2008 Zap Xebra

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ON 2/5/13. I WAS INFORMED AFTER COMPLETING ALL THE PAPERWORK THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS MODEL. THE DEALER KNEW OF THE RECALL, BUT DID NOT DISCLOSE IT UNTIL HE HANDED ME THE PAPERWORK. WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM ZAP OFFERING A $3100 SETTLEMENT BY 12/31/13. ZAP DOES NOT RESPOND TO ANY PHONE CALLS. AFTER FINALLY REACHING A [XXX] AT 707-525-8658 EXT 104 HE ARROGANTLY TOLD US THEY KNEW NOTHING AND HE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HIMSELF. HE WAS EXTREMELY RUDE, SAID MAYBE JAN, 31, AND HUNG UP. IS THERE ANY ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE ME ON HOW TO HANDLE THIS? THESE PEOPLE ARE STILL IN BUSINESS, AND THIS ISSUE IS 5 YEARS OLD. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

QINGQI GROUP MOTORCYCLE CO., LTD RECALLED OF THE 2008 ZAP XEBRA VEHICLE. I COMPLETED ALL THE DOCUMENTS REQUIRED IN CERTIFIED MAIL DURING THE SUMMER OF 2013. ON SEPT 17, I PICKED UP A CERTIFIED LETTER DATED SEPT 12, 2013 THAT SAID I HAD COMPLETED ALL THE REFUND REQUEST REQUIREMENTS AND I WAS FOUND ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM TO RECEIVE 3,100 DOLLARS AND MY VEHICLE WOULD BE PICKED UP AND HAVE TITLE TRANSFER. BY DEC 31, 2013, AND THAT ZAP WOULD BE CONTACTING ME TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS. I CALLED THE NUMBER ON THE LETTER NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE MONTH OF DEC (I HAVE THE PHONE RECORDS), NOT RESPONSE OR THE MESSAGE SAID THE VOICE MAIL WAS FULL. I WOULD THEN CALL AND LEAVE A MESSAGE WITH MIKE RING'S VOICE MESSAGE. NO RETURNED CALL OR ANY OTHER LETTERS HAVE HAPPENED IN 3 MONTHS. IT IS NOW A WEEK PAST THE DEADLINE THEY SAID THEY HAD NEGOTIATED WITH NHTSA. CONSIDERING THAT THE ORIGINAL DOCUMENTATION ON MY 2008 ZAP XEBRA TITLE SAY IT 'MEETS ALL OF YOUR SAFETY STANDARDS', WHEN I BOUGHT IT, AND ZAP ARE NOT WILLING TO HONOR THEIR AGREEMENT WITH YOU, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU INSTRUCT ME OF THE NEXT ACTIONS YOU WILL BE TAKING WITH ZAP. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE ZAP SINCE I RECEIVED THE FIRST CERTIFIED LETTER FROM THEM, AND CAN NOT SELL IT OR TRADE IT IN, SO WHAT ARE WE TO DO WITH THESE UNSAFE VEHICLES? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION WITH THIS MATTER. *TR

AROUND AUGUST 12, 2013 I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM ZAP INFORMING ME THAT MY VEHICLE COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR A VEHICLE BUYBACK PROGRAM DUE TO A RECALL INVOLVING POOR STOPPING DISTANCE. AROUND OCTOBER 18, 2013 I SENT IN THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK TO ZAP AND RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THAT I WAS ELIGIBLE FOR THE BUYBACK PROGRAM. THE LETTER STATED THAT ZAP WOULD CONTACT ME TO ARRANGE PAYMENT AND PICKUP OF MY 2008 ZAP XEBRA BY 12/31/2013. I AM FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA BECAUSE IT IS NOW 1/2/2014 AND I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A PHONE CALL, E-MAIL, OR LETTER FROM ZAP REGARDING THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH THIS BUYBACK PROGRAM. MY INSURANCE COMPANY CANCELLED MY POLICY BACK IN NOVEMBER 2013 AND I CANNOT RE-REGISTER MY VEHICLE SO IT IS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY IN VIOLATION OF MY CITY'S ORDINANCES, WHICH PROHIBITS UNREGISTERED AND UN-DRIVEN VEHICLES FROM BEING PARKED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. *TR

