NHTSA Complaint #11243630 — 2019 SUBARU CROSSTREK

I PURCHASED A NEW 2019 SUBARU CROSSTREK PLUG-IN HYBRID VEHICLE FROM OCEAN SUBARU OF FULLERTON CA ON JULY26, 2019. A CHARGING CABLE W/ CHARGING CIRCUIT INTERRUPTING DEVICE CAME STANDARD EQUIPMENT W/ MY VEHICLE. WHEN I USED THE CABLE TO CHARGE MY VEHICLE, I WAS GOING TO INSERT THE CHARGER PLUG (3 PRONG PLUG) INTO MY 110V OUTLET. BUT IN ORDER TO DO IT, I WOULD NEED TO TWIST THE CORD THAT EXTENDS FROM THE CCID INTO THE PLUG TO MAKE IT FIT. THE GROUND FOR THE OUTLETS IS ALWAYS POSITIONED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PLUG. I REALIZED THAT TWISTING THE CORD TO MAKE IT FIT IS CONTRARY TO THE DIRECTIONS THAT ARE IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. THE WAY THE SUBARU CHARGING PLUG IS FITTED ONTO THE CORD, IT IS UPSIDE DOWN, THEREFORE, YOU HAVE TO TWIST THE CORD SO THE ROUND BOTTOM GROUND PLUG WILL FIT INTO THE SLOT. THE CCID HAS LIGHTS ON THE FRONT INDICATING POWER IS ON, CHARGING, OR AN ERROR ALERT. IF I SIMPLY TURNED THE UNIT BACKWARDS, THE PLUG WOULD FIT JUST FINE. BUT THAT IS NOT HOW IT IS DESCRIBED OR SHOWN IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. IT CLEARLY SHOWS THAT THE FRONT OF THE CCID SHOULD FACE FRONTWARDS SO YOU CAN SEE THE INDICATOR LIGHTS. SIMPLY PUT, THE DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURE OF THE PLUG NEEDS TO BE POSITIONED THE OPPOSITE WAY. IN THE OWNERS MANUAL, AND W/ THE CHARGING PLUG ITSELF, THERE ARE VERY EXPLICIT DIRECTIONS ON WHAT TO DO AND NOT DO W/ THE CHARGING PLUG. ALWAYS HAVE THE PLUG STRAIGHT, NO KINKS OR LOOPS, NO TWISTING THE CABLE TO PREVENT FIRES AND/OR EXPLOSION. BY NOT CORRECTING THIS ERROR IN THE PLUG POSITIONING, CONSTANT TWISTING OF THE CABLE COULD RESULT IN FRAYED OR WEAKENED WIRES WITHIN THE RUBBER CORD INSULATION, CAUSING AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE, LIKE A FIRE OR EXPLOSION. SINCERELY,[XXX]PS. I CAN SEND PHOTOS OF THE CHARGING CABLE AND THE IMAGE OF THE CHARGING PROCEDURE FROM THE OWNERS MANUAL IF YOU NEED IT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *JS *TT *AS *TR