The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated a second investigation into Fisker’s Ocean SUV following reports of the vehicle rolling away unexpectedly. This comes after the agency received four complaints, one of which resulted in an injury. Fisker has stated that it is fully cooperating with the safety agency in this matter.
Key Takeaway
Fisker’s Ocean SUV is under scrutiny as NHTSA opens a second investigation into the vehicle, prompted by complaints of unexpected rollaways. The company has been working to address various issues reported by owners, and is cooperating with NHTSA in the ongoing investigations.
Previous Issues and Investigations
This new probe follows a previous investigation by NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation, which was launched in response to complaints of sudden loss of braking performance. Fisker addressed this issue with a software update that was rolled out to vehicles in December. However, the company has faced ongoing challenges with the Ocean SUV since its initial release. Owners have reported various issues such as sudden power loss, difficulty in entering and exiting the vehicle, trouble shifting gears, and instances of the SUV’s hood unexpectedly opening.
Details of the Complaints
The four complaints received by NHTSA describe situations where owners experienced difficulties when shifting into or out of park. One owner in Pennsylvania reported that their Ocean occasionally shifted into neutral instead of park, leading to the SUV rolling backwards. In one incident in December, the owner mentioned that they were knocked to the ground by the open driver’s side door as the vehicle started to roll away. They were able to regain control of the SUV before it collided with another vehicle.
NHTSA’s Investigation Process
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation can initiate different levels of investigations, including Defect Petition, Preliminary Evaluation, Recall Query, and Engineering Analysis. The current investigation into the rollaway complaints is categorized as a preliminary evaluation, which NHTSA aims to complete within eight months. The purpose of this phase is to assess the scope and severity of the potential issues and fully evaluate any safety-related concerns.
