NHTSA Complaint #10653720 — 2015 HONDA FIT

THE NEW CAR TURNS OUT TO HAVE BEEN INFESTED WITH FLEAS. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS WHEN I TEST-DROVE THE CAR ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11. DURING THE DRIVE HOME ON JUNE 13, I NOTICED WHAT I THOUGH WERE FRUIT FLIES (OR SOME OTHER INSECT THAT SIZE AND ARE BROWN AND OBLONG IN SHAPE) ON MY WRISTS, WHICH I WAVED OUT THE WINDOW. LATER THAT NIGHT, I FELT INTENSE ITCHING ON MY LOWER LEGS. I FOUND SEVERAL ABOVE THE SOCK LINE ON EACH LEG. I SUSPECTED FLEAS AND CONFIRMED IT WITH FLEA TRAPS (THE FLAT TYPE WITH STRONG ADHESIVE). MY WIFE INSISTED I TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT I THOUGHT THEY'D JUST USE A BUG/FLEA BOMB AND DO A WORSE JOB OF VACUUMING THAN I WOULD DO, SO I DECIDED TO HANDLE IT MYSELF WITH A BUG/FLEA BOMB AND INTENSE VACUUMING FOR 2 WEEKS, WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. OVER THE COURSE OF THE FIRST WEEKEND, BEFORE I STARTED THE TREATMENT, I EVENTUALLY GOT A TOTAL OF 25 FLEA BITES, MOSTLY ON MY LEGS (HIGHER THAN ON THE FIRST DAY AS I WORE SHORTS DURING THE WEEKEND DRIVES), BUT A FEW ON MY FOREARMS AS WELL. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE BITES, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED. I DIDN'T KEEP THE VACUUM BAGS OR FLEA TRAPS, UNFORTUNATELY. WHILE WORKING TO ADDRESS A POSSIBLY RELATED PROBLEM ABOUT BAD SMELLS COMING OUT OF THE VENTILATION SYSTEM (SEPARATELY REPORTED HERE AND ON CARCOMPLAINTS.COM), I LEARNED THERE WAS A WORKER WALKOUT AT THE MEXICO-BASED PLANT. I WONDER IF THE FLEAS AND ROTTING MEAT SMELL ARE RELATED TO THAT INCIDENT. *TR