NHTSA Complaint #10615072 — 2006 GMC SIERRA

MY 2006 GMC SIERRA 1500 4X4 CREWCAB WAS RUNNING IDLE AS I WAS PREPARING TO LEAVE FOR CAMPING TRIP. I WAS CHECKING TO INSURE ALL LIGHTS ON VEHICLE AND TRAILER WERE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY BEFORE DEPARTING. I NOTICED UPON DEPARTURE THAT SMOKE WAS COMING FROM INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN. I TURNED OFF RUNNING LIGHTS AND WHEN I TRIED TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE I FOUND THAT I COULD NOT AS THE KEY WAS FROZE/STUCK IN THE ON/RUN POSITION. THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE WAS FILLING WITH SMOKE AND I COULD NOT TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. I QUICKLY DROVE TO THE NEAREST GM DEALERSHIP WHO WAS UNABLE TO HELP DUE TO A HEAVY BACKLOG. I WAS ABLE TO FIND A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO PROMPTLY ASSESSED AND SERVICED MY TRUCK. THE MECHANIC ALERTED ME THAT WHILE THIS TRUCK IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, THE PART HE REPLACED (THE IGNITION SWITCH) IS THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE ENTIRE RECALL AND THAT THE PART HAD FAILED EXACTLY HOW THE RECALLED ASSEMBLIES WERE LISTED AS FAILING. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THIS TRUCK HAS NOT BEEN LOOKED INTO FURTHER FOR THIS RECALL BUT HAD I BEEN FURTHER INTO MY TRIP AND NOT HAD A MECHANIC CLOSE BY TO GET THE TRUCK TO, THE END RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN FAR MORE DAMAGING THEN A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS... *TR