NHTSA complaint: 2018 GMC SIERRA 2500 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE THE TRUCK WAS UNATTENDED, SMOKE WAS OBSERVED BY A PASSER-BY WHO CALLED THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT. FIRE DEPT BROKE A WINDOW FOR ACCESS, EXTINGUISHED FIRE. HAULED VEHICLE AWAY FOR SAFEKEEPING. HAPPENED WHILE WE WERE AT A CONDO COMPLEX, VEHICLE PARKED FOR THE EVENING. HEAT INTENSITY AND MELTED PLASTIC INDICATED THAT FIRE OCCURRED IN CONSOLE AREA. VEHICLE WAS OFF, WE WERE ASLEEP, NOBODY HAD ACCESS TO INTERIOR OF VEHICLE. A PHONE CHARGER WAS PLUGGED IN, POSSIBLY ANOTHER CHARGER AS WELL.WE CONTACTED GM TO FILE A WARRANTY CLAIM. IT WAS DENIED, ACCORDING TO YVETTE YOUNG BECAUSE "GM COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE SO IT IS NOT OUR PROBLEM." GM DID THREE INVESTIGATIONS, ONE BY THE ADJUSTER, AND TWO MORE THAT INCLUDED A "DESTRUCTIVE INSPECTION." THIS WAS A TWO AND A HALF MONTH PROCESS. WE WERE NOTIFIED BY PHONE THAT THE CLAIM WAS DENIED AND THE LETTER THAT ARRIVED LAST WEEK IS ATTACHED. WE DON'T SMOKE, DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING COMBUSTIBLE IN OR NEAR THE AREA AND ARE CONCERNED THAT THE FIRE WAS RELATED TO THE CHARGERS. SOMETHING IN THAT VEHICLE ALLOWED THE CHARGERS TO OVERHEAT EVEN THOUGH THE TRUCK WAS OFF, IN OUR OPINION. OUR CONCERN IS THAT IF THIS HAD BEEN IN A GARAGE OR HAD PEOPLE BEEN IN THE VEHICLE, LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN LOST. VEHICLE HAD 12,000 MILES ON IT.PURCHASED NEW, NO OBVIOUS CAUSE FOR THIS EVENT. EVENT OCCURRED AT BAY POINT IN PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation