2003 Oldsmobile Bravada

The subject vehicles are model year (MY) 2002-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2004-2007 Buick Rainier, 2003-2008 Isuzu Ascender, 2005-2009 Saab 9-7X, 2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2003-2006 Chevrolet SSR, 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse, and 2006-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. This scope includes the Trailblazer/Envoy variants: 2002-2006 Envoy XL/Trailblazer EXT and 2004-2005 Envoy XUV. The original scope of this investigation was expanded to include all vehicles equipped with the subject Headlight Driver Module (HDM). The focus of the investigation was to determine whether actions performed by General Motors adequately addressed any unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety in the subject vehicles concerning the headlights and the HDM that controls them.Under normal electrical load and environmental conditions, the HDM can overheat inside the Underhood Electrical Center (UEC). This can cause the module to fail and result in a simultaneous loss of both low beam headlights and both daytime running lights (DRLs), often with no warning or prior detectability to the driver. This failure can be intermittent or permanent. No other exterior lights are affected. High beams, turn signals, brake lights, and reverse lights are still operational.General Motors addressed this issue with 2 recalls (14V755 & 15V519) and a special coverage program (N172091910). In view of the recalls and special coverage program implemented by GM and the vehicle high beams continuing to operate, ODI has tentatively concluded that the actions taken by GM mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by HDM failure in the subject vehicles.Accordingly, the investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.The ODI reports cited above are available for review online at NHTSA.gov under the identification numbers in the attached document.

DURING THE COURSE OF THIS EA INVESTIGATION, ODI OBSERVED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE COMPLAINTS (88%) AND WARRANTY CLAIMS (94%) WERE REPORTED FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE REGISTERED FOR USE IN THE SALT BELT REGION OF THE US.THIS AREA INCLUDES 20 STATES IN THE NORTHEAST, MID ATLANTIC AND THE MIDWEST REGIONS AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.CONSUMERS IN THE SALT BELT REGION REPORTED TO ODI THAT THEY COULD SMELL FUEL VAPORS IN THEIR VEHICLES WHILE DRIVING.UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THEIR VEHICLES, THEY DISCOVERED THAT FUEL VAPORS WERE COMING OUT OF THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. THIS CONDITION IS CAUSED BY CORROSION OF THE RETURN AND SENDER LINES OF THE FUEL PUMP MODULE.WATER AND ROAD SALT COLLECT ON TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP LEADING TO SMALL PINHOLES APPEARING ON THE FUEL LINES.FUEL MAY LEAK AND COLLECT ON TOP OF THE MODULE AND/OR SPILL ONTO THE GROUND.THE DATA EVALUATED UNDER THIS INVESTIGATION REFLECT A RELATIVELY LOW FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE THAT LARGELY ARISES IN SALT BELT STATES.GM HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE SUBJECT COMPONENT TO TEN YEARS OR 120,000 MILES.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED AT THIS TIME; ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SELECT DOCUMENT SEARCH.

GM STATES THAT SOME BRAKE/TAIL LAMP BULBS CAN PREMATURELY BECOME INOPERATIVE DUE TO MALFUNCTIONING BRAKE/TAIL LAMP SOCKETS.ON MARCH 2, 2004, GM INITIATED A 6-YEAR/72,000 MILE SPECIAL POLICY FOR 989,487 SUBJECT VEHICLES TO INSPECT AND REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE/TAIL LAMP BULB SOCKET ASSEMBLIES.ON APRIL 4, 2004, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE04-032) BASED ON CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGING BRAKE LIGHTS NOT OPERATING WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.ON AUGUST 3, 2004 ODI UPGRADED PE04-032 TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA04-021).BY LETTER DATED OCTOBER 27, 2004 GM NOTIFIED NHTSA THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 04V527) COVERING SUBJECT VEHICLES THAT WERE NOT ALREADY REPAIRED UNDER GM'S SPECIAL POLICY.MY 2004 SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT AFTER AUGUST 8, 2003 CONTAIN IMPROVED BRAKE LAMP ASSEMBLIES AND ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.GM DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE IMPROVED BRAKE LAMP ASSEMBLY ON SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT ON AUGUST 8, 2003 AND EARLIER.THE ACTION TAKEN BY GM IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2003, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE03-042) TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2002 AND 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER AND TRAILBLAZER EXT, GMC ENVOY AND ENVOY XL, AND OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA VEHICLES.THE INVESTIGATION WAS UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS ON JANUARY 6, 2004, AND THE SCOPE WAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE CERTAIN MY 2003 ISUZU ASCENDER VEHICLES.ALL SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE BUILT ON GENERAL MOTORS? GMT360 AND GMT370 PLATFORMS AND WERE ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH A WINDSHIELD WIPER ASSEMBLY REFERRED TO AS THE FAMILY DESIGN MODULE (P/N 15171306 BASE, P/N 15171307 FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH RAINSENSE AUTOMATIC MOISTURE SENSITIVE WIPERS).WATER ENTERS THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MODULE CAUSING THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ON THE CONTROL CIRCUIT BOARD TO CORRODE AND SHORT OUT, THUS RENDERING THE WIPER MOTOR/MODULE INOPERATIVE.IN NOVEMBER 2002, GM INTRODUCED INTO VEHICLE PRODUCTION A REDESIGNED WINDSHIELD WIPER ASSEMBLY REFERRED TO AS THE ?GLOBAL? DESIGN MODULE (P/N 15094704 BASE, P/N 15094705 FOR VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH RAINSENSE) TO BETTER CONTROL WATER INTRUSION.ODI HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 1,179 NON-DUPLICATIVE OWNER AND FIELD REPORTS ALLEGING WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE ON VEHICLES ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH THE ?FAMILY? DESIGN MODULE.BY LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 2, 2004, GM HAS NOTIFIED ODI THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NO. 04V-046).ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

I WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. DOING 35 MILES AN HOUR. THE AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED AND I TEE BONED THE OTHER VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11021202

Incident

Aug 29, 2017

Mileage

138,000 mi

RECALL WAS ISSUED AND A LETTER WAS SENT TO ME, WE HAVENT DRIVEN THE SUV FOR THE PAST 18 MONTHS BECAUSE OF THE GASOLINE SMELL WHEN WERE SITTING IN IT, AND IT WAS LEAKING GAS, WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT FIXED BUT CANT AFFORD IT.

NHTSA ID

10818402

Incident

Mar 1, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A SECOND VEHICLE CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. DURING THE CRASH, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUFFERED AN INJURED RIGHT KNEE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SUFFERED A HEAD AND NECK INJURY. BOTH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000. UPDATED 03/16/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID

10816790

Incident

Nov 20, 2015

Mileage

127,000 mi

WHEN I TURNED THE KEY TO START THE CAR, MY AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I REPORTED THIS TO GM. GM REFUSED TO SEND ANYONE DOWN TO INSPECT THE BRAVADA TO SEE WHAT MADE THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. GM STATED IT WOULD COST TOO MUCH MONEY TO FIND OUT. I WANT TO PREVENT ANYONE FROM GETTING KILLED. I OR MY PASSENGER OR BOTH WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE I HAD BEEN DRIVING. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10679760

Incident

Dec 21, 2014

Mileage

129,000 mi

WHEN I TURNED THE KEY TO START THE BRAVADA, BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AT THE SAME TIME. DRIVER AIR BAG STRUCK ME ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY FACE CAUSING BURNING SENSATION AND REDNESS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10667502

Incident

Dec 21, 2014

Mileage

128,959 mi

HEADING WEST ON EMERALD PARKWAY BETWEEN RIVERSIDE DRIVE AND DUBLIN ROAD IN DUBLIN, OH MY BRAVADA STALLED, THE GAUGES WENT WILD, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. I MANAGED TO AVOID OTHER TRAFFIC AND COAST THE BRAVADA ONTO DUBLIN ROAD (TURNING LEFT) AND GET IT STOPPED OFF THE ROAD UNDER THE OVERPASS. THE BRAVADA WOULD NOT RESTART, AND THE KEY WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. CRESTVIEW CADILLAC COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. DECOSKY MOTORS IN MOUNT VERNON, OH (WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW) KNEW RIGHT AWAY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS BECAUSE THEY HAD HAD MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF THE SAME ISSUE ON QUITE A FEW GM VEHICLES ALREADY AT THAT TIME (MAY, 2006). MY VEHICLE IS NOT AMONG THE VEHICLES BEING RECALLED BY GM. IT SHOULD BE, AND GM KNEW OF THE ISSUE WAY BACK IN 2006!! I AM WONDERING IF MY VEHICLE WILL DO IT AGAIN. I AM UPSET THAT I HAD TO PAY CRESTVIEW A DIAGNOSTIC FEE, PAY FOR TOWING BOTH TO THEM AND TO DECOSKY'S, HAD TO RENT A CAR, AND OTHER EXPENSES DUE TO THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10607246

Incident

May 20, 2006

Mileage

19,780 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE SPEEDOMETER READ 120 MPH. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

NHTSA ID

10597339

Incident

Apr 16, 2012

Mileage

107,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP WHEN SHIFTING GEARS AND THE VEHICLE HESITATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE THEN WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA ID

10593018

Incident

Oct 15, 2013

Mileage

110,000 mi

This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. Technician will need to call General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further assistance.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and vent temperature.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and vent temperature.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. Technician should not use the information that is provided by the antilock braking system tire size selection.