1997 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

I HAVE HAD A DANGEROUS SITUATION OCCUR WITH A FAILURE IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, INVOLVING THE WIRING HARNESS AND VEHICLE CONTROL MODULE (VCM) OF MY 1997 CHEVROLET K1500. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO A CHEVROLET DEALER, FOR SERVICE DUE TO A CRANK BUT NO-START ISSUE ON JANUARY 29, 2004. UPON DIAGNOSIS BY THE MECHANICS, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM HAD SOMEHOW DEVELOPED A LEAK, WHICH CAUSED FUEL PRESSURE TO BUILD-UP WHERE THE WIRING-HARNESS ENTERED THE UNIT. THEN, FUEL WAS FORCED AT HIGH PRESSURE BETWEEN THE WIRES AND INSULATION UNTIL IT POOLED UP INSIDE THE VCM. THE DEALER'S MECHANIC, PER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, STATED THAT THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW VCM, WIRING HARNESS, AND INJECTOR SYSTEM IS NECESSARY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I CONSULTED WITH A DIFFERENT GM MECHANIC FROM ANOTHER DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HE SAID I WAS LUCKY IT DID NOT EXPLODE, AND RECOMMENDED THAT I CONTACT GM OWNERS ASSISTANCE ABOUT THIS MATTER, HOWEVER THEY WERE OF NO HELP AND WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE THE DANGER OF THIS SITUATION. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A DAMAGING ENGINE FIRE AND POSSIBLE INJURY OR WORSE. THEREFORE, I AM REQUESTING THAT A RECALL WOULD BE PLACED ON THIS PROBLEM TO PREVENT POSSIBLE INJURY TO OTHERS.*AK

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THIS COMPLAINT VERY CLEAR AND TO THE POINT. I HAVE BEEN VIEWING THE COMPLAINTS LOCATED ON YOUR WEBSITE AND FEEL THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT PUPOSE FOR RECALLING THESE VEHICLES. I PURCHASED A 1997 CHEVY K20 APPROX 1 1/2 YEARS AGO. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO WORK FINE UNTIL A FEW MONTHS LATER. I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE SOME STEERING PROBLEMS. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF I AM DRIVING AROUND A CORNER OR STRAIGHT BUT THE STEERING WILL BECOME VERY LOOSE AND VEER INTO ONE DIRECTION ALL ON ITS OWN. THAT IS JUST ONE OF THE SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS I HAVE EXPERIENCED WITH OWNING THIS VEHICLE. I NOW HAVE COME TO FIND THAT THERE IS EVEN A GREATER THREAT TO MY SAFETY AND THAT OF MY FAMILY BECAUSE I HAVE NOW BEEN INFORMED THAT MY FUEL GAUGE AND FUEL PUMP WIRES, INSIDE THE GAS TANK, MELTED INSULATION AND BURNT THE CONNECTOR. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DEADLY EXPERIENCE FOR MYSELF AND THAT OF ANYONE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME IF IT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE PRIOR TO MY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS INFORMATION. I FEEL THAT THE FIRST SIGN OF THIS PROBLEM IS THAT THE GAS GAUGE WILL START TO MALFUNCTION, WHICH LEAVES YOU GUESSING AT THE AMOUNT OF GAS IN THE TANK. I FEEL THIS MATTER NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION DUE TO THE FACT THAT OWNERS/DRIVERS OF VEHICLES ARE REQUIRED TO CARRY AUTO INSURANCE, HOWEVER, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NONE OF US HAS ANY CONTROLL OVER. IF WE WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE BECOMES INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, THAT WOULD SEEM SENSELESS THAT POSSIBLY SOMEONES LIFE WOULD HAVE TO END BEFORE THIS SITUATION BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. I HAVE TO DEMAND THAT SOME ACTION BE TAKEN BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE FOR SOMEONE. *AK

THE RADIATOR'S COOLANT SYSTEM FAILED, RESULTING IN FLUID ACCUMULATION IN THE TRANSMISSION ON TWO OCCASIONS. WAS FIXED TWICE, CAUSING A TOW BY THE DEALER ON THE SECOND TIME. THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUED TO SHIFT HARD FROM FIRST TO SECOND, HAD ANOTHER DEALER LOOK AT IT, SAID IT WAS "JUNK." NOTIFIED GM, THEY DID NOTHING BECAUSE THE FIRST DEALER DIDN'T REPORT THE PROBLEM. HAD TO PAY FOR A TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL AT 70,000 MILES... VERY EXPENSIVE! THE FUEL INDICATOR HAS ALSO FAILED. THE FUEL PUMP HAS FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE DOOR HANDLES HAVE FALLEN OFF. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE FAILED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT IS OVER THE 70,000 MILE LIMIT OF REPLACEMENT. ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER. HMMM... MAYBE THE DEALER WAS RIGHT ABOUT BEING JUNK WITHOUT A WARRANTY. SO SAD THAT WE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR PRODUCTS LIKE THIS. *LA

TRUCK WAS RUNNING FINE WITH NO INDICATION OF TROUBLE WHEN PARKED, UPON REENTRY TRUCK DID NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO START, ENGINE WOULD TURN SPIN FREELY. TOWED TO SHOP. FUEL PUMP SUPPOSEDLY FAILED ACCORDING TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND WAS REPLACED WITH 46,000 MILES ON TRUCK. TRUCK DROVE LESS THAN 500 MILES AND FAILED TO START WITH SEEMINGLY THE SAME PROBLEM. TOWED TO CHEVEROLET DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. FUEL PUMP SENDING UNIT CONNECTION INSIDE THE TANK WAS BURNED OUT. SERVICE MANAGER SAID THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE FOR ALL CHEVEROLET TRUCKS WITH VORTEC ENGINES. HE RETURNED THE DEFECTIVE SENDING UNIT TO ME AND I COULD PLAINLY SEE THE BURNED ELECTRICAL CONNECTION AT THE TOP OF THE UNIT. UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS AN EXPLOSION WOULD BE POSSIBLE IF SUFFICIENT OXYGEN WAS IN THE TANK. FUEL PUMP AND COMPONENT PARTS SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 46,000 MILES.

THE FEUL PUMP WENT OUT, FIRST TIME AT 61013 MILES, WAS RELACED WITH 200 DOLLAR DEDUCTABLE. THEN WENT OUT AGAIN AT75860 MILES, BUT THIS TIME THEY SAID ALSO THE SENDING UNIT. THAT HOLDS THE PUMP WENT OUT. THEY SHOWED ME BURNT WIRES ON THIS PART, SO SENCE IT WASNT ONLY THE PUMP ,COST ME ANOTHER 200 DEDUCTED INSTEAD OF GETTING REPLACED AT NO CHARGE. I'VE READ OTHERS HAVE HAD SAME PROBLEMS AS I, AND FEEL THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS BEFORE IT DOES CAUSE A FIRE AND FATALITYS. DT

ON 7/9/02 THE TRUCK WOULD NOT START. HAD IT TOWED TO THE SHOP. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE WIRES THAT ATTATCH TO THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH IS INSIDE THE GAS TANK, WERE SHORTED OUT. THERE IS VISIBLE MELTING AND CORRODING OF THE CONNECTORS. CONSIDERING THAT THE WHOLE DEVICE, PLUS THE WIRING IS INSIDE THE FUEL TANK, AND SINCE THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS FIRE OR EXPLOSION. THIS TRUCK WAS A BOMB WAITING TO BLOW UP. UPON SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE GM FUEL PUMPS FAILING AND THE WIRING SHORTING OUT. NO ONE HAS HAD ANY LUCK GETTING GM TO RECALL THE PUMPS, AND SINCE WE JUST SPENT ALMOST $500 FOR THE REPAIR, I THOUGHT I WOULD INFORM YOU OF THIS SERIOUS RISK OF INJURY. GM SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH THIS FLAW, AND I WAS TOLD THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK