NHTSA Complaint #10007677 — 2002 GMC ENVOY

BELOW IS COPY OF LETTER GIVEN TO GM DEALERSHIP FOLLOWING THE ENGINE FAILURE AT HIGH SPEED: 10/05/2001 TO : BOB ROSS SERVICE DEPARTMENT 2002 GMC ENVOY 3,240 MILES PROBLEM: ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 4TH, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON 675 TO FAIRFIELD MALL FROM OUR HOME AT 6:10 PM IN THE EVENING. SHE HAD TRAVELED ABOUT 8 MILES AND WAS GOING 65 MPH IN THE MIDDLE LANE WHEN THE ENVOY SUDDENLY LURCHED AND THEN QUICKLY SLOWED WITH TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE HEADLIGHTS (IT WAS DARK) WERE STILL ON AND THE CHECK ABS LIGHT CAME ON AS SHE COASTED TO THE BERM IN MODERATE TRAFFIC. AT THAT POINT THE CAR WOULD TURN OVER (BATTERY OK) WITH THE KEY BUT WOULD NOT FIRE. SHE CALLED ON-STAR AND THEY SAID IT WOULD HAVE TO BE TOWED AND CALLED DISPATCH (CASE 00244572). SHE ALSO CALLED ME SO THAT I COULD PICK HER UP. WHEN I GOT TO THE CAR, APPROXIMATELY 6:15, I TURNED OVER THE ENGINE AND IT FIRED. THE CHECK ABS LAMP WAS STILL ON. I WAITED FOR THE TOW TRUCK AND HE FOLLOWED ME TO THE BOB ROSS DEALERSHIP. AS I STARTED TO DRIVE, THE ABS LAMP WENT OUT, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE SOON LAMP CAME ON AND STAYED ON THE ENTIRE DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP (ABOUT 8 MILES) WHERE IT WAS PARKED AT 6:50 PM SUNDAY NIGHT. DURING THE DRIVE, IT WAS OBVIOUS THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF ONE OF THE LOWER RANGE GEARS (NOT SURE WHICH ONE) AND IT APPEARS THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING IN ''LIMP HOME MODE''. IT WOULD APPEAR SOME COMPUTER GLITCH HAS OCCURRED WHICH IS CRITICAL TO THE ENTIRE ENGINE CONTROL PROGRAM. I AM VERY CONCERNED IN THAT THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 3240 MILES AND THE TOTAL AND SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER IN MODERATE TRAFFIC AND DARKNESS COULD HAVE PLACED MY WIFE IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION AS SHE TRIED TO MOVE TO THE BERM WITH NO POWER ASSIST (STEERING OR BRAKES) AVAILABLE. PLEASE CHECK THE VEHICLE OUT CAREFULLY TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THIS UNACCEPTABLE FAILURE. JOHN PERKINS