NHTSA Complaint #10148120 — 1999 CHEVROLET BLAZER

DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED. AFTER TURNING ON THE HEATER, SMOKE POURED FROM THE INTERIOR VENTS AND VISIBLE FLAMES WERE BEHIND THE DASHBOARD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND DETERMINED THE FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL IN NATURE. AFTER THE INITIAL PURCHASE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP SUSPECTED IT COULD HAVE BE THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING SIGNALING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE AIRBAG SENSOR INDICATING AIRBAG FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP CLEARED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE AND RECOMMENDED THE VEHICLE BE SEEN BY A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP. CONTRARY TO THE DEALERS SUGGESTION, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ALSO RECOMMENDED THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. TWO DAYS LATER, THE VEHICLE BURNED AND WAS TOTALED BY THE EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE. *JB