NHTSA Complaint #10790779 — 2011 CHEVROLET HHR

I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT, AS A SAFTY CONCERN / HAZARD NOTICE, ASSOCIATED WITH MY 2011 CHEVROLET HHR. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW BY ME, AND HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. THIS COMPLAINT CONCERNS THE MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE VEHICLES DRIVERS SIDE, REAR DOOR LATCH. ON NOVEMBER 12, 2015, AFTER PICKING UP MY DOG FROM THE GROOMER, I PLACED HER INTO HER CARRIER, LOCATED BEHIND THE DRIVERS SEAT. I CLOSED THE DOOR, AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE OUT OF THE PARKING LOT. AS I BEGAN TO PULL OUT, ONTO THE ROADWAY, I GLANCED AT MY OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR, AND NOTICED THAT THE DOOR HAD PARTIALLY OPENED. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED, THINKING THAT I HAD POSSIBLY NOT CLOSED THE DOOR SECURELY, OR THAT THERE WAS POSSIBLY SOMETHING IN THE WAY THAT PREVENTED THE DOOR FROM LATCHING CLOSED. EXITING THE VEHICLE, I LOOKED FOR ANYTHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE WAY, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING. I ATTEMPTED TO FIRMLY "CLOSE" THE DOOR, HOWEVER, THE DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH CLOSED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME WHILE MY WIFE HELD THE DOOR CLOSED WITH OUR DOG LEASH ATTACHED TO IT. AFTER RETURNING HOME, I WAS ABLE TO EXERCISE AND EXAMINE THE DOOR LATCH, AND CONCLUDED THAT IT IN FACT HAD "MECHANICALLY FAILED". THE DOOR LATCH WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED AND REPLACED. I CONTACTED BRAD'S COLLISION CENTER ( 22202 N. 19TH AVE., PHOENIX, AZ 85027 ), IN THE AFTERNOON, TO HAVE THE LATCH LOOKED AT, AND CONFIRM MY CONCLUSION THAT IT HAD FAILED. THE INSPECTOR AGREED ( COMMENTING THAT THIS FAILURE WAS "VERY RARE" ). AT THIS POINT, I MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE LATCH REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT, TO BE DONE ON 11/13/15. THE DOOR LATCH WAS REPLACED. A COPY OF THE REPAIR ORDER IS INCLUDED. THE FAILED REAR DOOR LATCH WAS RETURNED TO ME, AND I WILL STORE IT, IN THE EVENT THAT THE NHTSA WOULD WANT IT / NEED IT, TO PERFORM A FAILURE ANALYSIS.