<<<>>>> DON'T leave children or pets in the vehicle unattended while the AC or heater is on!!! If this happened with children or pets in the vehicle, this incident WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN FATALITIES!!!!!!
This incident happened very quickly; a matter of seconds from the first indication of a problem to the point where the cab was full of smoke and a small FIRE was present under the dash!!
CAUSE: The motor seized up, causing a draw on amps from the electrical system and super heating of the wiring harness (NO FUSES WERE TRIPPED TO STOP THE FLOW OF POWER to the motor).
RESULTS: The fire went out on its own once the ignition and fan switch were turned off and I was able to drive the truck from the scene and to the nearest shop for repairs. The mechanic was a friend of the family and so I'm certain he gave me a break on the price ($350 for parts and labor). If it had been a certified Chevy mechanic that made repairs, it would certainly have cost much more. This incident may have resulted in a total loss had I not had the time to shut everything down - my sister-in-law had the same thing happen and the truck she was driving was a total loss.
Additionally, looking back, there had been some past indicators of a problem. On maybe two occasions the heater / AC blower had given me some issues with not working for a brief moment or two before finally kicking on and the selector for the air out put (floor ducts v dash air ducts) had been giving me issues as well. I never really gave it a thought until this happened. So please, if your Silverado is having issues with the heater / AC blower, get it checked!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
<<<>>>> DON'T leave children or pets in the vehicle unattended while the AC or heater is on!!! If this happened with children or pets in the vehicle, this incident WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN FATALITIES!!!!!!
This incident happened very quickly; a matter of seconds from the first indication of a problem to the point where the cab was full of smoke and a small FIRE was present under the dash!!
CAUSE: The motor seized up, causing a draw on amps from the electrical system and super heating of the wiring harness (NO FUSES WERE TRIPPED TO STOP THE FLOW OF POWER to the motor).
RESULTS: The fire went out on its own once the ignition and fan switch were turned off and I was able to drive the truck from the scene and to the nearest shop for repairs. The mechanic was a friend of the family and so I'm certain he gave me a break on the price ($350 for parts and labor). If it had been a certified Chevy mechanic that made repairs, it would certainly have cost much more. This incident may have resulted in a total loss had I not had the time to shut everything down - my sister-in-law had the same thing happen and the truck she was driving was a total loss.
Additionally, looking back, there had been some past indicators of a problem. On maybe two occasions the heater / AC blower had given me some issues with not working for a brief moment or two before finally kicking on and the selector for the air out put (floor ducts v dash air ducts) had been giving me issues as well. I never really gave it a thought until this happened. So please, if your Silverado is having issues with the heater / AC blower, get it checked!
- Mathew B., Antwerp, NY, US