NHTSA Complaint #717953 — 2000 PONTIAC SUNFIRE

ON 1-23-2000, MY AUTOMOBILE, WHICH IS JUST 4 MONTHS OLD, STARTED SHOWING PROBLEMS. EVERY TIME YOU APPLIED THE BRAKES, ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS INSIDE WOULD GO OUT. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, I WENT OUTSIDE TO START MY CAR TO LET IT WARM UP, WHEN I RETURNED IN ABOUT 15 MIN. THE INTERIOR WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE AND HAD A VERY STRONG ODOR LIKE PLASTIC BURNING. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP HERE IN TOWN, THEY FIRST SAID THAT THEY CHECKED EVERYTHING OUT AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, JUST AS SOON AS I GOT IN THE CAR AND HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL, ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WENT OUT. AFTER LEAVING THE CAR WITH THEM AGIAN THEY FOUND THAT THE LEAD WIRE HAD SHORTED OUT ON THE PASSNGER SIDE AND BURNT THROUGH THE CARPET AT GROUND POINT. I FEEL THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM HAD THE CARPET IGNITED AND ESPECIALLY BEINGS IT IS A NEW AUTO. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE CHECKED OUT AND SEE IF ANY OTHER SIMILIAR PROBLEMS HAVE OCCURED AND THESE AUTO'S SHOULD BE RECALLED.