1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER Complaints

WE ARE AWARE THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTORS ON 1997 CHEV. BLAZERS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR REPAIRS. WE OWN A 1998 BLAZER THAT WE PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER OF 1997, SO IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1997. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON OUR BLAZER DO NOT WORK MOST OF THE TIME. WE ARE WONDERING IF A RECALL IS PLANNED FOR THE 1998 BLAZERS ALSO. *JB

HAD TO REPLACE ALTENATOR. HANDLE OF PASSENGER SEAT FELL OFF IN HAND, CAUSING RIDING AND SITTING DIFFICULT. PUTS ME RIGHT UP TO THE AIR BAG. PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE TO TAKE MY HUSBAND TO NASHVILLE, FOR HIS HEART TRANSPLANT VISITS, NEEDED A RELIABLE VEHICLE. ON THE LAST TRIP THERE, 70 MPH, IN HARD RAIN, NO WINDSHIELD WIPERS, JUST QUIT ON THE EXPRESSWAY, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. GAS PEDAL ALSO STICKS, AND PUSHES WITH FORCE, WHEN IT RELEASES. (WONDER WE HAVEN'T HIT SOMEONE). BEING ON SOCIAL SECURITY,WE THOUGHT PAYING EXTRA, FOR AND EXTENDED WARRANTY WOULD PROTECT US. (A WASTED $1800.00) THE PAYMENT TAKES ALMOST HALF OUR INCOME, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX THE MANUFACTURERS MISTAKES. BY LOOKING AT THE OTHER COMPLAINTS, WE'RE NOT THE FIRST WITH THE ABOVE PROBLEMS. VERY UNHAPPY CONSUMER. OUR FIRST PAYMENT ON THE BLAZER WAS 1-14-02, WE BEGAN HAVING THESE PROBLEMS 6 MONTHS LATER. *TT

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AS STATED IN RECALL 98 V 150 001, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. *JB

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT ENGAGE. SOME TIMES THEY WILL COME ON AND NOT STOP. WHEN ITS RAINING THEY WILL NOT COME ON AT ALL. UP UNTIL RECENTLY THIS HAS BEEN THE ISSUE. TWO DAYS AGO IT DECIDED THAT IT WASN'T GOING TO WORK AT ALL. SO I CANNOT DRIVE MY CAR IN THE RAIN AND CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE THE MOTOR REPAIRED AT THE DEALER FOR 600. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE DRIVER SEAT BECAME LOOSE WHICH CAUSED THE SEAT TO ROCK. *NLM

WHENEVER WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE USED THEY WORK WHENEVER THEY WANT TOO. SOMETIMES THEY RUN CONTINUALLY. SOMETIMES THEY STOP ALL TOGETHER. I USED TO HAVE A GMC SONOMA THAT DID THE EXACT SAME THING AND RECEIVED A RECALL. THIS PROBLEM WAS FIXED ON THE SONOMA. THIS HAPPENS ANY TIME THE WIPERS ARE USED IN THE BLAZER. I WOULD LIKE THIS FIXED IMMEDIATELY AT NO COST TO MYSELF. *JB

THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED FOR 60 MPH. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT IT LOCKED UP, THEREFORE THE CONSUMER HAD TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. *JB

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED DURING HEAVY DOWN POUR. CHEVROLET CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER (CAC) SAYS CONTACT SELLING DEALER. DEALER SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED "WIPER MODULE", BUT DID NOT HELP. REPEATED CONTACT WITH CAC PRODUCES "HO-HUM" AND NO SOLUTION. VEHICLE HAS 26543 MILES ON IT!

UPON RETURNING TO MY TRUCK ON TUES EVENING 4/1/03 (AFTER IT WAS PARKED FOR 1 1/2 HRS) I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR. I HAD ABOUT A 4 MILE RIDE HOME SO I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO GO HOME. AS I DROVE, THE BURNING SMELL BECAME HORRIBLY WORSE EVEN THOUGH I COULD NOT SEE ANY SMOKE. I DECIDED IT WAS SAFER TO DROP IT OFF AT MY LOCAL DEALER (PATTERSON CHEVROLET IN HAMILTON NJ)SINCE IT WAS ON THE WAY. I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AS A PRECAUTION. THE DEALER WORKED ON THE TRUCK ON 4/2. IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL, THEY HAD TO RECONNECT THE BATTERY. THIS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE CATCHING ON FIRE!! FORTUNATELY, THEY HAD TRACED THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL TO A WIRE HARNESS UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT FLOOR BOARD THAT GETS CONNECTED TO A POWER SEAT (WHICH I DO NOT HAVE!) AND THEY HAD REMOVED THE CARPETING AND SEATS BEFORE THE FIRE STARTED. UPON EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE, THEY REMOVED THE DAMAGED WIRE HARNESS AND RE-INSTALLED THE SEATS & CARPETING. THIS LEFT ME WITH A VEHICLE THAT STILL SMELLS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE AND A $531 REPAIR BILL. IF I HAD PARKED MY TRUCK IN MY ATTACHED GARAGE LIKE I DO EVERY NIGHT INSTEAD OF RUNNING AN ERRAND, THE TRUCK MOST DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE IN MY GARAGE AND COULD HAVE KILLED MY ENTIRE FAMILY. I CONSIDER THIS A VERY NEAR TRAGEDY AND THE DESIGN OF THIS WIRE HARNESS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE ACTUALLY DOES GET KILLED. WHY DIDN'T A FUSE BLOW THAT AUTOMATICALLY CUT POWER TO THE SHORTING WIRE? IS THIS A RECALL ITEM? COPIES OF THIS E-MAIL ARE BEING FORWARDED TO THE CPSC AND THE NHTSA FOR REVIEW AS WELL. THERE IS NO WAY A WIRE UNDER A FLOOR BOARD SHOULD SIMPLY CATCH FIRE! SECONDLY, THERE IS NOTHING THAT I COULD HAVE DONE THAT COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT OR CAUSED IT. THE REPAIR EXPENSE IN THIS INSTANCE SHOULD NOT BE THE BURDEN OF THE CONSUMER. *JB

NAR 03-31-2003 *MR CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH WHEEL BEARING, HEATER CONTROL SWITCH, GAS GAUGE, RIGHT DOOR LOCK, BRAKES, AND OIL SENDING HOSES. *CB