NHTSA Complaint #10587966 — 2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE

I HAVE A 2003 CHEVY VENTURE AND WHEN I PURCHASED IT, I NOTICED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD START BLINKING REAL FAST ON THE DASH. WHEN I WOULD LOOK AT THEM ON THE OUTSIDE THEY WERE BLINKING FINE, AS WAS THE DASH LIGHTS. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, SO I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS JUST THE BULBS THEMSELVES. THEN ON MARCH 29, 2014, I NOTICED A LITTLE PUFF OF SMOKE COME FROM THE HEADLIGHT AREA WHEN MY WIFE PULLED INTO OUR DRIVEWAY. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE TURN/PARKING LIGHT WAS OUT. I LUCKILY HAD A BULB FROM ANOTHER CAR TO REPLACE IT, BUT WHEN I TOOK THE ASSEMBLY OUT AND WENT TO TURN THE CONNECTOR TO REPLACE THE BULB, AND NOTICED IT WAS HOT. THINKING THAT SOMETHING DID NOT SEEM RIGHT, I LET IT COOL DOWN AND THEN REMOVED IT. WHAT I SAW WAS THE CONNECTOR THAT HOLDS THE BULB WAS BLACK AND MELTED. IT ACTUALLY MELTED TO THE BULB ITSELF. I LOOKED AT THE BULB AND IT WAS STILL GOOD, OTHER THAN THE BOTTOM PLASTIC PART. THE WHITE SMOKE I HAD SEEN WAS EITHER THE CONNECTOR CATCHING ON FIRE AND MELTING OR THE MELTING OF THE PLASTIC ITSELF. I NEVER SAW ANY FLAMES. I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THE CONNECTOR, NOR WOULD I RISK MY FAMILY'S LIFE, SO I HAVE NO TURN SIGNAL. THEN WORSE PART IS THE DRIVER SIDE LIGHT WAS DOING THE SAME THING AS THE PASSENGER, BUT IT HAS SINCE STOPPED AND IS WORKING PROPERLY NOW THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE BULB HAS BEEN REMOVED. *TR