Electrical
Filed May 14, 2003
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER, INCLUDING POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES AND ALL INSTRUMENT PANEL INFORMATION. WHEN THE CAR WAS FINALLY STOPPED, THE DOORS COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED BECAUSE THEY ARE AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED WHEN THE CAR IS PUT INTO DRIVE AND THERE ARE NO DOOR LOCK KNOBS AVAILABLE TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE CAR FROM THE INSIDE. ALSO, NO WINDOWS COULD BE OPERATED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ELECTRICAL POWER AVAILABLE TO OPERATE THEM. THE END RESULT WAS THAT PASSENGERS WERE TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR WITH NO WAY TO GET OUT OTHER THAN BREAKING THE GLASS OF ONE OF THE WINDOWS AND UNLOCKING THE CAR FROM THE OUTSIDE. THERE ARE NO OVERRIDE OPTIONS AVAILABLE FROM WITHIN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FOR THIS PROBLEM. A PERSON WHO IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO CONTROL THE CAR ONCE THE POWER STEERING IS LOST (E.G. A SMALL WOMAN, AN ELDERLY PERSON) COULD VERY EASILY HAVE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT AND IF THE CAR IS IN AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN A FIRE, THERE IS NO WAY FOR THE OCCUPANTS TO ESCAPE FROM THE CAR. DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROBLEM REVEALED THE BATTERY CABLES HAD APPARENTLY WORKED LOOSE OR HAD NOT BEEN SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED AFTER REPLACEMENT OF A CAM SENSOR AT A LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO THIS EPISODE. THE SUDDEN LOSS OF ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING IS SIGNIFICANTLY DANGEROUS IN THIS VEHICLE AND SERIOUSLY THREATENS THE LIVES OF PASSENGERS AND PUTS THEM IN A VERY HIGH RISK SITUATION. HAD THIS EPISODE HAPPENED ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS DEFECT IS A LIFE THREATENING DESIGN DEFECT AND REQUIRES AN IMMEDIATE PRIORITY FIX BY GM. *NLM
- NHTSA ID
- 10018660
- Incident
- May 13, 2002
- Mileage
- 152,470 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 20, 1999
BRAKE PEDAL APPLICATION (AT ANY SPEED) RESULTS IN IGNITION CUT-OFF AND THE CAR STOPS RUNNING. BRAKE PEDAL APPLICATION SHUTS OFF THE IGNITION AND INTERRUPTS ALL ELECTRIC POWER IN THE CAR. PROBLEM OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY.
- NHTSA ID
- 711625
- Incident
- Sep 20, 1999
BrakesHeating & air conditioningElectrical+4 more
Filed Sep 15, 1999
WATER PUMP FAILED CAUSING WHINNING NOISE TO COME FROM ENGINE. NLM
- NHTSA ID
- 548526
- Incident
- Jan 19, 1998
Electrical
Filed Oct 17, 1997
BATTERY FAILED.
- NHTSA ID
- 523591
Heating & air conditioningElectricalEngine+1 more
Filed Aug 7, 1996
STARTER FAILED TWICE.
- NHTSA ID
- 507219
- Incident
- Aug 14, 1994
Electrical
Filed Aug 7, 1996
FAULTLY IGNITION PREVENTS VEHICLE FROM STARTING.
- NHTSA ID
- 507200
- Incident
- Feb 1, 1996
Electrical
Filed Jun 24, 1996
ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 505598
- Incident
- Jun 24, 1996
Electrical
Filed Apr 25, 1996
STARTER CONTINUALLY FAILS. *DSH
- NHTSA ID
- 503735
- Incident
- Jan 1, 1993
Electrical
Filed Apr 15, 1996
STARTER INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO START VEHICLE. *DSH
- NHTSA ID
- 503483
- Incident
- Jan 1, 1993
Electrical
Filed Jan 17, 1996
LOST COMPLETE POWER OF CAR THREE TIMES, 10/94, 10/95 AND 12/3/95. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
- NHTSA ID
- 977672
- Incident
- Oct 7, 1994
Electrical
Filed Jan 11, 1996
STARTER MOTOR FAILED. *SD
- NHTSA ID
- 501527
- Incident
- Nov 1, 1995
Electrical
Filed Nov 27, 1995
BATTERY TERMINAL CORRODED AND FELL OFF. TT
- NHTSA ID
- 488093
- Incident
- Aug 1, 1995
ElectricalFuel system
Filed Jul 24, 1995
VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY SPEED, BAFFLE IN THE TANK FAILED SO DEALER SAID. TT
- NHTSA ID
- 969324
- Incident
- Aug 3, 1994
Electrical
Filed Apr 25, 1995
FILLED VEHICLE UP WITH GAS COMPUTER SHUT DOWN THEN CAUGHT FIRE. TT
- NHTSA ID
- 964301
Electrical
Filed Mar 23, 1995
DRIVING FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME SMOKE COME FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. TT
- NHTSA ID
- 962455
- Incident
- Mar 23, 1995
Electrical
Filed Feb 27, 1995
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE DRIVING. TT
- NHTSA ID
- 960704
- Incident
- Feb 14, 1995
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.