NHTSA Complaint #10004984 — 2002 GMC YUKON

I BELIEVE THE DESIGN OF THE GMC YUKON POSSES A GREAT RISK OF COSTLY REPAIRS AND THE POSSIBLITY OF A FATAL ACCIDENT. I TOOK MY TRUCK INTO THE DEALER BECAUSE WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE RADIO WENT OUT. I ASSUMED THAT MAYBE A FUSE HAD WENT OUT. BUT WHEN ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO REPLACE THE BLOWN FUSE, THOSE FUSES BLEW ALSO. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALER, I WAS INFORMED THAT A SHORTING OF THE WIRING OCCURRED BECAUSE SODA WAS SPILLED IN THE REAR CUP HOLDER. THIS CAUSED THE RADIO, SPEEDOMETER, HEAT, ETC... TO GO OUT ON THE FRONT DASH PANEL IN ADDITION TO MAKING SOMETHINGS COME ON WHEN THEY WERE IN THE OFF POSITION. BECAUSE OF THE SPILLAGE CLAIM FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THIS I WAS TOLD WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. MY PROBLEM IS THIS, IF A LEAKAGE FROM A CUP-HOLDER CAN CAUSE SO MUCH DAMAGE, SHOULD THOSE WIRES BE SO EASILY EXPOSED? SHOULDN'T THERE BE SOME TYPE OF SAFETY MECHINISM IN PLACE TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING. THIS VEHICLE IS PROMOTED AS A FAMILY CAR, BUT IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE SAFE FOR A FAMILY. IF THE WIRES ARE SO CLOSE TO THE SURFACE UNPROTECTED THAT SODA COULD GO INTO IT FROM A CUP HOLDER, WHAT ABOUT A LITTLE CHILD HAND. I HAVE A TWENTY MONTH OLD DAUGHTER WHO RIDES IN A CAR SEAT IN THE REAR, SHE OFTEN DRINKS FROM A SIP-IT-CUP WHILE BACK THERE. SIP-IT-CUP RARELY LEAK, SO HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT AN AMOUNT GREAT ENOUGH TO CAUSE THIS MUCH DAMAGE COULD OCCUR? SOME SORT OF SAFETY MECHANISM NEEDS TO BE INSTALL TO PREVENT CONTACT WITH THESE WIRES. THESE WIRES CAUSE QUITE A BIT OF SYSTEMS TO FAIL ON THE VEHICLE. WHAT'S NEXT ? I HATE TO IMAGINE THAT IF THIS OCCURS AGAIN THAT MAYBE IT WON'T BE THE RADIO THAT GOES OUT MAYBE IT WILL BE A FIRE THAT STARTS OR MAYBE THE ENTIRE CAR MIGHT EXPLODE. A SAFETY RECALL IS DEFINITELY IN ORDER.