ON JULY 26, 2013, I RECEIVED, BY CERTIFIED MAIL, THE OFFICIAL ZAP RECALL NOTICE FOR THE 2008 PK. I COMPLETED THE REQUEST FORM AND SUBMITTED ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION BEFORE THE DEADLINE OF 120 DAYS. I HAVE PROOF OF DELIVERY ON NOVEMBER 7, 2103. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY COMMUNICATION FROM ZAP OF ANY KIND, NOT EVEN AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF MY PAPERWORK. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT ZAP SEVERAL TIMES REGARDING THIS AND HAVE HAD NO REPLY. THE "VOICE MAIL BOX" FOR CALLS REGARDING THE RECALL "FULL" AND HAS BEEN FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. *TR

ON SEPT. 12, 2013 I RECEIVED, BY CERTIFIED MAIL, A LETTER FROM ZAP MANAGEMENT CONFIRMING THAT ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE MADE TO TRANSFER THE OWNERSHIP AND POSSESSION OF MY XEBRA TRUCK ("FROGGER") IN ACCORDANCE WITH A NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION RECALL. THE PARAMETERS SPELLED OUT IN THE LETTER STATE THAT TRANSFER WAS TO TAKE PLACE "30 DAYS AFTER YOUR REFUND REQUEST" (LONG PAST) OR BY "DECEMBER 31, 2013,...WHICHEVER COMES LATER". MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT ZAP HAVE BEEN FRUITLESS. WITH ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT TO THE TERMS IN THE LETTER I FORESEE A LENGTHY LITIGATION PROCESS. *TR

ON JULY 24TH, 2013, I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V363000. I SUBMITTED THE REQUESTED PAPERWORK AND ON OCT 11TH, 2013 RECEIVED A NOTICE CONFIRMING THAT ZAP HAS RECEIVED THE REFUND REQUEST FORM AND DETERMINED THE REFUND REQUEST IS COMPLETE AND I AM ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM. HOWEVER, AS THE DECEMBER 31ST DEADLINE IS COMING SOON, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT ZAP CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-855-587-2406 IS NO LONGER ANSWERING THEIR PHONES. I AM SIMPLY CHECKING IF THE RECALL CLAIMS ARE STILL BEING HONORED. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2008 ZAP XEBRA FROM A DEALER ON 2/5/13. AFTER COMPLETING ALL THE PAPERWORK I WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS MODEL. THE DEALER KNEW OF THE RECALL, BUT DID NOT INFORM ME OF IT UNTIL HE HANDED ME THE PAPERWORK. ZAP IS OFFERING $3100 REIMBURSEMENT. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY COMMUNICATION FROM ZAP SINCE SEPT 17,2013. IS THERE ANY RECOURSE TO GO BACK ON THE DEALER FOR THE DIFFERENCE? WHEN WILL THIS ISSUE BE FINALIZED? RIGHT NOW I HAVE A VEHICLE THAT YOU CANNOT DRIVE. I HAVE SENT ALL REQUIRED PAPERWORK AND PICTURES TO ZAP. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 100 MILES ON IT. *TR

MY XEBRA WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE CENTER AREA OF THE VEHICLE AND HAD TO BE EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. ALTHOUGH THIS MODEL IS CURRENTLY IN A RECALL BUY BACK PROGRAM, IT WOULD STILL BE WORTH INVESTIGATING THE SPECIFIC CAUSE OF THE FIRE IN CASE IT'S A PROBLEM THAT MIGHT AFFECT PREVIOUS XEBRA MODELS. ALSO, GIVEN ZAP'S HISTORY, I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THE BUY BACK PROCESS IS INDEFINITELY "DELAYED" AND THEREFORE THE CURRENT MODEL WILL STILL BE ON THE ROAD FOR SOME TIME (NOT DUE TO XEBRA QUALITY, WHICH IS LACKING, BUT BECAUSE XEBRA OWNERS TEND TO BE RELENTLESS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO CONTINUALLY RESUSCITATE THEIR VEHICLE EVERY TIME IT DIES.) *TR