED TO THE FRAME WITH A TWISTED STEEL WIRE STRAND CABLE THAT RUSTED. VEHICLE IS A 2007 TOMBERLIN E-4 LSV (LOW SPEED ELECTRIC VEHICLE). LICENSED AND DESIGNED FOR STREET USE IN NC AND MANY OTHER STATES. VEHICLE IS 3 YEARS OLD, ALWAYS STORED INSIDE AND HAS 3,057 MILES. IT WAS DESIGNED FOR STREET USE, IT IS NOT A CONVERTED GOLF CART. DEALER SAID THEY CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WHO SAID VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY INDICATED THE MFG. SAID THAT RUST IS A NORMAL EVENT AND THE PARTS ARE NO LONGER COVERED. MANY PARTS WERE MANUFACTURED IN CHINA FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE VALVE STEMS IN ALL 4 TIRES WERE REPLACED IN WARRANTY WHEN THEY FAILED DUE TO CRACKING. ELECTRICAL ISSUES ALSO OCCURRED WITH THE ELECTRONIC ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT RUN AT ALL. THIS ACCELERATOR DEVICE WAS REPLACED TWICE WHILE IN WARRANTY. ALSO REPLACED WAS A PART IN THE STEERING MECHANISM. BUT MAIN CONCERN IS POTENTIAL SEAT BELT FAILURE DUE TO IMPROPER MATERIALS AND DESIGN. CONDITION OF CABLE CANNOT BE INSPECTED AS IT IS ENCLOSED WITH A COVER. INSPECTION WOULD REQUIRE IT BEING TAKEN APART WHICH MIGHT VOID THE WARRANTY. NOTE: THIS ELECTRONIC FORM REQUIRED ME TO ENTER A VEHICLE MANUFACTURER AND MODEL. THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT LISTED. IN ORDER TO FILL OUT THE FORM I ENTERED "GEM". THIS IS NOT A GEM. THIS VEHICLE IS A 2007 TOMBERLIN E-4. TOMBERLIN'S HEADQUARTERS ARE IN THE ATLANTA, GA AREA. *TR UPDATED 01/31/11/ *BF PICTURES RECEIVED. UPDATED 02/03/11 UPDATED 08/15/11 *BF UPDATED 08/24/11