NHTSA Complaint #10051187 — 1999 CHEVROLET G VAN

MAJOR DESIGN FLAWS IN THE ECM MODULE ENCLOSURE AND LOCATION OF ECM IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUSE PREMATURE AND CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. PERMANENT DAMAGE TO WIRING HARNESS ALSO OCCURS DUE TO WATER INTRUSION COMPLICATED BY ROAD SALT CONTAMINATION OF HARNESS CONNECTORS AND WIRING. ELECTRONIC PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS IN THE ECM BECOME EXPOSED TO ROAD SPRAY AND WHICH ALLOWS WATER TO POOL WITHIN THE ECM MODULE'S CASING. AFTER EVAPORATING, THIS WATER WILL LEAVE BEHIND THE ROAD SALTS THAT WERE IN SOLUTION CAUSING A BUILDUP OF SAME UNTILL UNIT FAILS. THESE CONDITIONS WILL BE FOUND ON NUMEROUS VEHICLES IN FREEZING/THAWING CYCLIC REGIONS. RECENTLY GM ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN THAT ACKNOWLEGES THIS PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY, IT DOES NOT EFFECTIVLY REACH OUT TO THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLE WHO MAY HAVE TOTAL ENGINE CONTROL FAILURE OCCUR UNDER THE WORST OF WEATHER CONDITIONS THEREBY CREATING A REAL COLLISION SAFETY HAZARD. *AK