NHTSA Complaint #11205718 — 2008 BUICK LUCERNE

I RECEIVED A LETTER IN JANUARY, 2019 REGARDING THIS VEHICLE, STATING THAT THE "VEHICLE'S REAR SEAT BRACKET COULD CONTACT THE VEHICLE'S REAR ELECTRICAL CENTER (REC), WHICH CAN, OVER TIME, DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WITHIN THE REC ENCLOSURE. IF DAMAGE OCCURS, THE COMPONENTS CAN MELT OR OVERHEAT, WHICH THE CUSTOMER MAY DETECT BY A MELTING ODOR IN THE VEHICLE. DAMAGE COULD ALSO CAUSE THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY TO DRAIN, A NO-START CONDITION, OR A STALL." WE HAVE HAD 2 NEW BATTERIES INSTALLED IN THIS VEHICLE IN RECENT YEARS AND I'VE ALSO SMELLED THE BURNING SMELL THAT THEY ARE REFERRING TO IN THIS LETTER. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SHELTON PONTIAC BUICK IN ROCHESTER, MI TO FIND OUT IF OUR CAR HAD BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS CONDITION, AND AFTER EXAMINING THE REC HARNESS, THEY SAID THAT IT HAS BEEN AFFECTED AND NEEDS REPAIR. THEY QUOTED ME $720 TO REPAIR IT. BUICK WAS THE ONE WHO CONTACTED ME REGARDING THIS SITUATION, WHICH IS UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE UNDER A RECALL WITH NO CHARGE TO THE CUSTOMER TO FIX. IT IS A MANUFACTURER'S PROBLEM AND NOT DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR AND I BELIEVE I SHOULD NOT BE CHARGED FOR THIS REPAIR BECAUSE OF THEIR FAULTY DESIGN. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH THEIR CUSTOMER ASSURANCE CENTER MANY TIMES AND HAVE GOTTEN NOWHERE WITH THEM. I ALSO WROTE A LETTER TO NEELIE O'CONNOR, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BUICK'S NORTH AMERICAN CONTACT CENTER AND NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE. SHE WAS THE PERSON WHO SIGNED THE LETTER, ALERTING US TO THE PROBLEM. I DO NOT WANT THIS VEHICLE TO BE UNSAFE AS I AM ON THE ROAD A LOT, GOING BACK AND FORTH TO DETROIT FOR CANCER TREATMENTS. IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND BUICK SHOULD PAY FOR IT.