NHTSA Complaint #11390131 — 2020 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE G4

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2020. IT HAD 12 MILES ON IT AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE I WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER. ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 I TOOK THE VEHICLE ON A 3 HOUR DRIVE. WHILE TRAVELING AT 45 MILES PER HOUR, THE VEHICLE HIT A DECEASED SMALL ANIMAL (ROADKILL) WITH THE PASSENGER TIRE. THE VEHICLE THEN BECAME COMPLETELY DISABLED AS THE ENGINE STOPPED OPERATING. PER THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER, THE OBJECT WAS ABLE TO BOUNCE OFF OF THE ENGINE, AS IT IS NOT COVERED BY ANY PLATING, SHIELDING OR PROTECTION. AS THE VEHICLE SITS VERY LOW TO THE GROUND, THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER WAS SURPRISED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE THIS ENGINE PROTECTION AS A STANDARD MEASURE. AS A RESULT, THE SMALL OBJECT WHICH SHOULD HAVE JUST BOUNCED OFF THE CAR WAS ABLE TO CAUSE THE ENGINE TO COMPLETELY DISABLE AND NEED TO BE FULLY REPLACED. THE DAMAGE WAS OVER $9,900 IN TOTAL. IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS ADVISED THAT THIS PARTICULAR MITSUBISHI CAR ONLY HAS A SMALL STRIP OF PLASTIC KICK PLATE UNDER THE BUMPER AREA, AND THERE IS NO PROTECTION AT ALL FROM ELEMENTS OR OTHERWISE TO THE ENGINE UNDERCARRIAGE. NO REMEDIES WERE OFFERED TO ME IN REGARD TO THE DEFECTIVE VEHICLE.