NHTSA Complaint #10993344 — 2015 BUICK ENCORE

1. THE VEHICLE ROLL BACKWARDS IN UNPREDICTABLE WAYS EVEN ON SMALL INCLINES WHEN FOOT IS TAKEN OFF THE BRAKES. AT TIMES VEHICLE WILL GO FORWARD AND AT OTHER TIMES IT WILL ROLL BACK ON THE EXACT SLOPE. WE WERE TOLD BY BUICK DEALERS THAT THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT SEE THIS AS AN ISSUE. HOWEVER, BOTH MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN STARTLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN WAYS THAT WE HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE. WE CONSIDER OURSELVES TO BE VERY SAFE DRIVERS AN HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER 20 YEARS IN THE US WITH NO ACCIDENT CLAIMS. NONE OF THE VEHICLES WE HAVE OWNED OR DRIVEN HAD BEEN THIS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WE HAVE COME CLOSE TO HITTING STOPPED VEHICLES BEHIND US AT TRAFFIC SIGNALS. 2. IN ADDITION, REAR VISIBILITY THROUGH THE SMALL WINDOWS IS CHALLENGING WHICH IS FURTHER OBSTRUCTED BY COLUMNS. 3. ALSO, REAR VISIBILITY THROUGH THE REAR VIEW CAMERA IS POOR UNDER NORMAL DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS DUE TO THE POOR RESOLUTION. AS A RESULT OF THE ABOVE POINTS, IT'S VERY UNNERVING WHEN ONE IS CAUGHT ON THE DRIVER SEAT WITH THE VEHICLE MOVING BACKWARDS UNEXPECTEDLY. FINALLY, THE INEVITABLE HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE MET WITH AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT OF THIS. THE VEHICLE WHICH USUALLY GOES FORWARD WITH FEET OFF ACCELERATOR ON A MILD SLOPED DRIVEWAY IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE, ROLLED BACKWARDS IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE. THE STARTLED DRIVER ERRED ON THE SIDE OF SAFETY BY PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL TO MOVE THE VEHICLE FORWARD SINCE THERE WERE CHILDREN PLAYING AROUND. HOWEVER, WITH LIMITED ROOM TO MANEUVER, THE VEHICLE ENDED UP HITTING OUR GARAGE DOOR. THE REPAIR HAS BEEN ESTIMATED AT $6000 +. $1500 FOR THE GARAGE DOOR. WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE VEHICLE OPERATIONAL DESIGN. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR DRIVING. WE HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE INCIDENT IN 20 YEARS OF DRIVING WITH ANY OF THE CARS WE OWNED OR RENTED.