NHTSA Complaint #10030983 — 1997 CHEVROLET VENTURE

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE LEFT REAR BRAKE LAMP IN MY 1997 CHEVROLET VENTURE VAN A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES AND THE RIGHT REAR ONCE. AFTER REMOVING THE BULBS, I NOTICED THE BASE OF THE BULBS WERE CHARRED AND MELTED. I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE CHARRING/MELTING EVENTUALLY CAUSING A FIRE. IF THE BULB ASSEMBLY IS PULLING ENOUGH POWER TO MELT THE BASE, SHOULDN'T THE FUSE BLOW? THE LAST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER WORK WHEN ANOTHER MOTORIST TOLD HER SHE HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS. AFTER I CHECKED THE VAN, I DETERMINED THAT BOTH BRAKE LAMPS WERE CHARRED AND MELTED. I HAVE NOT CHECKED ANY OF THE OTHER BULBS YET, BUT NOTICED ANOTHER COMPLAINT HAD BEEN FILED ABOUT THE BULBS MELTING/FUSING TO THE SOCKET. *PH