2007 ASTON MARTIN DB9 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TEST DRIVE CUSTOMERS CAR HOME TO EVALUATE ENGINE MISSFIRE. LEFT SHOP AT 5PM, DROVE APPROX 20 MILES TO MY HOUSE. NO PROBLEM NOTED, NEXT MORNING START THE CAR, DROVE 1.5 MILES TURNED RIGHT ONTO SANTIAGO CANYON ROAD IN ORANGE COUNTY CALIF. FROM MODJESKA CANYON ROAD, MILDY ACCELLERATED TO 45 MPH AND THE HOOD FLEW STRAIGHT UP IN THE AIR. CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN 70 MPH ON THE WAY HOME. THE HOOD LATCH FAILED AND THE SAFETY CATCH DID NOT ENGAGE THE HOOD. FOUND TO BE STUCK. I WAS ON A TWO LANE RODE WITH LITTLE TRAFFIC SO I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND NOT HIT ANYTHING. IF IT HAD BEEN ON A FREEWAY AT A FASTER PACE WE WOULD HAVE MADE THE NEWS! *TR

SINCE JULY 2010 I HAD COMPLAINTS ABOUT AN INTERMITTENT RATTLE NEAR THE DRIVERS OUTSIDE MIRROR. I MADE AT LEAST TEN TRIPS TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS AND NOTHING SEEMED TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE. DURING THE LAST TIME THE DOOR PANEL WAS REMOVED, ANOTHER FIX MADE AND A SUBSEQUENT ROAD TEST, THE NOISE WAS HEARD BY THE DEALERS MECHANIC. AFTER TIGHTENING SOME BOLTS WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE LEFT FENDER NEAR THE A PILLAR WAS LOOSE, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED. DURING THE PROCESS OF REMOVING THIS WINDSHIELD, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS NEVER INSTALLED PROPERLY AT THE ASTON MARTIN FACTORY IN GAYDON, UK. THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT "PRIMER" APPLIED AND THIS MAJOR STRUCTURAL AND SAFETY COMPONENT WAS LITERALLY MOVING AROUND IN IT'S FRAME. SINCE THE NEW WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN INSTALLED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE FEELS AND SOUNDS MUCH TIGHTER. AFTER THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED PROPERLY, I ATTEMPTED TO SECURE SOME FORM OF RESTITUTION FROM ASTON MARTIN FOR ALL OF MY FRUSTRATIONS AN INCONVENIENCE WITH THIS ISSUE IN THE FORM OF NEW ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS AS THE BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE ARE NOTORIOUS FOR ALMOST CONSTANTLY SQUEALING. TO DATE, THEY HAVE NOT AGREED TO DO THIS, STATING "TO BE HONEST, I DON'T SEE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN A RATTLE AND REPLACING NORMAL WEAR ITEMS ON YOUR CAR." THIS REPLY WAS RECEIVED FROM ASTON MARTIN'S NORTH AMERICAN REP. I RECEIVED BASICALLY THE SAME CAVALIER AND ARROGANT RESPONSES FROM THE UK. NOT ONCE IN ANY OF THEIR REPLIES TO ME DID THEY EVER USE THE WORD "WINDSHIELD", APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE, LET ALONE SHOW EVEN THE SLIGHTEST CONCERN THAT MY WELL BEING WAS IN DANGER EVERY TIME THAT I TOOK THIS CAR OUT ON THE ROADS. I HAVE REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO THE ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE BEYOND CONFIRMATION OF RECEIPT OF MY COMPLAINT. *TR

ALL THE TIME WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR SPACEY WHEN I ACCELERATE THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF FUMES. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY AGREE THAT THERE IS A STRONG SMELL BUT THEY SAY ITS THE CLUTCH AND THERE IS NOTHING TO DO ABOUT IT . IN THOSE CAR THAT'S THE SMELL. I TOLD THEM THAT IN SUCH AN EXPENSIVE CAR FIRST I DON'T SUPPOSE TO HAVE SUCH A STRONG SMELL IN THE CAR AND SECOND EVEN IF IT FROM THE CLUTCH AS THEY SAY ITS NOT THE ONLY SMELL I FELT OF STRONG FUMES AND BURNING. UNTIL TODAY NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE AND THEY SAY THERE IS NO FAULT FROM THEIR SIDE. SMELL COMES WHEN I ACCELERATE , WHEN I REVERSED AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE DRIVING WITH NO REASON . SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR I BECOME SICK , DOCTORS COULDN'T BE SURE OF THE REASON AND I DIDN'T RELATED IT TO THE CAR UNTIL I HAVE BEEN ON THE ER AFTER ITS OCCUR AND I COULDN'T BREATH AND HAD STRONG CHEST PAIN AND DIZZY. CAR IS 2007 ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE . YOU HAVE ONLY DB9 AS OPTION. *TR

ALL THE TIME WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR SPACEY WHEN I ACCELERATE THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF FUMES. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY AGREE THAT THERE IS A STRONG SMELL BUT THEY SAY ITS THE CLUTCH AND THERE IS NOTHING TO DO ABOUT IT . IN THOSE CAR THAT'S THE SMELL. I TOLD THEM THAT IN SUCH AN EXPENSIVE CAR FIRST I DON'T SUPPOSE TO HAVE SUCH A STRONG SMELL IN THE CAR AND SECOND EVEN IF IT FROM THE CLUTCH AS THEY SAY ITS NOT THE ONLY SMELL I FELT OF STRONG FUMES AND BURNING. UNTIL TODAY NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE AND THEY SAY THERE IS NO FAULT FROM THEIR SIDE. SMELL COMES WHEN I ACCELERATE , WHEN I REVERSED AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE DRIVING WITH NO REASON . SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR I BECOME SICK , DOCTORS COULDN'T BE SURE OF THE REASON AND I DIDN'T RELATED IT TO THE CAR UNTIL I HAVE BEEN ON THE ER AFTER ITS OCCUR AND I COULDN'T BREATH AND HAD STRONG CHEST PAIN AND DIZZY. CAR IS 2007 ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE . YOU HAVE ONLY DB9 AS OPTION. *TR

I BOUGHT AN ASTON MARTIN DB9 FROM BAUER JAGUAR/ ASTON MARTIN (1455 S. AUTO MALL DR, SANTA ANA, CA 92705) ON JULY 7 2007. THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAJOR INTERSECTION IN LOS ANGELES ON AUGUST 17, 2007 (2,319 MILES). DEALER COMPLETED THE REPAIRS AND RETURNED THE CAR ON AUGUST 20, 2007. THE CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS AND WAS BROUGHT BACK ON MARCH 31, 2008 FOR MULTIPLE PROBLEMS. AT THIS TIME THE DEALER RECOMMEND A TOTAL ENGINE REPLACEMENT. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AND REPAIRS COMPLETED ON APRIL 11, 2008. I HAVE SEND 3 EMAILS TO ASTON MARTIN LAGONDA FACTORY (SCOTT MORGAN, AFTER SALES MANAGER ASTON MARTIN, DR, U BEZ CEO OF ASTON MARTIN) AND THE GENERAL MANGER OF BAUER JAGUAR/ASTON MARTIN (JAMES PEACOCK) ASKING THEM TO BUY BACK THIS CAR AND THEY ARE TAKING THE POSITION THAT ALL THE REPAIRS ARE DONE AND THAT I CAN PICK UP MY CAR. THE CAR IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP AND I REALLY DON'T WANT TO DRIVE IT CAUSE: 1-I FEEL THE CAR IS NOT SAFE AND/OR RELIABLE 2-THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT HAS SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED THE MARKET VALUE OF THIS CAR. *TR