NHTSA Complaint #10187857 — 1996 CHEVROLET LUMINA APV

I SMELLED SMOKE IN MY VEHICLE, SO I PULLED OVER. IT SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM THE VENT. MY FRIEND THOUGHT IT WAS ELECTICAL, SO HE STARTED PULLING FUSES TO STOP THE PROBLEM. I DISCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE MOTOR THAT OPENED AND CLOSED THE AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENER ON THE VAN. I TOLD MY FRIEND TO JUST GET OUT AND I CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY, BUT BY THE TIME THEY HAD ARRIVED MY CAR WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I AM THANKFUL THAT I DID NOT HAVE MY CHILDREN WITH ME AT THE TIME AS I DON'T KNOW IF I COULD HAVE GOTTEN THEM OUT IN TIME. MY THREE YEAR OLD WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE BUILT-IN CAR SEAT WHICH IS NEXT TO THE DOOR. THE FIRE HAPPENED SO FAST. I MIGHT ADD I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR OR AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENER. MY CAR WAS TOTALED. *AK