NHTSA Complaint #10262659 — 2000 CHEVROLET TAHOE

A CO-WORKER AND I WENT TO A CHRISTIAN BOOK STORE DURING LUNCH ON THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2009, WE LEFT OUR OFFICE AT 12:30 PM. WE ARRIVED AT THE STORE APPROXIMATELY 12:50 PM. WE WENT INTO THE STORE, WE WEREN'T IN THE STORE 10 MINUTES AND MY ALARM WAS GOING OFF ON MY 2000 CHEVROLET TAHOE. I TRIED TO UNLOCK & RELOCK THE TRUCK BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A FLUKE. I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW OF THE STORE AND SAW A LITTLE SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD (NEAR THE WINDSHIELD). I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS OVERHEATING (WE NEVER HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH OVERHEATING IN THE PAST), FIRE NEVER ENTERED MY MIND FOR A SECOND. I RAN OUTSIDE AND OPENED THE DOOR. WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR THERE WAS A BUNCH OF SMOKE AND FIRE UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DASH. THEN THE FIRE WENT CRAZY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT TOOK ALL THE WATER THEY HAD TO PUT IT OUT (500 GALLONS). THEY ARE PRETTY SURE IT WAS ELECTRICAL. WE HAVE NEVER HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH THIS TAHOE. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING MECHANICALLY DONE TO IT. IT LITERALLY CAUGHT FIRE SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHEN I WAS STILL DRIVING MY FRIEND AND I WOULDN'T BE ALIVE. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY TRAUMATIC EVENT IN MY LIFE, DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INSURANCE IS GOING TO DO IF ANYTHING AND CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER VEHICLE PAYMENT. PLUS THE TAHOE WAS ONLY 4 PAYMENTS FROM BEING PAID OFF. CALLED CHEVROLET ON FRIDAY, MARCH 20TH , TALKED TO OSCAR ROBINS AND HE WAS SUPPOSE TO TALK TO MY HUSBAND, INSTEAD HE HAD HIS REPRESENTATIVE CALL HIM AND ASK HIM USELESS QUESTIONS (LIKE MY HEIGHT??). MY HUSBAND SAID THAT REPRESENTATIVE WAS GOING TO CALL ME WITH SOME MORE QUESTIONS. THEY NEVER DID. *TR