NHTSA Complaint #10163354 — 2004 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

IN JUNE 2006 THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO PINKERTON CHEVROLET BECAUSE OF A HOT WIRE SMELL. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE SMELL. AN OIL CHANGE WAS DONE AT THE SAME TIME. APPROXIMATELY 7 WEEKS LATER THE TRUCK SHUT OFF. MY HUSBAND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE TRUCK TO NO AVAIL. HE LEFT THE TRUCK IN THE OFF POSITION AND WENT FOR HELP. HE RETURNED 20 MINUTES LATER TO FIND THAT THE TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE CAB. THE DOME LIGHT WAS ON BUT THE DOORS WERE SHUT. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY THINK RATS GOT INTO THE ENGINE BUT THERE WAS NO FIRE IN THE ENGINE ONLY IN THE CAB. THE TRUCK IS MOVED EVERYDAY. WE HAVE TWO OTHER TRUCKS AND A CAMPER THAT IS STATIONARY ALL THE TIME AND THEY HAVE NO RAT NESTS IN THEM. WE HAVE NO TALL GRASS AROUND OUR HOUSE OR IN OUR YARD. THE TRUCK SAT AT THE DEALERSHIP IN THE TALL GRASS FOR A WEEK BEFORE IT WAS EVEN LOOKED AT AFTER THE INCIDENT. MY HUSBAND REGULARLY DOES SAFETY CHECKS ON THE VEHICLES AND NEVER SAW ANY RAT NESTS, GNAWING, OR DROPPINGS IN THE MOTOR COMPARTMENT. THE DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT THE SUPPOSED RATS REALLY CAUSED THE FIRE. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT MY INSURANCE NEEDS TO PAY FOR IT. THE TRUCK WAS AT THE SHOP A MONTH BEFORE AND YET THERE WAS NO THOROUGH CHECK UP ON THE TRUCK WHILE IT WAS THERE. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE TRUCK TO JUST GO UP IN FLAMES. THE DEALERSHIP IS FIXING THE TRUCK ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT MY INSURANCE IS GOING TO COVER IT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF DOING IT THEMSELVES. *NM