# 1994 GMC SUBURBAN — VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
> NHTSA complaint `331532` · 2002-01-24 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** GMC
- **Model:** SUBURBAN
- **Year:** 1994
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
## Narrative
FRONT WIPER MOTOR STALLED DURING RAINSTORM, TRAVELLING 55MPH ON MAJOR HIGHWAY.  WIPER AND WIPER FLUID MOTOR QUIT UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE IN OPERATION OR WHILE STOPPED.  SOMETIMES A BUZZING SOUND OCCURS WITH THE FAILURE.  I DISCOVERED THAT I CAN TAP THE WIPER MOTOR MODULE AND THE WIPER MOTOR MAY BEGIN AGAIN, BUT ITS WORK WILL BE SHORTLIVED.     ANOTHER PROBLEM I ENCOUNTERED WITH THIS VEHICLE WAS A MELTDOWN AND SMALL FIRE UNDER THE DRIVERSIDE DASH.  THE ROCKER SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE DOME LIGHT HAS AN "AUTO" AND AN "OFF"  POSITION. WHILE IN "AUTO" FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR WITH THE DOORS OPEN, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASH AND THE ROCKER SWITCH HAD MELTED DOWN DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDING UP IN THE CONTACT.  I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER WHEN I PURCHASED A REPLACEMENT SWITCH WHO COMMENTED THAT THESE SWITCHES WERE A PROBLEM.*AK
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*