NHTSA Complaint #11329271 — 2013 CHRYSLER 300

IN MARCH 2019 I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE A CHROMED SECTION ON THE STEERING WHEEL WAS PEELING BACK AND HAD CAUSED ME TO CUT MY THUMB ON IT. THEY LOOKED AT THE CAR AND THEY ALSO CALLED ON MY EXTENDED WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED BECAUSE IT WAS COSMETIC IN NATURE. I TRIED WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE WARRANTY (ZURICH) PERSONNEL AND THEY SEEMED AT FIRST AS THOUGH THEY WOULD TRY TO ASSIST AND THEN DECIDED NOT TO. I DID NOT PURSUE IT ANY FURTHER SINCE. ABOUT A MONTH AGO I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND MY RIGHT HAND THUMB RAN ACROSS ANOTHER SECTION OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT PUT A CONSIDERABLE CUT IN MY THUMB. I HAVE A PHOTO OF THAT AS WELL AS THE PIECE THAT BROKE OFF IN MY THUMB. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT COSMETIC IN NATURE BUT REALLY IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM BUT THE STEERING WHEEL HAS THE HEATED FEATURE AND I USE IT ALL THE TIME IN THE WINTER. IT DOES SEEM TO GET VERY WARM FROM THE HEAT AND I AM NOT SURE IF THAT COULD BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM. I AM VERY UPSET ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS SOMETHING THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GET WORSE OVER TIME AS THE CHROME PLATING CONTINUES TO PEEL AWAY. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT EXIST FROM NEGLECTFUL USE, IS VERY REAL, AND AGAIN SHOULD BE LOOKED AT FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT. WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED, IT CAUSED A QUICK REACTION TO LOOK DOWN AT MY THUMB TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND CERTAINLY DISTRACTED MY DRIVING THAT SUDDENLY. I WOULD APPRECIATE THIS BEING LOOKED INTO FOR ME AS WELL ANY OTHER DRIVER THAT MAY HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR