NHTSA Complaint #10161459 — 2003 GMC SIERRA 1500

I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK AND I SMELLED A WEIRD SMELL. I THOUGHT MY AIR CONDITIONING MAY BE MESSING UP SO I TURNED OFF MY AIR AND OPENED MY WINDOW. I STILL SMELLED THE WEIRD SMELL WITH THE WINDOW DOWN SO I ASSUMED IT WAS AN ODOR FROM THE CAR IN FRONT OR JUST GENERALLY OUTSIDE. I NOTICED IN MY REARVIEW MIRROR THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS FLAGGING ME DOWN. I PULLED OVER AND SHE TOLD ME MY TRUCK WAS SMOKING AND SHE THOUGHT SHE SAW A FLAME OUT THE BACK. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD BETTER AND GOT OUT TO LOOK. I LOOKED IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE CAB AND THE BED AND I SAW FLAMES. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE FLAMES GOT BIGGER AND FLARED UP OVER THE BED OF THE TRUCK. A PASSING MOTORIST STOPPED AND HAD A COOLER OF WATER AND POURED IT ON THE AREA AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. I HAD CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED AFTER THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT. THE POLICE DID NOT ACCOMPANY THE FIRE TRUCK. AN INSURANCE ADJUSTOR HAS NOT BEEN TO THE MECHANIC TO LOOK AT THE TRUCK YET SO I DO NOT KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. *NM