NHTSA Complaint #10210434 — 2002 PONTIAC SUNFIRE

I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE AUGUST OF 2002, AND HAVE ONLY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR DEFROSTER. IT WOULD WORK WHEN IT WANTED TO. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A FUSE, THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. I FIGURED THAT IT WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING, BUT IT WASN'T COVERED BY THE WARRANTY, AND I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO LET A MECHANIC GO PROBING AROUND MY CAR TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. ON 11/28/07 WHILE I WAS DRIVING ONLY A FEW MILES, UPON STARTING THE CAR - SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT OF MY VENTS AND THE GAS GAUGE (WHICH THE TANK WAS FULL) STARTED DROPPING DOWN TO 'E'. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAY THAT THE TWO THINGS ARE UNRELATED. EXACT QUOTE FROM INVOICE ABOUT WHAT CAUSED THE SMOKE "BURNT SMELL ELECTRICAL, FOUND HARNESS TO REAR DEFOGGER ON LEFT LOWER KICK PANEL MELTED REPLACED CONNECTOR WITH BUTT CONNECTORS". I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE GAS GAUGE AND THAT IT HAPPENED AT THE EXACT SAME TIME THAT THE SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE VENT, AND THE INVOICE ABOUT THAT SAYS "NEEDS SENDING UNIT IN TANK ORDERED PARTS 200 PARTS 240 LABOR". MAKING THE PRICE COME TO AROUND 440.00 TO FIX THE GAS GAUGE! I CALLED AROUND AND FOUND A MECHANIC THAT CHARGED ME $300.00, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE SENDING UNIT WASN'T DEFECTIVE! WHEN THE HARNESS TO THE REAR DEFOGGER MELTED - IT MELTED OUT THE CLUSTER FOR THE FUEL GAUGE. I SPENT $300.00 FOR NOTHING, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH I WILL HAVE TO PAY TO GET THE DASHBOARD CLUSTER FIXED. *TR