[brian]

This is actually kinda funny, but my dealer just called and said that they need me to bring the car in next week to get a new battery pack. Apparently A123 called Fisker and said there was a potential problem where there could be a coolant leak. Fisker didn't want any more trouble at this point, so they're just having A123 send new packs to dealers and having them all replaced. Yay! Fresh, new battery!

Anyway, on a separate note I was also told that there is a new 6.11 software update as well which will hopefully fix some of the issues I've been having.

-Brian

 

[Thebreadman]

This is actually kinda funny, but my dealer just called and said that they need me to bring the car in next week to get a new battery pack. Apparently A123 called Fisker and said there was a potential problem where there could be a coolant leak. Fisker didn't want any more trouble at this point, so they're just having A123 send new packs to dealers and having them all replaced. Yay! Fresh, new battery!

Anyway, on a separate note I was also told that there is a new 6.11 software update as well which will hopefully fix some of the issues I've been having.

-Brian

You are taking part in Fisker's first ever recall. And it is a pretty big one. Fortunately, Fisker doesn't have many cars to recall.

 

[brian]

I'm more worried for A123 Systems since I own some stock in them.

-Brian

 

[Fabulist]

This is actually kinda funny, but my dealer just called and said that they need me to bring the car in next week to get a new battery pack.

Do you get to keep the old pack? You could build one heck of a UPS out of that thing.

-- Fab.

 

[Scott Goodman]

This is actually kinda funny, but my dealer just called and said that they need me to bring the car in next week to get a new battery pack. Apparently A123 called Fisker and said there was a potential problem where there could be a coolant leak. Fisker didn't want any more trouble at this point, so they're just having A123 send new packs to dealers and having them all replaced. Yay! Fresh, new battery!

Anyway, on a separate note I was also told that there is a new 6.11 software update as well which will hopefully fix some of the issues I've been having.

-Brian

The dealer is picking mine up as I write this. Didn't want me to take it home and charge it. Only had the car for 24 hours. Bummer!

 

[dennis]

The 4 SE's finally arrived today at Fisker Silicon Valley, but the customers won't be able to take delivery until after the battery swap is completed next week.

 

[Deep Ocean]

OMG! That's got to be a big issue if they are holding the cars. Mine is at port in Europe I wonder if they can change the battery on the boat or if they'll send it back to the factory?

 

[dennis]

OMG! That's got to be a big issue if they are holding the cars. Mine is at port in Europe I wonder if they can change the battery on the boat or if they'll send it back to the factory?

Most likely they will do it in Newark, or at the dealer after it gets there. My dealer did not yet have information on where the cutoff point was in the production stream for replacing the batteries, so it is hard to know if your battery will need to be replaced.

 

[Dutch]

I heard from my dealer that this is not going to affect my scheduled delivery this Saturday! The problem with the battery pack is not a big issue, he says, but just to be sure A123 and Fisker want to swap the battery packs. This will be done with a recall for the cars that have already been delivered or will be delivered soon. There is no immediate safety issue. In a few weeks time I will simply be asked to bring in the car (or have it picked up) for a day.

 

[LonePalmBJ]

Mine is at port in Europe I

Deep Ocean,

So your car has been manufactured and is in transit? How do you know? Yours is the first customer Deep Ocean I've heard of that's actually been built if it is, so it gives me hope Can you tell me what they've told you?

Brent

 

[SoCalGuy]

Does anyone know specifically what the problems were with the battery packs? Spontaneous combustion?

 

[LonePalmBJ]

Spontaneous combustion?

From the OP, it was "a potential problem where there could be a coolant leak."

Be careful with rank speculation like "spontaneous combustion". This is the sort of thing that gets tweeted, retweeted and then reported as fact! Fisker doesn't need any help in the bad PR department

 

[dennis]

[Deep Ocean,

So your car has been manufactured and is in transit? How do you know? Yours is the first customer Deep Ocean I've heard of that's actually been built if it is, so it gives me hope Can you tell me what they've told you?

My Deep Ocean has finished the paint step and is headed to general assembly. It was delayed about 10 days as things backed up in the body shop because it was taking longer to paint the Deep Ocean cars. I also confirmed with my dealer that several other Deep Ocean cars have completed final assembly. So we are good to go.

- Dennis

 

[Dutch]

As far as I've understood, there is no major problem. For that reason new cars are still being delivered with the old battery packs, depending on the dealer. If there was any danger, that would not be happening! The swap is just out of precaution. The old battery packs do not have to be discarded, but will get a small modification.

 

[Dutch]

The Fisker-rollercoaster ride took me downhill again: no Karma for me this Saturday. I was more or less promised I would get in this week, which was very important to me (I had hoped I could take some relatives, who I only see at Christmas, for a ride). But the documents for the license plates haven't come in yet.

Believe it or not, in this digital age they've sent the documents by snail mail! And they did that in a week when snail mail is even slower than usual due to all the Christmas cards. I wish my dealer would have simply sent someone over there to pick the documents up. It's just a 40 mile drive.

I hope I can take the car home next week, but I am not placing any bets. They will probably wait for the new battery pack, which is supposed to come in next week. I'll believe it when I see it.

Today, for the first time in 4 years, something broke in me.

 

[brian]

The official word:

http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/ABEA-3DGNI7/1390082922x5735182x530250/f528f4d4-ca2f-4d7b-b6a2-2eb55a271afa/Memo_for_A123_IR_Web_site_Fisker_FINAL.pdf

-Brian

 

[Thebreadman]

The official word:

http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/ABEA-3DGNI7/1390082922x5735182x530250/f528f4d4-ca2f-4d7b-b6a2-2eb55a271afa/Memo_for_A123_IR_Web_site_Fisker_FINAL.pdf

-Brian

Per A123, with one week to go, Fisker has delivered less than 50 cars. Somewhat less than the 1500 Ray Lane promised a few weeks ago. And with no new cars to be delivered next week, it looks like less than 50 will be how many Fisker sold in 2011. But they started full scale production back in March. That's some run rate.

 

[ct-fiskerbuzz]

Per A123, with one week to go, Fisker has delivered less than 50 cars.

That's not quite what it says: it says (less than) 50 are affected. They probably changed something a while ago, noted which serial numbers are pre- and post-change, and found that 50 "bad" batteries were put into various vehicles ... but Fisker will have to inspect all the vehicles to figure out which 50. (Unless Fisker have a database of VIN-to-part-serial-numbers, which seems unlikely.)

 

[Fabulist]

Believe it or not, in this digital age they've sent the documents by snail mail! And they did that in a week when snail mail is even slower than usual due to all the Christmas cards. I wish my dealer would have simply sent someone over there to pick the documents up. It's just a 40 mile drive.

Car dealer staff are not generally known for their ingenuity or originality. They generally just do the same thing each time no matter what and without regard to the specific circumstances of the purchase. Can't the dealer loan you one of their dealer plates for the weekend? I am sure you have insurance all set up so there is no risk to anyone.

Hang in there, friend. We feel your pain.

-- Fab.

 

[svp6]

The Fisker-rollercoaster ride took me downhill again: no Karma for me this Saturday. I was more or less promised I would get in this week, which was very important to me (I had hoped I could take some relatives, who I only see at Christmas, for a ride). But the documents for the license plates haven't come in yet.

Believe it or not, in this digital age they've sent the documents by snail mail! And they did that in a week when snail mail is even slower than usual due to all the Christmas cards. I wish my dealer would have simply sent someone over there to pick the documents up. It's just a 40 mile drive.

I hope I can take the car home next week, but I am not placing any bets. They will probably wait for the new battery pack, which is supposed to come in next week. I'll believe it when I see it.

Today, for the first time in 4 years, something broke in me.

Dutch, I feel your pain... At least it is not something really important - like the Board charging me $700 for an examination, but not springing for $20 FedEx/UPS priority mail (which I would have paid if asked). Got the documentation the evening before the deadline..... My hair never recovered, if I get fully bald I'll sue for mental distress