# 2002 CHEVROLET ASTRO — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
> NHTSA complaint `639937` · 2007-09-24 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** CHEVROLET
- **Model:** ASTRO
- **Year:** 2002
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
- **Miles at failure:** 123,000
## Narrative
OPERATED THE VAN FOR 30 MINUTES. PARKED IT IN A GARAGE AND SHUTOFF ENGINE. TEN MINUTES LATER THE GARAGE SMOKE ALARM SOUNDED. THE VAN HAD FILLED THE GARAGE FULL OF SMOKE. OPENED THE DOOR AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE TO REMOVE FROM GARAGE. DISPLAY REPORTED AN ASSORTMENT OF WARNINGS AND ENGINE STARTER FAILED TO ACTIVATE.  OPENED HOOD TO DISCOVER FLAMES COMING FROM THE UNDERSIDE ON THE ENGINE. CALLED FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND MADE FIRST ATTEMPT TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO STOP FLAMES FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.  WENT UNDER THE VAN'S DRIVER-SIDE AND COULD NOW SEE THE SOURCE OF FIRE. EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, THEN IT SHORTLY ERUPTED AGAIN. EXTINGUISHED AGAIN.  PLACED THE KEY INTO THE STEERING COLUMN TO MOVE TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL, SO THAT I COULD PUSH THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE GARAGE. SPARKS IMMEDIATELY FLEW FROM THE DRIVER-SIDE UNDERSIDE AND RE-IGNITED THE FIRE.  THE TRANSMISSION LEVER WAS NO LONGER ENGAGED TO THE TRANSMISSION (CONTROL WAS LIMP) AND THE KEY SEIZED IN THE COLUMN.  WENT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE A THIRD TIME.  AFTER THIS I REMOVED THE POSITIVE POWER LEAD FROM THE BATTERY TO STOP ANY FURTHER ELECTRICAL SHORTS.  FIRE SUBSIDED.  FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND ORDERED A WRECKER TO DRAG THE VEHICLE FROM THE GARAGE FOR SAFETY OF THE HOUSE.  AT THIS TIME IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FIRE HAD ALSO DESTROYED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS SEIZED IN THE OFF POSITION.    CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP REPAIR ORDER STATES AS FOLLOWS:
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*