NHTSA complaint: 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
I OWN A 2004 CHEVY SUBURBAN. MY SON WAS DETAILING THE CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY. MY OTHER SON WAS DETAILING HIS TRUCK BEHIND IT. MY SON DETAILING THE SUBURBAN HAD THE KEY TURNED TO "ACCESSORY" AND WAS LISTENING TO MUSIC WHILE WORKING. AS HE WAS WIPING THE DASH BOARD OFF, HIS ARM HIT THE STEERING WHEEL SHIFTER AND POPPED THE TRUCK OUT OF GEAR! IT ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY HITTING MY OTHER SON'S TRUCK, LUCKILY MISSING HIM! COME TO FIND OUT, GM HAD PRODUCED THIS VEHICLE WITH THE ACCESSORY POSITION UNLOCKING THE SHIFTER. I CHECKED THE MANUAL AND FOUND NO WARNING OR REFERENCE TO THIS SITUATION. I OWN A 2002 GM TRUCK AND IT PUT IN ACCESSORY DOES NOT UNLOCK THE SHIFTER. I CONTACTED GM TO INVESTIGATE AND WARN IT'S OWNERS, BUT THEY FOUND ON MARCH 17, 2005 BY LETTER TO ME THAT THE SUBURBAN WAS "OPERATING AS DESIGNED". NO OTHER VEHICLE HAS EVER UNLOCKED THE SHIFTER IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION. LIVES ARE IN DANGER. MANY PEOPLE LISTEN TO THE MUSIC IN THEIR VEHICLE WHILE DETAILING OR EVEN TAILGATING AT A FOOTBALL GAME. SOMEONE WILL BE CRUSHED IF THEY ARE NOT WARNED OF THE DESIGN FLAW. I HAVE TRIED WRITING A COUPLE NEWS ORGINIZATIONS AND HAVE WARNED EVERYONE I KNOW. I THINK IT MAY TAKE YOU TO HELP. PLEASE HELP!!
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation