NHTSA Complaint #10554245 — 2009 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

AFTER UNLOCKING THE MANUAL DOOR LOCK ON THE TRUCK THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR. THE LOCK WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE INTERIOR LOCKING MECHANISM, EFFECTIVELY TRAPPING ME IN MY VEHICLE. AT THIS TIME I UNROLLED THE WINDOW AND USED THE KEY IN THE OUTSIDE DOOR TO TRY TO UNLOCK THE DOOR, BUT THE LOCK WAS JAMMED AND I WAS UNABLE TO LEAVE MY VEHICLE USING EITHER THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE HANDLE OR LOCKS OR THE DRIVER DOOR. I WAS FORCED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM AND SEEMS TO OCCUR MOST OFTEN AFTER RAINFALL OR A CAR WASH. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, CAR FIRE OR WATER CRASH OR OTHER EMERGENCY THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE FATAL AND SHOULD BE RECALLED TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM BEING TRAPPED IN THEIR VEHICLES. IT IS ALSO NOTABLE THAT CONSUMER REPORTS HAS LISTED "LOCKS AND LATCHES" AS A COMMON PROBLEM AREA FOR A 2009 SILVERADO. I CONTACTED A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THEY REFUSED FULLY COVER THE REPAIR COST, WHICH WAS WELL OVER $250 AND THEY STATED THAT THE "DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR WAS DEFECTIVE". THE CORPORATE GM PHONE CALL CENTER WAS NOT HELPFUL AND TOLD ME IT WOULD NOT BE FULLY COVERED BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS JUST OUT OF BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED TO PROTECT CONSUMERS. *TR