AUDIOVOX Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU LEGACY EQUIPPED WITH AN AUDIOVOX REMOTE STARTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REMOTE STARTER WAS INSTALLED BY A DEALER; HOWEVER, AFTER THE INSTALLATION, THE VEHICLE WOULD START INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE SERIAL NUMBER, PURCHASE DATE, AND PART NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

MY CUSTOMER COMPLAINED OF A TRANSMISSION FAILURE INVOLVING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO A DTC P0785. I ASKED MY CUSTOMER IF THE INVOLVED VEHICLE (2000 CHEVROLET BLAZER) HAD ANY DEALER OR AFTER MARKET ACCESSORIES INSTALLED, CUSTOMER ADAMANTLY REPLIED: NO, "BONE STOCK GM." MY CUSTOMER WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE INVOLVED VEHICLE HAD A THEFT DETERRENT SYSTEM, MANUFACTURED BY "KARR" AND DISTRIBUTED BY AUDIOVOX WITH INSTALLERS NATIONWIDE. I HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH GM DEALERSHIPS FOR OVER FORTY YEARS AND POSSESS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE IN PARTS AND SERVICE EXPERIENCE. I REMOVED THE SUSPECT SECURITY SYSTEM AND REPAIRED THE DAMAGED WIRING WHICH RESULTED IN THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION. IN THE PAST WEEK I HAVE BEEN CONFRONTED WITH FOUR CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS WHICH RESULTED FROM SECURITY SYSTEMS, AFTERMARKET RADIOS AND INCLUDING AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS. THESE AFTERMARKET COMPONENTS ARE THE DIRECT CAUSE OF SYSTEM FAILURES INVOLVING ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, LIGHTS, AND NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL FAILURES. I SINCERELY REQUEST IMMEDIATE AND THOROUGH INVESTIGATION WHICH I REMAIN CONFIDENT WILL RESULT IN MASSIVE RECALLS OF THESE INFERIOR PRODUCTS. *TR

HAD TRANSMISSION FIXED IN JAN 2010 AND MY TRANSMISSION JUST WENT OUT AGAIN MARCH 10 2011... I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE RANGING FROM BROKEN MOTOR MOUNTS, TRANNY, A/C, RADIATOR, SPARK PLUGS 02 SENSORS AND SO FORTH. THIS IS THE 5TH TIME I HAVE REPORTED ON HERE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING BEFORE IT KILLS MORE PEOPLE. ON TOP OF THIS, I WAS DRIVING AND THE DVD PLAYER FELL OUT OF THE CEILING LANDING ON MY CHILD'S LEGS CAUSING BRUISES. *TR

