NHTSA Complaint #10111440 — 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. RECENTLY A COIN FROM THE ASHTRAY ENDED UP IN THE LIGHTER SOCKET. THE LIGHTER AND THE POWER SEATS STOPPED WORKING. MY MECHANIC REPLACED THE POWER SEAT CIRCUIT BREAKER. HOWEVER, THE FUSE TO THE LIGHTER HAD NOT SHORTED OUT. INSTEAD, HE SAID, IT MELTED A WIRE UNDERNEATH THE CARPET. THE COST TO REPAIR IT WAS ABOUT $200.00. THE 2004 MODEL HAS A SEPARATE SECTION IN THE ASHTRAY BLOCKED FROM THE SOCKET SO THAT IT COULD NOT HAPPEN ON THE NEWER MODEL. I ASSUME THE ENGINEERING CHANGE WAS MADE BECAUSE MY PROBLEM HAPPENED BEFORE, AND THAT CHANGE WAS MADE TO REDUCE THOSE INSTANCES. I WOULD HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM IF THE FUSE HAD BLOWN WHICH IT DID NOT. I ASKED MY MECHANIC TO REMOVE THE FUSE BECAUSE HE SAID THAT THE MELTED WIRE MIGHT CAUSE A FIRE. I PAID FOR A NEW CIRCUIT BREAKER, AND I FEEL THAT GM SHOULD PAY FOR THE LIGHTER BECAUSE OF THE ENGINEERING OMISSION ON THE EARLIER MODEL. *AK