NHTSA Complaint #11626515 — 2020 VANDERHALL CARMEL

THE VANDERHALL CARMEL IS A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE, 3-WHEELED AUTOCYCLE WITH AN ALL ALUMINUM BOX FRAME; IT IS POWERED BY A GM 1.5T ENGINE COUPLED TO A 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, TRANSVERSE MOUNTED IN A FWD CONFIGURATION. THE REAR ENGINE MOUNT IS BOLTED TO A BRACKET THAT IS WELDED TO THE ALUMINUM FIREWALL. WHILE THE WELDS ON THE BRACKET APPEAR TO BE INTACT, THE ALUMINUM FIREWALL WHERE THE ENGINE MOUNT BRACKET WAS ATTACHED TO HAS A LARGE HORIZONTAL STRESS CRACK JUST ABOVE THE WELDED AREA, WHICH APPEARS TO BE A POINT OF METAL FATIGUE; THE EXPOSED CRACK SHOWS THAT THE METAL WHERE THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS WELDED TO IS TOO THIN TO SUPPORT THE ENGINE DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS; ADDITIONALLY, THIS STRESS CRACK WAS DISCOVERED SHORTLY BEFORE THE VEHICLE REACHED 550 MILES. THERE ARE SEVERAL CRACKS IN THE FIREWALL.