Hope is fading for owners of Fisker Inc.’s beleaguered electric SUVs. With the company mired in bankruptcy, customers say it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get help to repair their broken-down cars or problematic.
A Cincinnati-area Fisker owner had a dozen unresolved service issues for his model. Another in Colorado can’t find a local repair shop to fix a crack snaking across his SUV’s solar roof. And a Texas-based customer has a loaner vehicle from the company that she doesn’t know how to return.
“It’s like a bad dream,” said Joseph Murphy, who recently opted to trade in his nearly new $70,000 Fisker Ocean for just $23,000.
Murphy had initially overlooked issues like frequent key fob battery replacements and the SUV’s constant rattling noise. But his goodwill faded after a dozen unresolved maintenance requests. His anxiety was compounded by the constant flashing of dashboard error messages and Fisker’s lack of communication. The final straw came when he saw news reports that the Ocean was selling for just $11,000. He now drives an electric Volvo.
Fisker owners have had a turbulent time since the company’s first vehicles rolled out unfinished in late 2023. About 6,400 customers paid up to $70,000 for their vehicles, with subsequent deliveries slowed by software issues . While several early adopters told Bloomberg News there was initially a feeling the problems would be resolved, as Fisker’s prospects worsened the company became increasingly difficult to contact.
After a series of setbacks, including ceasing production of its only model, Fisker filed for bankruptcy protection last week. The company is exploring financing options to continue its reduced operations, but currently only has permission to use its cash until June 28.
The company hasn’t set aside funds to buy back vehicles from consumers. It could, however, potentially sell part of the business to a buyer who would then be able to offer warranties to existing owners and maintain the vehicles. That’s what happened with Fisker Automotive, founder Henrik Fisker’s former plug-in hybrid business, which went bankrupt in 2013.
Reached for comment, the company pointed to its most recent filings about the bankruptcy proceedings but did not respond to Bloomberg’s specific questions about the problems its customers are experiencing.
Colorado resident Steve Hammer said he was “giddy” when he first received his Fisker Ocean.
“Six months later, I consider it the worst financial decision I’ve ever made,” Hammer said. “It’s an emotional blow.”
A crack snakes through the solar roof of his vehicle. Although his insurance company found a replacement part, Hammer was unable to find a nearby shop to repair his vehicle. He might have to ship the SUV hundreds of miles to the nearest certified repair shop in Utah. His attempts to contact the company for assistance went unanswered.
Hammer, like many Fisker owners, has turned to social media to find workarounds and fixes for issues like software bugs, interior lights that won’t turn off, unreliable key fobs and cracked windshields. Some owners of vehicles that are mostly working properly have started taking screenshots and compiling notes for future repair needs.
Legal obligation
Fisker is legally required to honor warranties on vehicles it sells, but several owners said it was increasingly difficult to contact company representatives. The automaker has laid off many mobile technicians.
That frustration is familiar to Holly Affleck, a homeowner in Fisker, Texas, who said her SUV has given her sleepless nights.
The problems with her Ocean began almost immediately after it was delivered in early November, she said. The air conditioning malfunctioned. The car alarm went off for hours. And then a broken water pump eventually forced the car into “limp mode,” rendering it inoperable.
Affleck successfully filed a complaint against Fisker with the National Dispute Resolution Center, which mediates between automakers and vehicle owners in warranty disputes. But she said she hasn’t heard from Fisker after a ruling in her favor, despite weekly emails.
Currently, she drives another Ocean that the company sent her on loan in mid-May. But she’s not sure what to do with the vehicle when its tags expire in January or if the company will officially cease operations before then. Her original Fisker remains parked outside her house, still awaiting repair, while she pays the insurance on both vehicles.
“Orphan” vehicles
If Fisker fails, there is a potential lifeline for its former clients: owners’ clubs. People who bought other “orphan vehicles,” like the Oldsmobile DeLorean or even the Fisker Karma from Henrik Fisker’s previous company, are now relying on these kinds of groups to keep their cars alive.
One such group has already formed with the goal of providing Fisker customers with continued access to parts and service, as well as supporting owners, representing their interests and providing a platform for sharing information.
Brandon Jones, interim president of the group, said it grew out of Facebook groups and other Internet forums and gained momentum when it became clear the company was headed toward bankruptcy.
The group may still have challenges. Unlike some older cars, most modern manufacturers don’t keep large inventories of parts. And it’s unclear how Fisker’s software will hold up over time.
“Cars today are much more complicated than the DeLorean,” said James Espey, who runs a DeLorean repair shop. If nothing else, the Ocean could become a “niche collectible,” he added, like the Tesla Roadster or the Fisker Karma, and a shop specializing in electric vehicles could emerge.
Joe Ferrante, a former Fisker Automotive technician, now runs EVolution Autosports near Philadelphia, one of the few workshops specializing in the Fisker Karma. He said he was waiting to see how the latest bankruptcy played out, but had already started receiving inquiries from Ocean’s owners. In the meantime, he bought a Fisker Ocean to drive around, take it apart, and learn the ins and outs.
“I hope they survive and there can be a solution to this problem,” Ferrante said. “It’s a shame that it’s happening a second time.”
– Kara Carlson for Bloomberg