NHTSA Complaint #10300146 — 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA

REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER-- WHEN WE HAD A RECENT SNOW STORM (ONE OF MANY), I USED MY REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER (DEFROSTER) ONLY TO FIND OUT IT WASN'T CLEARING THE WINDOW OF FOG OR MELTING THE BLOWING SNOW. THIS PREVENTED ME FROM SEEING THE VEHICLES BEHIND ME EXCEPT FROM MY SIDE MIRRORS. THE LAMP ON THE CONTROL LIGHTS NORMALLY, BUT THERE IS NO VOLTAGE GOING TO THE REAR DEFOGGER GRID CONNECTORS (ON EACH SIDE OF WINDOW). THERE IS NO SEPARATE FUSE GOING TO THIS DEVICE, ONLY A RELAY IN THE FORWARD FUSE BOX. THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE A BURNT PIN ON THE LARGE CONNECTOR BLOCK UNDER THE KICK PANEL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. AS A NEW CONNECTOR (BOTH HALVES) WOULD BOOST THE COST FROM $261 TO $411, AT THE DEALERS SUGGESTION, I HAD THEM JUMPER THE WIRE FROM EACH SIDE OF THE CONNECTOR INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE CONNECTOR. (AS THIS CONNECTOR IS THERE FOR ASSEMBLY PURPOSES ONLY, WHY NOT JUMPER IT.) I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM WAS DUE TO EITHER A POOR CONNECTION OF THE PINS DURING MANUFACTURING (HIGH RESISTIVE CONNECTION) OR IMPROPER SIZED PINS THAT ARE NOT HEAVY ENOUGH TO CARRY THE CURRENT. AS THIS CONNECTOR IS NOT NORMALLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE OWNER/OPERATOR AND DOES NOT MOVE, IT IS NOT A "WEAR ITEM" AND THUS WAS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE. MY SERVICE WRITER TELLS ME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON AT LEAST ONE OTHER IMPALA THAT HE HAS SEEN IN HIS GM SHOP. WHY ISN'T THIS POWER GRID FUSED AS IT USED TO BE IN EARLIER IMPALA'S? IS THE PIN THE PROPER SIZE FOR THE CURRENT GOING THROUGH THE PIN? THIS NEEDS TO BE CHECKED OUT BEFORE IT CAUSES A FIRE IN A CAR. I HAVE A PHOTO AVAILABLE OF THIS CONNECTOR IF NEEDED. THE OLD CONNECTOR AND PINS ARE STILL IN MY CAR. *TR