NHTSA Complaint #11670063 — 2024 CHEVROLET EQUINOX

Report of Dangerous Rental Vehicle and Serious Safety Incident – Rental Agreement #289216922 I am submitting this report to formally document a serious safety issue involving a rental vehicle I received from Avis in May 2024. Several safety components malfunctioned and put the safety of my and my passenger in a life threatening situation. At the time of pickup, the vehicle had a visible dent near the front right tire, which was acknowledged by the rental agent and dismissed as cosmetic. I also noted a faulty rear hatch, which opened unpredictably and struck occupants in the head on multiple occasions as it behaved erratically. Over the course of the rental, the vehicle displayed additional signs of mechanical failure — including instability at highway speeds, loud squealing, and parts of the bumper physically falling off during the trip. On May 30th, while driving at highway speed, the vehicle suffered a sudden tire blowout. Critically, the onboard system misidentified the location of the blown tire, indicating the front right tire had failed when it was actually the rear right. This misinformation delayed proper response and nearly resulted in a rollover. We were stranded on the roadside for over an hour, narrowly avoiding several collisions. A critical system failure. A responding tow truck driver observed signs that the vehicle may have previously been involved in a collision — which aligns with the visible damage present when the vehicle was picked up. Avis has, despite multiple attempts, refused to confirm whether the vehicle was removed from service after the incident or whether any safety inspection was conducted -- we remain severely concerned for the safety of anyone else using this vehicle. This vehicle should not have been rented in its condition. The failure of safety systems, mechanical instability, prior collision damage, and the loss of exterior components created a serious and unacceptable risk to the driver, passenger, and others on the road.