Vehicle Caught Fire while driving on the highway. This is the third Chevy express 2021 that caught fire in last three months. [XXX] - 2021 Chevy Express 3500 - Date of Fire - July 6th 2026 [XXX] - 2022 Chevy Express 3500 - Date Of Fire - April 16th 2026 [XXX] - 2021 Chevy Express 3500 - Date Of Fire - April 18th 2026 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Chevrolet Express fire or smoke problems
22 of the 651 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Express describe fire, smoke or burning smell, most of them for the 2003 model year.
- owner complaints
- 22
- worst model year
- 2003
- typical mileage
- 18,000
Is there a fix? There are 6 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
- 20214
- 20161
- 20071
- 20051
- 20041
- 20035
- 20023
- 20012
- 20001
- 19991
- 19962
Often reported together
What owners say
Vehicle Caught Fire while driving on the highway. This is the third Chevy express 2021 that caught fire in last three months. 1GB0GRFP9M1249499 - 2021 Chevy Express 3500 - Date of Fire - July 6th 2026 1GB0GRF72N1218998 - 2022 Chevy Express 3500 - Date Of Fire - April 16th 2026 1GB0GRFP0M1249665 - 2021 Chevy Express 3500 - Date Of Fire - April 18th 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Express. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to pull to the left, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder off the roadway. After a visual inspection, the contact stated there was smoke coming from the driver's side front brakes. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact was informed that the braking system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 18,000.
This is a Forest River Sunseeker Motorhome on a 2021 Chevrolet Express chasis. On Friday, [XXX], after being in stop and go traffic for 10-15 minutes on [XXX] driving at 65 mph, a smell of burning brakes started filling up the motorhome. Then the vehicle started to wobble and the ABS light came on. Pulled over to the side and while applying brakes the vehicle shook/wobbled. Drove to a NTB tire store and the manager indicated it was not the tires but smelled like the brakes burning and advised not to drive it. Had it towed to Monument Chevrolet and they reported they could not replicate the problem. No repair. On [XXX] after numerous trips in RV, the exact same thing occurred. This time drove it to Monument Chevrolet with dash lights on: ABS, brakes, etc. and demanded a repair. They replaced left front speed sensor for $406.00. On [XXX], coming off of a mountain, the exact problem happened again: wobble, ABS light, and this time the Stabilitrak sensor on. The dealer in Arkansas ran a history report and said the right front speed sensor had failed. No repair available because of the size of the vehicle. Now scheduled to return to Monument Chevrolet 01/09/2025 to hopefully be repaired. Chevrolet has recalled 638,000 of the vehicles with identical issues but mine not on recall list. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I'd be driving down the street when my brakes would apply by them selves slowing my car down . after that my dash would bong and the ABS light would come on . I took it to my Chevy dealer and they replaced the brakes and said it was fixed . I pulled out of the dealers lot and was driving at 35MPH when the brakes locked and a skidded to a stop . If I hadn;t been buckled in I would have gone thru the windshield . I held the gas pedal to the floor and returnd to the dealer at about 20 MPH and some salesman came running out and said my van was on fire .I got out of my van but I didn't see any fire but there was heavy smoke coming from around the brakes . THE cHEVY DEALER HAD MY VAN APPROXIMATELY 7 MONTHS AND SAID THEY REPAIRED IT TWICE MORE , bUT EVERYTIME i PICKED IT UP THE BRAKES WOULD GO ON A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY AND i WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK . I have been driving the car because the chevy dealer says they can't get the ABS Module to fix it and I can't drive more than a mile or so from home because the brakes apply themselves and I'm afraid the car will break down or catch on fire . I need a safe car to drive and the chevy dealer says they can't fix it because they can't get the part .
The van was parked in my driveway stationary. It caught fire and proceeded to burn completely for unknown reasons. The website states this VIN number is not included in any recalls but the vehicle type has a recall listed that states it could be a fire hazard.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet express. While driving at an unknown speed, the ABS warning light illuminated. After all the passengers exited the vehicle, the front passenger side tire exploded and caught on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the hub bearing was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 34,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet express g2500. The contact stated that the vehicle caught on fire while parked. The fire originated in the interior wires within the dashboard or instrumental panel area. The flames spread to the driver seat, passenger front seat and the steering wheel. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for further investigation. The failure and the current mileage was 70,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet express 2500 van. While the vehicle was parked it caught on fire and both air bags deployed. The contact stated that the cause of fire was the same as mentioned in recall # 05v104000 electrical system: wiring:interior/under the dash board). The fire department extinguished the fire, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The current and failure mileages were 74,000.
