NHTSA complaint: 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE DASHBOARD AREA AND THEN SPREAD TO THE HOOD. THE FIRE OCCURRED TWO TO THREE MONTHS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. A RELATIVE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HAND DUE TO THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS ELECTRICAL. THERE IS NO FIRE OR POLICE REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW THE SPECIFICS OF THE REPAIR WORK. THREE MONTHS AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN VIBRATING WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OR MORE. THE BRAKES AND THE DISC WERE REPLACED AND ALIGNED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR AND THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED WITHIN A MONTH. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE DISC FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL. THE CONTACT DETECTS THE SMELL OF FUEL WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE FUEL GAUGE HAS FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY SINCE THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL WAS FULL; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS ALSO THE PRESENCE OF FUEL ON THE GROUND AFTER ADDING FUEL TO THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS NOT DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF THE FUEL GAGE FAILURE OR THE ODOR. THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO THE FUEL ODOR IN THE INTERIOR. ALTHOUGH THE BRAKES WERE REPAIRED TWICE, THE VIBRATION CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE RECEIPTS FOR ALL
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation