Gene Simmons Calls His SUV Crash a 'Fender-Bender,' Says Media Overhyped It

Gene Simmons is calling BS on the media for playing up the seriousness of his recent car wreck ... writing the incident off as a "fender-bender."

The rock and roll legend was spotted by photogs in Los Angeles Wednesday ... getting behind the wheel of a car just weeks after he passed out while driving in Malibu and crashed into another vehicle.

Simmons spoke to the paps ... and called the media "fake news" -- 'cause he feels the severity of his car crash was blown up in the press ... when he says it was really just a run-of-the-mill accident.

Gene says there are more important stories in the world than his little "fender-bender" ... and, he thinks the media should shift their focus to those stories instead.

We obtained video of Gene's car in the immediate aftermath of the crash ... and, the damage to his vehicle looked pretty extensive -- with the front of his SUV smashed into a truck on the side of the road.

Simmons' wife Shannon Tweed explained to us Gene doesn't like to drink water ... and, he'd started taking new medication before the crash -- which left him extremely dehydrated and caused him to pass out and crash the SUV.

Tweed told us she didn't want him driving anymore -- seems she lost that battle -- and, his fellow KISS founder and longtime pal Paul Stanley said Simmons is lucky to be alive after the crash.