NHTSA Complaint #11396619 — 2015 GMC SIERRA 2500

I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR ALMOST 5 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE RUNNING THE REAR DEFROSTER OR REMOTE STARTING THE VEHICLE. IN JAN OF 2020, THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER THERMAL EVENT (N192265660). I HAD THE RECALL COMPLETED ON 6/18/20 (SEE ATTACHED WORK ORDER). ON 02/11/21 I WAS RUNNING THE REAR DEFROSTER AND HEARD A CRACKLING SOUND. I TURNED OFF THE DEFROSTER AND EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL. ON 02/13/21 I REMOTE STARTED THE VEHICLE TO LET IT WARM UP (VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY). UPON ENTRY OF THE INTO THE VEHICLE I SMELLED WHAT APPEARED TO BE BURNING WIRES. A FEW MOMENTS LATER THE GLASS ON THE REAR WINDOW SHATTERED (SEE PICTURES). I LOOKED DOWN AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR DEFROSTER WAS RUNNING AS EXPECTED FOLLOWING A REMOTE START. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE REAR DEFROSTER OFF. MY CONCERN IS THAT FOR YEARS I RAN THIS DEFROSTER WITH NO ISSUE. I DID MY DUE DILIGENCE TO COMPLETE THE RECALL IN A TIMELY MANNER TO PREVENT ANY THERMAL EVENT FROM OCCURRING. IT APPEARS THAT EITHER THE RECALL WAS NOT COMPLETED CORRECTLY, OR THE RECALL FIX CREATED A NEW THERMAL EVENT. THE BURNING WIRES AND SHATTERING GLASS WERE A FEW OF THE INDICATORS IN THE ORIGINAL RECALL. I PLAN TO CONTACT GM FOR A WAY AHEAD.