Van is used in a municipal parks and recreation department for maintenance duties. Operator started vehicle at beginning of day to warm up. Operator left the vehicle. Operator returned approximately five minutes later and saw smoke coming from inside the passenger area. Operator called 911 and retrieved a dry powder extinguisher. Operator saw flames coming from an area in the rear of the driver's seat. Operator turned off ignition and used extinguisher on the fire, putting it out. Investigation shows area of origin to inside the driver?s side seat belt channel. Plastic molding covers this channel. A wiring harness is located in this channel. Heaviest burn of the harness is directly at the connection of the harness to the driver?s side seat belt mechanism located at the floor. Fire partially consumed harness and plastic molding. There are pictures of the damage and harness. Harness was cut back to clean wiring on both sides of damaged section and is available for inspection.
Related recalls
Electrical system: 12v/24v/48v battery: cables
- What is wrong
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles equipped with 6.6L gasoline engines. The positive battery cable terminals may contact a fuse block assembly attachment post and cause an electrical short circuit.
- Risk
- A short-circuit can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the repair is complete. GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove a portion of the anti-rotation tab on both positive battery cable terminals near the fuse block assembly attachments, free of charge. If too much of the tab had been removed during prior servicing, the battery cable will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020, and GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N202325160.
Recall number 21V189000 · Recall details
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles. The seatbelt-unfastened warning light will not illuminate for approximately five seconds after the ignition is moved to the "on" or "start" position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
- Risk
- Without the seatbelt warning reminder, the driver may forget to fasten the seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument panel cluster, free of charge. The recall began October 3, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑630‑2438 or GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N192264500.
Recall number 19V644000 · Recall details
Electrical system
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Express and GMC Sierra vehicles equipped with a single, manual, rear climate control module (CCM). If the temperature is set to maximum heat or the mode knob is set to maximum floor vent and an electrical short occurs, components within the CCM may overheat.
- Risk
- If the CCM overheats, there is an increased risk of a fire in the vehicle's headliner.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the electrical insulation from a wiring connector within the CCM to remove the fire risk, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020 or GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is 18299.
Recall number 18V655000 · Recall details
Electrical system
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally contaminated, resulting in an electrical short.
- Risk
- If the module experiences an electrical short, the vehicle could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1‑800‑521‑7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-006 (Cadillac), 1‑800‑222‑1020 (Chevrolet), and 1‑800‑462‑8782 (GMC). GMs number for this recall is 14515.
Recall number 14V614000 · Recall details
Electrical system: ignition
- What is wrong
- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Express vehicles manufactured November 1, 2012, through December 21, 2012; and model year 2013 GMC Savana vehicles, manufactured November 14, 2012, through November 20, 2012. It may be possible to remove the key from the ignition when the vehicle is running or the transmission is not in the Park position. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114, "Theft Protection."
- Risk
- If the ignition key is removed while the vehicle is still on and/or the vehicle is not in Park, the vehicle may rollaway and the unintended movement of the vehicle may result in a possible crash or injury to pedestrians.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition lock cylinder and the two associated keys. This service will be performed free of charge. The recall began on February 8, 2013. For more information, GMC owners may call 1‑866‑996‑9463 and Chevrolet owners may call 1‑800‑630‑2438.
Recall number 13V010000 · Recall details
Electrical system: alternator/generator/regulator
- What is wrong
- General motors has notified the federal safety agency of a defect in certain model year 2010 chevrolet express and gmc savana vans 2500, 3500 and 4500 series. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the generator may develop a low resistance short within the voltage regulator.
- Risk
- The low resistance short could eventually generate enough heat to result in an engine compartment fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace any suspect generators if necessary free of charge. The safety recall began on april 12, 2010. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438 and gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
Recall number 10V138000 · Recall details
Questions about the Chevrolet Express fire or smoke
Which Chevrolet Express years have fire, smoke or burning smell problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2003 (5 complaints), 2021 (4 complaints) and 2002 (3 complaints).
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