NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
65 reportsClear category filter206,000 miles · Jun 21, 2022
Electrical SystemFire
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while parked in her driveway, the passenger side door caught fire without warning. The fire occurred overnight and in the morning, the contact and her boyfriend discovered both her passenger side door and front passenger seat melted. The contact believed that…
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The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while parked in her driveway, the passenger side door caught fire without warning. The fire occurred overnight and in the morning, the contact and her boyfriend discovered both her passenger side door and front passenger seat melted. The contact believed that the fire smoldered overnight and eventually burned out on its own. The fire department was not notified and a fire report was not filed. The contact called the dealer and was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The contact's boyfriend discovered that the wiring inside the door had melted which may have caused the fire. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be serviced or diagnosed. The failure mileage was approximately 206,000
NHTSA ODI #11470255
Mileage unknown · Aug 14, 2021
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other
I was just sitting in a drive thru and my passenger side window just started smoking and now it will not go down.
NHTSA ODI #11429099
Mileage unknown · Sep 15, 2020
Electrical System
REAR HATCH LICENSE PLATE LAMPS BLOWING OUT, FLICKERING ALSO HATCH LOCK CLICKS REPEATEDLY, WITHOUT TOUCHING ELECTRIC LOCK BUTTONS. WHEN OPENING THE HATCH THE LICENSE LIGHTS GO ON/OFF ON/OFF. THE HATCH LOCK CLICKS REPEATEDLY. THE HATCH WIRE HARNESS COVERED WITH A 'RUBBER BOOT/SLEEVE', WHEN MOVED CAUSES LOCK CLICKING AND PLATE LIGH…
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REAR HATCH LICENSE PLATE LAMPS BLOWING OUT, FLICKERING ALSO HATCH LOCK CLICKS REPEATEDLY, WITHOUT TOUCHING ELECTRIC LOCK BUTTONS. WHEN OPENING THE HATCH THE LICENSE LIGHTS GO ON/OFF ON/OFF. THE HATCH LOCK CLICKS REPEATEDLY. THE HATCH WIRE HARNESS COVERED WITH A 'RUBBER BOOT/SLEEVE', WHEN MOVED CAUSES LOCK CLICKING AND PLATE LIGHTS FLICKERING. THE HATCH LOCK INTERMITTENTLY LOCKS BUT WILL NOT UNLOCK. VEHICLE USUALLY PARKED. OBVIOUSLY UNABLE TO SEE LICENSE LAMPS WHEN IN MOTION.
NHTSA ODI #11355266
Mileage unknown · Oct 12, 2019
Air BagsElectrical SystemExterior Lighting
LOW BEAMS STOPPED WORKING, TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED BOTH BULBS AND IT WORKED FOR A COUPLE WEEKS NOW LOW BEAMS RANDOMLY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. AIRBAG SENSOR KEEPS TURNING ON AND OFF AND THE HORN STOPPED WORKING. THE AIRBAG SENSOR SEEMS TO COME ON MORE ON LONGER TRIPS AROUND THE CITY WITH MORE TURNS…
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LOW BEAMS STOPPED WORKING, TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED BOTH BULBS AND IT WORKED FOR A COUPLE WEEKS NOW LOW BEAMS RANDOMLY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. AIRBAG SENSOR KEEPS TURNING ON AND OFF AND THE HORN STOPPED WORKING. THE AIRBAG SENSOR SEEMS TO COME ON MORE ON LONGER TRIPS AROUND THE CITY WITH MORE TURNS.
