NHTSA Complaint #10223029 — 2000 CHEVROLET VENTURE

MELTED/BURNED PLASTIC WHERE BRAKE LIGHT & TURN-SIGNAL WIRES CONNECT TO REAR BRAKE/TURN-SIGNAL HOUSINGS. ALSO MELTED PLASTIC NEAR CONTACTS WHERE SOME BRAKE LAMPS PLUG INTO THAT HOUSING. CAUSE A DANGEROUS CONDITION FOR DRIVING AT THE LEAST, AND POSSIBLY A FIRE HAZARD. BACKGROUND & SPECIFICS: BRAKE LAMPS BURN OUT FREQUENTLY. UPON CHANGING THEM I SEE BURNED PLASTIC AROUND THE AREA WHERE BULB LEADS CONNECT TO BRAKE LIGHT HOUSING. ALSO HAVE SEEN SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE DASHBOARD LIGHT INDICATORS FOR BRAKES DO NOT WORK PROPERLY, BECAUSE OF POOR GROUNDING/WIRING/CONTACTS BETWEEN BRAKE WIRES AND BRAKE LIGHT HOUSINGS. WHEN THEY FAIL, SPECIFIC RESULT IS THE FOLLOWING: WHEN IGNITION TURNED ON, BOTH BRAKE SIGNAL LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD LIGHT UP--EVEN THOUGH TURN SIGNALS LEVER IS NOT ON. IF I SET TURN SIGNAL ON, BOTH DASHBOARD TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR LIGHTS STAY ON. THEN THE DASHBOARD TURN-SIGNAL LIGHTS WILL BLINK FAST IF I HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND AT NORMAL SPEED WHEN I AM OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL. I REMOVED BRAKE LIGHT HOUSINGS AGAIN AND REMOVED CONNECTOR THAT PLUGS INTO THEM. THEY BOTH SMELL OF BURNED PLASTIC, AND YOU CAN SEE THE PLASTIC IS BADLY BURNED AWAY AROUND ONE (GROUND) WIRE WITHIN THE CONNECTOR. I LOOKED ON FORUMS ONLINE AND MANY MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL CAR. I FEEL THIS PRESENTS A DANGEROUS SITUATION--THAT MAY EITHER CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, OR A ELECTRICAL FIRE WITHIN THE CAR. THE CAR FAILED INSPECTION AND I FELT IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. BECAUSE OTHERS ONLINE INDICATED THE SAME PROBLEMS I FIGURED THAT REPLACING THE BRAKE/TAIL LIGHT HOUSINGS WITH MORE OEM HOUSINGS WOULD RISK HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. SO I DRILLED OUT THE PLASTIC AND MANUALLY SOLDERED A PROPER GROUND WIRE TO THE PROPER PLACE IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN PROPER GROUND CONTACT. I DON'T FEEL THIS IS A GOOD SOLUTION BUT MANY OTHERS WHO INDICATED THIS PROBLEM SAID THE DEALER WOULD NOT HONOR REPAIR OF THIS OBVIOUS DESIGN OR MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. *TR