NHTSA Complaint #11353142 — 2018 ALFA ROMEO GIULIA

I WAS ADVISED BY THE ALFA ROMEO DEALERSHIP THAT THE REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WILL NEED REPLACEMENT, WHILE THE FRONT BRAKES ARE FINE. THIS OCCURRED AT 31,500 MILES. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, THIS IS COMMON AND REAR BRAKES ON THIS CAR TYPICALLY NEED REPLACEMENT AT 20,000 MILES. ALFA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE CONFIRMED THIS. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS RELATED TO THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS A TYPICAL DRIVER DOES NOT EXPECT BRAKE REPLACEMENT AFTER SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. IF THIS IS RELATED TO THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE, AS ADVISED BY THE DEALER, THE REAR BRAKE PADS MAY BE DRAGGING AND HEATING THE ROTORS WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION, THEREFORE REDUCING THE STOPPING POWER WHEN NEEDED. I BELIEVE THIS IS EITHER A POOR DESIGN, POOR MATERIALS AND WORKMANSHIP OR A DEFECT IN THE PARKING BRAKE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. CHECKING THIS ONLINE, I FIND THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE AND I FEEL IT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE IT LEADS TO AN ACCIDENT.