NHTSA ODI #11268036
70,000 miles · Aug 16, 2019
Electrical System
CAN TURN OVER BUT DOESNT START HAVE TO KEEP PLAYING WITH KEY UNTILL IT STARTS AND WILL ONCE IN AWHILE JUST LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES CAN PUT IN NEUTRAL AND WILL START BACK UP BUT SOMETIMES HAVE TO PULL OVER TO WAIT AND RESTART CANT DRIVE ON FREE WAY AFRAID IT WILL DIE OUT IN TRAFFIC
NHTSA ODI #11244369
84,883 miles · Nov 28, 2018
Air BagsElectrical System
IT BAG FOR FRONT DRIVER LIGHT IS ON DO NOT KNOW WHY? THERE IS SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL SHORT AND I'VE HAD IT CHECKED BY TWO COMPANIES CANNOT FIND IT I'VE HAD NEW BATTERY, NEW ALTERNATOR AND STILL CAR STOPS WORKING I GET CAR JUMPED AND CAN PUT KEY IN IGNITION TO TRY TO START CAR AND WHEN I SHUT CAR OFF TOO SOON OR WHY I TRY TO …
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IT BAG FOR FRONT DRIVER LIGHT IS ON DO NOT KNOW WHY? THERE IS SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL SHORT AND I'VE HAD IT CHECKED BY TWO COMPANIES CANNOT FIND IT I'VE HAD NEW BATTERY, NEW ALTERNATOR AND STILL CAR STOPS WORKING I GET CAR JUMPED AND CAN PUT KEY IN IGNITION TO TRY TO START CAR AND WHEN I SHUT CAR OFF TOO SOON OR WHY I TRY TO START CAR IT'S NOT WORKING AND THEN I CANNOT GET KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 5 TIMES CAR ONLY HAS 84883 MILES ON IT THIS HAPPENES IF FRONT OF HOUSE WHEN I GO TO START CAR. I AM LISTING LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS TODAY BUT THE AIRBAG FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE IS ALWAYS ON NOW FOR ABOUT 5 MONTHS
NHTSA ODI #11154529
172,654 miles · Nov 5, 2018
Electrical SystemService Brakes
MY WINDOW IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE MALFUNCTIONING.... IT WOULD LET DOWN ON IT'S OWN.THIS HAPPENS WHEN MY VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND WHEN PARK.
NHTSA ODI #11149537
143,339 miles · Sep 5, 2018
Air BagsElectrical SystemEngine
ENGINE DIES WHILE DRIVING (LOSING PROPULSION, STEERING, BRAKES, ETC.) AND THE KEY WILL NOT RESTART WHEN TURNED FORWARD (IN NEUTRAL), WHILE COASTING, BUT WILL RESTART WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED BACK AND THEN FORWARD AGAIN. IN THIS CASE, COASTING DOWN AND BRAKING AND TURNING RIGHT, POSSIBLY WITH RIGHT TURN SIGNAL ON. DIED RIGHT BEFO…
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ENGINE DIES WHILE DRIVING (LOSING PROPULSION, STEERING, BRAKES, ETC.) AND THE KEY WILL NOT RESTART WHEN TURNED FORWARD (IN NEUTRAL), WHILE COASTING, BUT WILL RESTART WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED BACK AND THEN FORWARD AGAIN. IN THIS CASE, COASTING DOWN AND BRAKING AND TURNING RIGHT, POSSIBLY WITH RIGHT TURN SIGNAL ON. DIED RIGHT BEFORE STARTING TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AT ABOUT 15-20 MPH. IT WAS A CLEAR DRY 100 DEGREE AFTERNOON, ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT. WE LIVE ON A BUMPY DIRT ROAD THAT IS JUST OVER A QUARTER OF A MILE LONG TO REACH OUR HOUSE. SIMILAR TO OTHER GM IGNITION KEY / NO AIR BAG RECALL PROGRAMS FOR SIMILAR MODEL YEAR VEHICLES, SUCH AS THE HHR. THERE IS NO RECALL, BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES THIS HAPPEN TO? ANY DEATHS, YET? I DON'T BELIEVE THE AIR BAGS MAY HAVE WORKED, SHOULD WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THERE WAS NO INFORMATION SHOWN IN THE DIVER INFORMATION CENTER DISPLAY (DIC) AND THERE WERE WARNING LIGHTS ON IN THE DASHBOARD, TO INDICATE THAT THE POWER WAS ON TO THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (IC), BUT THAT THE MOTOR WAS OFF. I COULD NOT SELECT BRAKES AND STEERING AS BEING AFFECTED, BUT WITH NO MOTOR, THERE IS NO VACUUM BRAKE BOOSTING GOING ON, AND NO POWER STEERING EITHER.
