NHTSA complaint: 2001 PONTIAC MONTANA — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
I THINK THERE MUST BE SOME ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN MY VAN'S WIRING. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF OTHER'S HAVE REPORTED SUCH TROUBLE. THIS FIRST STARTED WITH MY TURN SIGNALS. THEY WOULD COME ON BY THEMSELVES WHILE I WAS DRIVING. EITHER THE RIGHT OR LEFT OR SOMETIMES BOTH WOULD JUST START BLINKING, OR NOTHING WOULD SHOW ON THE DASH COLUMN BUT YOU COULD HEAR THE CLICKING. THAT WAS 02/02. ON AUGUST 28,2002 I HAD JUST STARTED THE VAN AND PULLED AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL WHEN A SMALL STREAM OF SMOKE BEGIN TO LEAK FROM THE ODOMETER AREA OF THE DASH. THE DEALER IS JUST ACROSS THE HIGHWAY SO I DECIDED TO TRY AND MAKE IT. I HAD NOT EVEN GONE A BLOCK BEFORE WHITE SMOKE HAD FILLED THE FRONT CABIN AREA AND WAS FILLING THE VAN. I PULLED OVER SHUT OFF THE IGNITION, GOT MY 2 CHILDREN OUT AND CALLED THE DEALER FOR HELP. THEY THINK WHEN I TURNED OFF THE SWITCH THE FIRE WENT OUT. I WAITED 30 MINUTES FOR THEM TO COME ACROSS THE STREET TO GET ME BUT NO ONE SHOWED. THE MAN AT THE BODY SHOP WHERE I STOPPED TOOK US OVER TO THE DEALER. THEY NOW SAY THE CLUSTER SHORTED OUT AND HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. THEY ALSO SAY THEY HAVE SPRAYED TO HELP THE SMOKE SMELL. THEY INSIST THE VAN IS SAFE BUT I DO NOT FEEL LIKE TAKING A CHANCE WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE VAN. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE HAD ANY SIMILAR REPORTS BECAUSE PONTIAC SAYS THIS IS THE FIRST THEY HAVE HEARD OF SUCH. PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR OPINION ON MY VAN'S SAFETY. I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT THE VAN'S LONG TERM LIFE.*AK
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation