NHTSA Complaint #10610829 — 2009 BUICK LACROSSE

THE OWNER HAD BEEN SMELLING A BAD ODOR WHEN SHE ARRIVED AT HER DESTINATION IN A MALL PARKING LOT. THE ODOR DID NOT FADE WHEN THE VEHICLE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND SUBSEQUENTLY OPENED THE HOOD. BLACK SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE FUSE BLOCK. UPON REMOVING THE COVER TO THE FUSE BLOCK, THE OWNER OBSERVED A SMALL FIRE WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER EXAMINED BY AN INDEPENDENT ENGINEERING CONSULTANT WHO IDENTIFIED THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE. THE ORIGIN WAS PLACED AT THE # 35 POSITION IN THE FUSE BLOCK WHICH WAS OCCUPIED BY THE HDM MODULE. IT WAS LATER LEARNED FROM THE OWNER THAT AN UNEXPLAINED HEADLIGHT OUTAGE HAD OCCURRED SOMETIME PRIOR TO THE FIRE AND THAT TURNING OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE CAUSED THE HEADLIGHTS TO COME ON AGAIN. THE EVENT NEVER OCCURRED AGAIN. IT WAS FURTHER DETERMINED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL INSTANCES OF HIGHLIGHT FAILURE THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA AND ARE AVAILABLE IN THE "COMPLAINTS" SECTION OF A SEARCH FOR RECALLS OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR