Consumer Report’s review Death Toll for Fisker?

After having their shiny new Fisker Karma shut down completely after 200 miles on the odometer, Consumer Reports was finally able to finish their testing and write a complete review on the vehicle. If you've ever had issues with your navigation unit or engine control module, you know how frustrating it is to try and solve weird electrical problems. Consumer Reports couldn't even begin testing on the Karma before battery issues bricked the car in their parking lot. Their summary after getting it back from the shop: not good.

While the design is lauded as “simply stunning,” the gasoline engine when activated is noticeably loud. Its heavy 5395 pound body doesn’t help the handling department, and the touch screen has a grayscale look and requires so much menu flipping it “makes MyFord Touch look like a brilliant design.”

During testing, after they got it back from the shop of course, the speedometer and energy meter display disappeared when driving, on top of having several other rogue warning indicators appear during the week. These included the ESC, ABS and brake warning lights. There is also an intermittent warning tone and light that indicates an overheating situation; the warning lamp illuminates, then instantly turns off. 

Oh, were you using these? Sorry.

 What’s more troubling is that Consumer Report’s experience with the Karma is not isolated. Only 500 have been shipped and there are already dozens of complaints in all available outlets, with a range of sometimes mysterious issues.

One person couldn’t put their car into drive, tried to reboot the system several times to no avail, and had a technician come out and do a hard reboot. While this finally enabled the car to get into drive, the person then drove their kids to school and became stranded in the school parking lot with the same issue – even after a hard reboot, the car would not be put into gear.

One customer reported that their Karma required a completely new differential with only 1000 miles on the odometer because of a worn-down coupling between one of the motors and the wheels.

By far the most disturbing report is of a Karma owner that had their vehicle shut down completely while driving 35mph – all of the lights on the dash illuminated, the brakes would not work, and they had directional control of the vehicle only. While the other issues are indeed irritating and not acceptable for any brand new vehicle, paying $108,000 for a death trap is outrageous.

 With all of this information pouring in, there are many who have stood up for Fisker, saying that any brand new vehicle from a brand new manufacturer with new technology is going to have birthing pains. They also state that in order to keep up with strict deadlines in order to receive funding, some of the details in making the Fisker had to be rushed.

I don’t know about you, but funding or no funding I don’t feel rushing to get something out the door is ever appropriate when lives are at stake. While I understand this is a new company, selling a vehicle that is not completely developed is not only dangerous to consumers, but very damaging to the company’s image and future.

Hopefully Fisker will address these issues (there have already been two recalls on the Karma), but either way no one could get me to purchase one of these buggy, albeit beautiful, deathtraps.