New to this site. Can't figure out how to start and post a new thread.

WARNING. WARNING WARNING.....I own a 1997 Chevrolet Camaro which I purchased brand new and has never been driven in the winter and is awesome shape.

Here is my problem....I just had my car in to a mechanic for repairs and inspection.
I explained that I had a problem with turn signal bulbs blowing out a lot. The mechanical pulled the sockets and wiring out and HOLY COW. I am lucky that I was not burn't alive in this car. I starting doing research and found that a lot of Camaro owners are having the same problem. GM short cutted the manufacture process and overloaded the wiring which was meant for one function and manufactured it to perform multi function...the turn signals, the DRLs and the side markers overload the wiring and ultimately MELTING THE BULB SOCKETS! I am so pissed I can not even begin to explain! I called GM and long story short. They refuse to pay for the repair and more importantly they refuse to issue a technical bulletin to warn other Camaro owners of the potential fire hazard! I was told my a "20" something little girl that there is no hazard and they do not intend on warning anyone!

PLEASE TELL ME what kind of attorney I need to pursue this and what government agency are the overseers of this car companies. I do not intend on letting this go. There are potential thousands and thousands of Camaro owner at risk

I saw alone on this site several owners who had the same issue and were able to do the work themselves.

I want everyone to know about this and have their Camaro inspected. Someone will die!

Let me know if you know of other Camaro forums that I can post to and I will take this to the internet and social networking as well

Anyone know of a consumer advocate group that would take this issue?

Thanks.

p.s. if anyone knows of any fiery accidents...look for the source to be the turn signal wiring overload... let me know I would be glad to share my experience and testify as to the refusal of GM after being notified to address the situation and their refusal to notify consumers.

 

so the wires were melted? 16 17 year old plastic and a poor connection that overheats is not going to be good for the sockets. mine is 20 years old this year and blinker sockets are fine.

 

LOL, I can not even remember how many melted sockets I replaced as a mechanic. We use to keep them in stock. We even had some ford ones on hand at the Chevy dealer for our used cars.

For a few year back in the 80's GM used some aluminum core wires for lights. You sure did not have to wait 17 years to see a problem. I replaced wiring harness section on cars under the 3 year/36,000 mile warranty.

As a general rule, 12 volt can get hot, it can melt wire coatings but it will blow a fuse LONG before anything can reach the 450 degree point (which is the flash point of paper) The only time fire is an issue is when someone by passes the fuse by jumping it. I have seen thick wiring harnesses melted together laying on cardboard glove boxes. There is just no fire. It comes down to math, you need a certain wattage to get enough heat to start a fire. The fuse would not allow that wattage to flow into any one circuit.

Good luck on your quest,

 

As responded to his duplicate post in another thread:

 

Thanks for all the replies. From the information I have learned here and from other forums, etc. it appears that this problem is wide spread with Camaro owners and the sockets and wiring harnesses are just being replaced and DRLs are being disabled rather than filing complaints because in my experience GM only cares about the moment you hand over the $$ for the car when you buy it. GM builds cars that are meant to be disposable not last for the long term. Camaro owners who take care of their cars keep them for a long time. Let's build these cars to last. Ever notice that when you replace a part there is a lifetime warranty. Why can't the car be manufactured that way! $$ of course!

My mechanic replaced the wiring and sockets. I hope that this car will outlive me. I hope I don't regret keeping it.

I took a Buick into a dealship for repair because they said they were the Buick experts and they could fix it. Right! After 6 trips to this shop and my providing them with information about what the offending part was and where it was located were they able to fix it. They put in 3 computesr (not necessary) because they did not know what they were doing! For the fact of my knowledge about the car and it parts and how they work....what I got from this Buick dealership was...I was basically told to shut up!

Thanks again for all the input. Much appreciated. I want to at least let Camaro owners know about this and have their mechanic check it out!

 

For the record, building cars to be disposable is not solely a Chevy or GM thing. Car manufacturers like to know what parts last "too long" (based on how the rest of the car wears), so that they can cheapen it up to lower their costs. Even one penny saved on a single part, over millions of cars built in a year, well you can do the math on the savings. And shame on the car manufacturers for wanting to make money, that luxury should only be saved for people like us (read sarcasm). You have an old, used car. Things wear out and/or go bad, face it. Heck, even my own body, and people I know don't function as well as they used to....I want my money back!!!

 

I know I sound like an old man but the kids just do not know how good they have it. Cars today last soo long it is crazy compared to what we had to deal with. My father in law bought a new Vega in 1974 by 1978 it was rusted around the firewall so bad it would not pass inspection. The cost of repair was 3 times what the car was worth. He drove it to the junk yard and got $100 for it. A light socket? how about having the floor fall out after 6 years. If you made it to 100,000 you where lucky. Those cars where considered all used up.
Today even a cheap econo box like a Sunfire can last 15 years and 200K miles with only basic maintenance. Heck my 96 Camaro is pushing 200K and 18 years old. No wiring issues to date.

Most new cars buyers buy cars every 4 years or less, why would GM spend money building a car so that the 3rd or 4th owner never had an issue.

 

My first 69 Camaro, I bought in 1976. It had already been badly rusted out at the rear quarters, bondoed over by the previous owner, and repainted. About a year after I was driving it, the drivers side floor was rusting through. Mind you, that was a 7 year old car when I bought it. Most 7 year old cars nowadays are still like new by comparison, and certainly aren't rusting apart. Melted sockets? You don't know how good you have it.