NHTSA ID Number: 10397404

Incident Date: 2011-04-10

Manufacturer's Name: General Motors, LLC

Vehicle/Equipment Make: CHEVROLET

Vehicle/Equipment Model: ASTRO

Model Year: 2003
9999 If Unknown Or N/A

Vehicle Identification Number: 1GNDM19X63B

Vehicle Mileage At Failure: 80246

Vehicle Speed: 0

Number Of Occurrences: 1

Was Vehicle Towed: No

Consumer Location: TORRANCE, CA

Summary of Complaint

POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DEFECT IN THE 2003 CHEVROLET ASTRO VAN. THE STEERING KNUCKLE/ARM IS DESIGNED IN A WAY THAT CAUSES IT TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH A WIRING HARNESS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT. OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, THIS CONSTANT CONTACT DAMAGES THE WIRING HARNESS AND ALLOWS THE STEERING KNUCKLE/ARM TO TOUCH THE WIRES INSIDE THE WIRING HARNESS. THE WIRING HARNESS IS CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THE BATTERY SO THE END RESULT IS DAMAGE TO OTHER WIRES ALSO SHEATHED IN THAT WIRING HARNESS. TWO WEEKS AGO, WHILE PULLING OUT OF A GROCERY STORE PARKING SPACE, EVERYTHING DIED. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RE-START AND NOTHING ELECTRICAL WORKED, FROM THE DOOR LOCKS TO THE RADIO. EVERYTHING WAS DEAD. WE COULD SMELL BURNING WIRES AND TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. BECAUSE THE DOORS WERE LOCKED WE COULD NOT GET THEM OPEN. WE HAD TO MANUALLY PUSH UP OUR DOOR LOCKS; EACH OF US PUSHING UP THE LOCK OF OUR OWN DOOR, SO THAT WE COULD GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. SINCE THEN WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED, ADDITIONAL ISSUE WAS THAT THE ABS LIGHT AND BRAKE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD SINK TO THE FLOOR. WE CAME CLOSE TO REAR-ENDING SOMEONE SEVERAL TIMES. ON APRIL 23, 2011, WE SHOWED THE DAMAGED WIRING HARNESS TO THE MECHANIC AT THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. WITHIN TWO HOURS, WE RECEIVED A CALL TO LET US KNOW THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE (ABS) MODULE HAD BEEN DAMAGED. BOTH HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $2,100. WE CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER SERVICE THIS MORNING. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY CONSIDERED THIS ISSUE TO BE CAUSED BY ?NORMAL WEAR, BASED UPON THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE.? WE DISAGREE WITH THEIR FINDINGS. CONCERN IS THAT THIS DEFECT CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO IMPORTANT SAFETY ITEMS, SUCH AS THE BRAKES AND DOOR LOCKS. THE AREA OF THE WIRING HARNESS THAT IS COMING INTO CONTACT WITH THE STEERING KNUCKLE/ARM SHOULD EITHER BE MOVED OR BETTER PROTECTED. WE DON'T WANT OTHER DRIVERS INJURED. *TR

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Complaint 10397404 Documents

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CRASH: No
WAS VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A CRASH

FIRE: No
WAS VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FIRE

INJURIES: 0
NUMBER OF PERSONS INJURED

DEATHS: 0
NUMBER OF FATALITIES

Was Medical Attention Required: No

Was Incident Reported To Police: No

Date Of Incident: 2011-04-10
(YYYY-MM-DD)

Date Added To File: 2011-04-25
(YYYY-MM-DD)

Date Complaint Received By NHTSA: 2011-04-25
(YYYY-MM-DD)

Date Purchased:
(YYYY-MM-DD)

Was Original Owner: No

Product Type: Vehicle

V = Vehicle
T = Tires
E = Equipment
C = Child Restraint

Specific Component's Description: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Anti-Lock Brakes: No

Cruise Control: No

Number Of Cylinders: 6

Drive Train Type:
[AWD, 4WD, FWD, RWD]

Fuel System:

FI = Fuel Injection
TB = Turbo

Fuel Type:

BF = BiFuel
CN = CNG/LPG
DS = Diesel
GS = Gas
HR = Hybrid Electric

Vehicle Transmission Type [Auto, Man]:

(DOT) Department Of Transportation Tire Identifier:

Tire Size:

Location Of Tire:

FSW = Driver Side Front
DSR = Driver Side Rear
FTR = Passenger Side Front
PSR = Passenger Side Rear
SPR = Spare

Type Of Tire Failure:

BST = Blister
BLW = Blowout
TTL = Crack
OFR = Out Of Round
TSW = Puncture
TTR = Road Hazard
TSP = Tread Separation

Was Defective Tire Repaired:

Was Part Original Equipment:

Date Of Manufacture:
(YYYYMMDD)

Type Of Child Seat:

B = Booster
C = Convertible
I = Infant
IN = Integrated
TD = Toddler

Installation System:

A = Vehicle Safety Belt
B = Latch System

Dealer's Name:

Dealer's Telephone Number:

Dealer's City:

Dealer's State:

Dealer's Zipcode:

SOURCE OF COMPLAINT CODE:

CAG = Consumer Action Group
CON = Forwarded From A Congressional Office
DP = Defect Petition,result Of A Defect Petition
EVOQ = Hotline VOQ
EWR = EARLY WARNING REPORTING
INS = Insurance Company
IVOQ = NHTSA Web Site
LETR = Consumer Letter
MAVQ = NHTSA Mobile APP
MIVQ = NHTSA Mobile APP
MVOQ = Optical Marked VOQ
RC = Recall Complaint, Result Of A Recall Investigation
RP = Recall Petition, Result Of A Recall Petition
SVOQ = Portable Safety Complaint Form (PDF)
VOQ = NHTSA Vehicle Owners Questionnaire

Incident State Code:

Vehicle Operator's Name: