NHTSA Complaint #10326179 — 2006 GMC ENVOY XL

I OWN A 2006 GMC ENVOY XL. LAST MAY OF 2009 I WAS DRIVING ON US STATE 30 WITH MY CHILDREN WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR START SMOKING VIGOROUSLY WITHOUT WARNING. JUST AS THIS HAPPENED THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS AND REMOVE IT FROM TRAFFIC. I THEN TRIED TO OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR TO GET OUT (THE HANDLE ITS SELF WAS NOT SMOKING) AND IT WOULD NOT OPEN. I CLIMBED INTO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND MANUALLY OPENED THE DOOR, GOT OUT, THEN REMOVED MY CHILDREN ALSO. THIS INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO GMC AND THEIR ANSWER WAS THAT THE CAR SHUTTING OFF WAS DESIGNED AS A SAFETY FEATURE. EXPLAIN HOW THIS COULD BE SAFE IN MY SITUATION? *TR THE CONSUMER STATED THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE RECENTLY FAILED FOR THE FOURTH TIME IN DISASTROUS WEATHER CONDITIONS. ON FEBRUARY 17, 2014, THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY IN A SERIOUS TIME OF NEED. ON FEBRUARY 19, 2014, AFTER 6 1/2 HOURS, THE PROBLEM WAS FINALLY DIAGNOSED AS BEING THE DECODER MOTOR AND WIRING FOR THE FOURTH TIME SINCE FEBRUARY 15, 2010. UPDATED 06/05/14. *JB