NHTSA complaint: 2008 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I PURCHASED A NEW CHEVY SILVERADO EXT. CAB 4X4 LTZ AND DROVE APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I PROCEEDED APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 50 YARDS IN AN EFFORT TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. BEFORE I COULD PULL OVER THE SMOKE INCREASED AND THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BECAME FILLED WITH HEAVY SMOKE. I STOPPED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND USED ONSTAR TO CALL FOR ASSISTANCE THEN EXITED THE VEHICLE AND OPENED THE HOOD TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. I SAW HEAVY SMOKE AND FLASHES OF FIRE COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE NEAR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED ITSELF SHORTLY AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND THE SMOKE CLEARED AND/OR STOPPED AFTER ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. AFTER THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT CLEARED THE VEHICLE TO BE MOVED, I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND GOT TOWED BACK. AFTER A BRIEF INVESTIGATION THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT "A COMPONENT OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS EITHER IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY DURING ASSEMBLY OR IMMEDIATELY FAILED IN THE FIRST 30 MILES THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN. THIS FAILURE RESULTED IN TRANSMISSION FLUID BEING SPRAYED DIRECTLY ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEREBY CAUSING THE FIRE." *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation