1997 Chevrolet Suburban Electrical System

I STOPPED TO GET GAS ANC CUT MY TRUCK OFF. I GOT BACK IN IT AND CUT IT ON AN DROVE ABOUT 30 YARDS I NOTICED A SMELL LIKE BURNING WIRES. SO I CUT IT OFF GOT OUT CHECKED THE OUTSIDE THE SMELL IS ONLY ON THE INSIDE. THEN I POPPED THE HOOD AN SMELLED THE SAME SMELL. I PUSHED IT AND PARKED IT. MY CLICKER IS NOT WORKING TO UNLOCK OR LOCK IT, THE LIGHTS WILL NOT GO OFF AND IT MAKES THE RINGING SOUND AS IF THE DRIVER DOOR IS OPEN EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT. I TOOK THE BATTERY OUT TO SEE IF IT WAS THAT BUT ITS FULLY CHARGED.

MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS IN DASH INCLUDING SHORTING IN FUSE PANEL, HEADLIGHTS, HEATING CONTROLS, WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROLS, SOUND SYSTEM, AND INTERIOR LIGHTING CONTROLS, LEADING TO ERRATIC OR FAILED OPERATION OF SUCH CONTROLS WITH VISIBLE SIGNS OF WIRING DAMAGE AND COMPLETE MELTDOWN (I.E. HEATING CONTROLS/SOUND SYSTEM). *AK

WE HAD TWO BATTERIES LEAK ACID, CAUSED SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO REPAIR WIRES AND HOSES THAT WERE DAMAGED BY THE LEAKING BATTERY ACID. WE WONDER IF THE DEALERSHIP IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA WAS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE BATTERIES TO GENERATE REPAIR BILLS FOR THEIR BUSINESS. *NLM

HARD TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. CONSUMER HAD TO PUT KEY SWITCH INTO ACCESSORY POSITION AND THEN MOVE SHIFTER INTO NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO START VEHICLE. *TT

I THINK CHEVROLET SHOULD PAY FOR THIS FACTORY DEFECT WHICH COST ME $160. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

COMPLAINT CONCERNS CAR BATTERIES. IN THE PAST THREE YEARS I HAVE HAD BATTERY FAILURES WITH TWO BATTERIES LESS THAN A YEAR OLD, A DELCO ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1996 CHEVROLET CAR & THE 2ND A EVERSTART WALMART REPLACEMENT BATTERY. BATTERY FAILURES IN TRAFFIC STALLED VEHICLE. *AK

EA00013; BATTERY LEAKS ACID: VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED FOR THE SECOND TIME BECAUSE OF A LEAKING BATTERY. FIRST TIME WAS IN MARCH OF 1999, AT 29,000 MILES. BATTERY WILL BE REPLACED AND REPAIRED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

OUR SUBURBAN NOW HAS ITS 3RD BATTERY IN 3 YEARS. THE ORIGINAL BATTERY'S POST BROKE OFF LEAKING ACID, DESTROYING STARTER WIRING, CAUSING ASSOCIATED FRAME DAMAGE. THE DEALER DENIED KNOWLEDGE OF ANY PREEXISTING PROBLEMS WITH SUBURBAN VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY, BUT REFUSED TO TAKE CARE OF THE ACID DAMAGE. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS IN THE FALL OF 1999. WE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY AT FULL COST TO US SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. TODAY JULY 10, 2000, THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO START. THE TRAY HOLDING THE BATTERY SHOWS EVIDENCE OF CORROSION. IN ADDITION, THE POSITIVE CABLE TERMINALS ARE CORRODED. *AK

BATTERY ACID LEAK FROM POSTIVE POST; DAMAGE TO AC LINE, BRAKE LINES & FRAME

VEHICLE STOPPED/LOST ALL POWER DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. ONCE STOPPED AND IN "PARK" COULD RESTART. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES A DAY WITH NO WARNING. UPON DEALER INVESTIGATION, BATTERY ACID LEAK WHICH DESTROYED CABLES WAS REPORTED. VEHICLE WAS IN SHOP 1 1/2 MONTHS PRIOR FOR SAME PROBLEM, ALTERNATOR DEFECT STATED AT THAT TIME. BATTERY 2 1/2 YRS OLD/ PREVIOUSLY REPLACED AT 11,000 MILES FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS.*AK

POSITIVE POST OF THE BATTERY TERMINAL WAS SCREWED IN TOO FAR, AND IT DEVELOPED A SLOW LEAK INSIDE OF THE TERMINAL, TO FELL OFF.*AK

WHILE DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR ALTERNATOR WENT OUT TWICE. VEHICLE FAILED TO START BACK UP. THIS, IN TURN, CAUSED BATTERY TO BURN OUT AND VEHICLE DIED. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. BOUGHT BATTERY FROM DEALERSHIP & IT WAS INSTALLED.*AK

EA00 013/BATTERY LEAKS ACID: BATTERY LEAKAGE FROM POSITIVE POST RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED. *AK THE BATTERY FAILED AGAIN AND WAS REPLACED BY A NEW ONE. *YH

I SAW ON TELEVISION THAT THE NTSA WAS LOOKING INTO A PROBLEM WITH LEAKY BATTERIES ON THE CHEVROLET SUBURBANS. MY BATTERY DID LEAK CAUSING A POWER FAILURE. IT ALSO LEAKED DOWN THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT EATING AWAY WIRES AND TAKING ALL THE PAINT OFF THE INNER FENDER WELL AND PARTS OF THE FRAME. I TRIED TO COMPLAIN WHEN IT HAPPENED AND THE DEALER JUST IGNORED ME TELLING ME IT IS THE BATTERY MANUFACURERS PROBLEM AND I WOULD HAVE TO FIND THEM AND COMPLAIN. THIS CAN BE A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU FIND OUT ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. *AK

YESTERDAY I READ IN THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS THAT YOU ARE INVESTIGATING GM SUV'S AND BATTERY LEAKS. I WOULD LIKE TO GO ON RECORD AS HAVING HAD THIS PROBLEM. FORTUNATELY THE LEAK WAS DETECTED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN MY GARAGE AND NO ONE WAS HURT. ALTHOUGH, THERE WAS DAMAGE DONE TO THE VEHICLE AND I HAD TO PAY FOR A NEW STARTER CABLE, AUXILIARY CABLE, PARTS AND GENERAL CLEANUP. THE SUBURBAN WAS JUST OVER 2000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. PLEASE KEEP ME POSTED. THANK YOU KAREN YOCUM. *AK

BATTERY ACID LEAK FROM POS. TERMINAL RESULTING IN CORRODED WIRES AND BRAKE LINE.

BATTERY ACID LEAK 1997 SUBURBAN

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CONTINUED ELECTRICAL FAILURES, SEVERAL REPAIR ATTEMPTS HOWEVER NOT RECTIFIED. MJS

BATTERY LEAKING, POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW. *YC

THE VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT FIRE TWICE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRES & BEING OVERLOADED. ALSO, FUSE BOX CAUGHT FIRE TWICE & HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

BATTERY FAILED. YH

ELECTRICAL CONNNECTION TO THE FUEL PUMP IN THE FUEL TANK OVERHEATED, CAUSING THE INSULATION OF THE WIRES TO MELT WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FIRE .

THE ADDED FEATURE BATTERY GAURD MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUTDOWN WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

THE ALTERNATOR HAD BURNED OUT AND THERE WAS NO POWER GENERATING FROM THE BATTERY. VEHICLE DIED OUT. THERE WAS NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. HAD TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED. *AK