I HAVE OWNED MY 1995 CAR FOR 5 YEARS. JUST RECENTLY I WAS UNABLE TO START THE CAR WHEN THE ALARM WENT OF. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I HAD AN ALARM IN THIS CAR.THE ALARM WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO START MY CAR. I FINALLY TOOK OFF THE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE AND PUT IT BACK ON AND SOMETIMES THE CAR WOULD START, BUT IT WOULD DRIVE ROUGH AND STALL OUT. I KNEW IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ACR ALARM, SO I CONTACTED THE COMPANY THAT MADE IT. THEY WERE STANDOFFISH AND TOLD ME IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ALARM.I LOOKED ON THE NET AND FOUND MANY POST AND EVEN A VIDEO ABOUT THIS ALARM CAUSING PROBLEMS AND EVEN STALLING CARS IN TRAFFIC. AGAIN I CONTACTED THE COMPANY TO GET WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO REMOVE THE DEVICE, THEY BLAMED MY CAR AND THEN TOLD ME THEY HAD NO INFO FOR THE DEVICES SERIAL NUMBER THAT I GAVE THEM. I EMAILED THEM PHOTOS OF THE DEVICE AND HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM. I ENDED UP TAKING THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HE REMOVED THE ALARM AND NOW THE CAR RUNS FINE. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE IN DANGER BECAUSE OF THIS ALARM. LIKE I SAID I HAVE OWNED THIS USED CAR FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT HAD A ALARM, AND ONE THAT COULD BE POTENTIAL HAZARDOUS. THE COMPANY IS EITHER NOT AWARE OF THIS OR THEY ARE PURPOSELY GIVING ME THE RUN-AROUND. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SEDONA LX. THE VEHICLE HAS A REMOTE STARTER MANUFACTURED BY AUDIOVOX, MODEL NUMBER PRO9556. WHEN THE CONTACT PRE-STARTED HER VEHICLE INSIDE HER HOME WITH THE DEVICE, SHE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SWITCHED INTO GEAR. SHE DROVE BACKWARDS AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER PLACE OF RESIDENCE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STARTER DEVICE ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT INTO GEARS WITHOUT HAVING A KEY IN THE IGNITION WHEN PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE VEHICLE COULD EASILY BE STOLEN AND INCREASED THE RISK OF A CRASH OR SERIOUS INJURY. SHE NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE EQUIPMENT AND THE VEHICLE, BUT NEITHER SOURCES WOULD ASSUME LIABILITY. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF THE FAILED COMPONENT AND THE CRASH. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 40,000. UPDATED 12/11/08 *BF THE VEHICLE CAME OUT OF PARK WITHOUT THE KEYS BEING IN THE IGNITION. THERE WERE ALSO TIMES WHEN THE KEY WOULD GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE CONSUMER REALIZED THE VEHICLE COULD BE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE WITHOUT KEYS. UPDATED 12/11/08 .*JB

I PURCHASED A NEW 2007 NISSAN QUEST AND HAD THE REMOTE START OPTION INSTALLED, WHICH WAS AN AUDIOVOX AS-9076 WHEN INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, I FOUND THAT WITH THE REMOTE START PACKAGE INSTALLED, IT WAS POSSIBLE TO USE THE LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTONS ON THE DOORS TO START THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE KEY. MY CONCERN HERE IS THAT MY WIFE COMES HOME AND GETS OUT OF THE CAR TO GET MY SON OUT OF THE BACK AND MY ONE YEAR OLD SON COULD LOCK AND START THE CAR WITHOUT THE KEYS, IF MY WIFE LEFT HER PURSE ON THE FRONT SEAT WHILE SHE GOT HIM, THE ONLY THING SHE COULD DO WOULD BE TO CALL THE POLICE, AS I DOUBT SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO BREAK THE WINDOW. THE MOST DANGEROUS SCENARIO I CAN THINK OF WOULD BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HOTTEST DAY OF THE SUMMER OR SOMETHING WHICH COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY TO A CHILD, OR A HEART ATTACK TO HIS MOTHER. I HAVE HAD THE REMOTE START SYSTEM DISABLED AND WE HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO "CORRECT" THE PROBLEM, THEY TRIED ONCE AND SAID THEY COULD NOT CORRECT IT, SO I LEFT IT DISABLED UNTIL EITHER REMOVED OR CORRECTED, BUT IF SOMEONE ELSE HAD THE SAME OPTION INSTALLED AND DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE BUTTONS, I BELIEVE THAT IT COULD BE JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT HAPPENS TO AN INNOCENT CHILD, WHICH I WOULD HOPE CAN BE AVOIDED. I HAVE ALREADY CONTACTED NISSAN, THE DEALERSHIP, AND AUDIOVOX WITH MY CONCERNS AS WELL, BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO BELIEVE THIS DANGER EXISTS, OR MERITS ANY SERIOUS ATTENTION. PERHAPS I'M WRONG, BUT THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES IF I AM RIGHT, ARE WORTH MY TIME IN TRYING TO LET SOMEONE KNOW. THANK YOU. *NM

PACIFIC STEREO - FERMENT COULD HAVE INCORRECTLY INSTALLED HUNDREDS OF REMOTE START KITS TO VEHICLES. SAFETY SENSORS LIKE THE ONE ON THE HOOD COULD HAVE BEEN BYPASSED. *JB