NHTSA Complaint #10130526 — 2000 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

I OWN A 2000 CHEVY SILVERADO TRUCK. IT HAS 57,000 MILES AND IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. ON OR ABOUT JULY 09 2005, THE POWER LOCK MECHANISM FOR THE PASSENGER DOOR STOPPED WORKING. THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR STILL WORKED. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE A BLOWN FUSE BUT AFTER CHECKING ALL FUSES DETERMINED THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. I FELT THAT MY KEY TO THE DOORS WOULD ALLOW ACCESS TO THE PASSENGER SIDE BUT IT WOULD NOT OPEN. THE KEY DID WORK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE SLIDE BAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR ALSO COULD NOT MOVE THUS RENDERING THAT DOOR IN A CONSTANT STATE OF BEING LOCKED. I BECAME VERY CONCERNED THAT A VEHICLE COULD BE MADE WITH POWER LOCKS AND NOT HAVE SOME SYSTEM TO MANUALLY ALLOW THE OPENING OF THE VEHICLE. IF THE VEHICLE WERE IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE ONLY WAY OUT WAS THE PASSENGER DOOR THE OCCUPANT COULD FACE SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. I SENT AN E MAIL TO GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM. I WANTED TO SPEAK TO AN ENGINEER TO FIND OUT WHY A VEHICLE WOULD FUNCTION LIKE THIS BUT WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT HONOR MY REQUEST AND I NEEDED TO BRING THE TRUCK TO A DEALER FOR REPAIRS MY STANCE IS I DO NOT TRUST SOME DEALERS AND THAT WOULDN'T DETERMINE IF THE DESIGN HAS A MAJOR FLAW. MY VEHICLE MIGHT HAVE BEEN FIXED AT MY EXPENSE BUT PERHAPS ANOTHER OWNER MIGHT BE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS DUE TO FAULTY DESIGNS WHICH IS A SEVERE SAFETY RISK. I AM REQUESTING THIS MATTER RECEIVES A QUICK INVESTIGATION BEFORE A SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH OCCURS. GENERAL MOTORS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE CONCERNED. I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE GENERAL MOTORS TO REPAIR THIS TRUCK UNTIL AN INDEPENDENT STUDY IS PERFORMED. I WILL NOT ALLOW ANY OTHER PASSENGERS IN THIS TRUCK.*JB