NHTSA Complaint #11700843 — 2016 CHEVROLET CAMARO

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Camaro. The contact stated that while driving over the train tracks at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed that there was smoke and a burning odor coming through the vents. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. The contact opened the hood and inspected the engine compartment, but the contact could not find the origin of the burning odor. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where the contact discovered that the smoke and the burning odor were coming from the starter that was 3 inches away from the exhaust manifold, by design. The contact purchased the starter from the dealer, and the contact replaced the starter; however, the failure persisted. The contact then noticed that the wires and the wiring harness of the starter were severely burned. The contact purchased the wires and the wiring harness from the dealer. The contact replaced the starter, the wires, and the wiring harness, and installed a custom-made heat shield between the starter and the exhaust manifold. Additionally, the contact stated that the steering wheel had failed to lock after turning off the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000. The VIN was not available.