NHTSA Complaint #10126363 — 2002 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

DT:CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS AN ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM AS A FEATURE AND THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE THIS FEATURE. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING IN SKOKIE A SUBURB OF CHICAGO, WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO STEERING NO BRAKES NO CONTROL OF ANY KIND. ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BEGAN TO FLASH. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO FORCE ENOUGH STEERING SO THAT SHE COULD MERGE OFF THE ROAD INTO A DRIVEWAY AND BUSHES THAT HELPED CONSUMER BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP. CONSUMER NOTICED A MESSAGE THAT CAME UP ON MESSAGE PANEL OF INSTRUMENT PANEL. MESSAGE READ SECURITY, AND CONSUMER FOUND LATER THAT OWNERS MANUAL SAID THAT THIS MESSAGE WAS INFORMING VEHICLE DRIVER OF A SECURITY LOCK, WHICH MEANS THAT THE VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN TO KEEP FROM BEING STOLEN. WHEN CONSUMER WAS TOWED TO DEALER, DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT FUEL PUMP WENT OUT AND THIS ENGAGED THE PASS LOCK FEATURE. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD HAVE HAD SEVERE CONSEQUENCES. DEALER SAID THE PASS LOCK SYSTEM COULD BE ENGAGED BY OTHER SIMPLE WAYS, LIKE PUTTING THE WRONG KEY IN THE IGNITION, AND THERE IS NO WAY TO DISABLE SYSTEM. *JB