NHTSA Complaint #10342272 — 2007 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

2007 CHEVROLET SILVERADO PICKUP TRUCK. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE GM TO BUY BACK TRUCK BECAUSE OF DESIGN FLAWS AND SUSPECTED LEMON *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED ONSTAR ACTIVATED AND STATED THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER CALLED ONSTAR TO TELL THEM THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THE OPERATOR ASKED THE CONSUMER WERE THERE ANY LIGHTS ON THE DASH. THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. THE OPERATOR ATTEMPTED TO INSTRUCT THE CONSUMER ON HOW TO RESET THE LIGHT, AND STATED IF IT DIDN'T CLEAR WITHIN TWO DAYS TO CALL BACK. WHEN THE CONSUMER PUT THE GEAR INTO DRIVE AND STARTED TO GO FORWARD, THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS EXPLOSION, DUST FILLED THE TRUCK AND ONSTAR CAME ON SAYING THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THEY VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. A WEEK LATER, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP STATING THE EXPLOSION WAS CAUSED BY A POOR DESIGN IN THE GALLEYS IN THE FLOOR, THEY WENT FROM THE CENTER OF THE TRUCK TO THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR UNDER A RUBBER MATE. ONE OF THE GALLEYS WENT THROUGH A RUBBER GROMMET WHICH ALLOWED WATER TO LEAK INTO A COMPARTMENT STORING VERY HIGH PRESSURE COMPACT CYLINDERS FOR THE AIR BAG AND SEAT BELTS. THE WATER CAUSED CORROSION ON THE HIGH PRESSURE CYLINDERS AND CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. ALSO, THE TAILGATE LATCH WOULD NOT LATCH PROPERLY. THE DEALER FOUND THE PIVOTS HAD SEIZED. ON COLD STARTS, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HESITATE AND THEN A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD. THE DEALER FOUND A VALVE BODY BOLT BROKEN. *JB