NHTSA ODI #11124643
160,000 miles · Sep 10, 2017
Electrical System
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND MY LIGHTS JUST WENT OFF. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE ON BUT THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. I STOPPED THE CAR, TURNED IT OFF, WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND TURNED IT BACK ON. THE LIGHTS DID NOT COME BACK ON. THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS STILL WORKED AND I DROVE HOME WITH MY BRIGHTS ON. WHEN I GOT HOME AND TURNE…
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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND MY LIGHTS JUST WENT OFF. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE ON BUT THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. I STOPPED THE CAR, TURNED IT OFF, WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND TURNED IT BACK ON. THE LIGHTS DID NOT COME BACK ON. THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS STILL WORKED AND I DROVE HOME WITH MY BRIGHTS ON. WHEN I GOT HOME AND TURNED OFF THE CAR I TRIED THEM AGAIN AND THIS TIME THEY CAME ON NORMALLY. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED AT NIGHT THAT THEY JUST WENT OFF.
NHTSA ODI #11022567
150,000 miles · Jun 29, 2017
Electrical System
MY SON AND I WERE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE.... CAR JUST DIED, NO WARNING. I HAD TO VEER SUDDENLY TO THE RIGHT TO MAKE THE RAMP OR TAKE A CHANCE ON THE SHOULDER. SINCE THIS FIRST TIME THE CAR HAS ALSO NOT WANTED TO START. I THOUGHT IT HAD TO DO WITH THE ALARM LOCKING ME OUT , BUT IT APPEARS IT IS THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE …
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MY SON AND I WERE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE.... CAR JUST DIED, NO WARNING. I HAD TO VEER SUDDENLY TO THE RIGHT TO MAKE THE RAMP OR TAKE A CHANCE ON THE SHOULDER. SINCE THIS FIRST TIME THE CAR HAS ALSO NOT WANTED TO START. I THOUGHT IT HAD TO DO WITH THE ALARM LOCKING ME OUT , BUT IT APPEARS IT IS THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CAR HAS ON MULTIPLY TIME DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I'VE TRIED REACHING OUT TO CHEVY AND GM BUT, EACH IS WANTING ME TO PAY FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO SPEND ON THIS. I DON'T WANT TO DIE BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY FOR THEIR FAULTY IGNITION. PLEASE HELP US.
NHTSA ODI #11002371
NHTSA investigations
1RQ17002 · Loss Of Headlights
Opened Apr 24, 2017 · Closed Mar 29, 2021
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:headlights
The subject vehicles are model year (MY) 2002-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2004-2007 Buick Rainier, 2003-2008 Isuzu Ascender, 2005-2009 Saab 9-7X, 2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2003-2006 Chevrolet SSR, 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse, and 2006-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. This scope includes the Trailblazer/Envoy variants: 2002-2006 Envoy XL/Trailblazer EXT and 2004-2005 Envoy XUV. The original scope of this investigation was expanded to include all vehicles equipped with the subject Headlight Driver Module (HDM). The focus of the investigation was to determine whether actions performed by General Motors adequately addressed any unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety in the subject vehicles concerning the headlights and the HDM that controls them.Under normal electrical load and environmental conditions, the HDM can overheat inside the Underhood Electrical Center (UEC). This can cause the module to fail and result in a simultaneous loss of both low beam headlights and both daytime running lights (DRLs), often with no warning or prior detectability to the driver. This failure can be intermittent or permanent. No other exterior lights are affected. High beams, turn signals, brake lights, and reverse lights are still operational.General Motors addressed this issue with 2 recalls (14V755 & 15V519) and a special coverage program (N172091910). In view of the recalls and special coverage program implemented by GM and the vehicle high beams continuing to operate, ODI has tentatively concluded that the actions taken by GM mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by HDM failure in the subject vehicles.Accordingly, the investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.The ODI reports cited above are available for review online at NHTSA.gov under the identification numbers in the attached document.