1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER Complaints

RECENTLY INVESTIGATED A FIRE ON A 1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER. FIRE ORIGIN IS AT THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR PANEL AT THE POWER MIRROR SWITCH. IF ANY ONE ELSE HAS EXPERIENCED A FIRE IN THIS LOCATION PLEASE CONTACT ME AT 610-392-XXXX AND NHSTA. *NM

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 01V200000 PRODUCT CAMPAIGN BULLETIN NO: 01048 AFTER NEARLY LOSING CONTROL ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY I DECIDED TO HAVE THE FRONT END CHECKED. THE FRONT BALL JOINTS NEED REPLACED. I FURTHER LEARNED OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED REFERENCES HOWEVER, THE DEALERSHIP IN ANKENY WAS UNHELPFUL, RUDE, AND BASICALLY TOLD ME THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY WORK REGARDLESS OF BULLETINS, ETC... EACH DAY THE VEHICLE IS HARDER TO HANDLE AND A MECHANIC FRIEND ADVISED WILL START TO CAUSE ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS WITH SUSPENSION. WHY DO WE HAVE POLICIES BOTH GOVERNMENT AND CORPORATE WHEN DEALERSHIPS TOTALLY DISREGARD ALL THE RULES. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE AND KNOW OF MANY OTHERS THAT DEALERSHIPS LEFT IN DIRE STRAITS. THIS IS A PROBLEM I WOULD LIKE ADDRESSED FOR THE GOOD OF ALL. *JB

BALL JOINT ON PASSENGER SIDE FAILED WITH NO WARNING. VEHICLE HAS UNDER 75,000 AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. *NM

NORMAL DRIVING , HARD SHIFTING, EVENTUAL TRANSMISSION BURN UP. IF CAUGHT IN TIME SIMPLE REPAIR FOR ABOUT 300 IF YOU CAN FIND SHOP THAT WILL DO IT. I LEFT ALONE. TRANSMISSION WILL BURN UP AND DEPENDING ON VEHICLE, 1500 TO 2700. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT, AND ENGAGING THE HIGH/LOW BEAM SWITCH, ALL INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 9/8/2006 - *NM UPDATED 09/15/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT WORK. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V159000, REGARDING THE VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

PURCHASED VEHICLE 12/03 SINCE THEN HAVE REPLACED: WATER PUMP 3 TIMES, RADIATOR, THERMOSTAT, LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT, UPPER MANIFOLD GASKET, MAIN REAL SEAL. OVER THE PAST 6-8 MONTHS I HAVE NOTICED THE BRAKING ISSUE SEVERAL TIMES (MORE THAN 10.) LUCKILY NONE WERE EMERGENCY STOPS, HOWEVER WHEN BRAKING DUE TO TRAFFIC LIGHT CHANGE OR STOPPING WHILE GOING DOWNHILL, THE BRAKES "CHATTER," AN AUDIBLE WHINE IS PRODUCED, AND IT IS NECESSARY TO PUMP THE BRAKES BEFORE IT WILL REGAIN PRESSURE AND STOP. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DISCOVERED THE RUSTED BRAKE LINES AND SUGGESTED THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED SERVICE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THE AUTO INSURER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE FOR POSSIBLE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE TOWING COMPANY AND DETERMINED THAT THE LEAKAGE WAS DUE TO THE RUSTING. THE BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AFTER THE COMPLAINT WAS TAKEN.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED. THERE WAS A FLARE-UP BETWEEN GEARS, AND A HARSH ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER WAS INACCURATE. THERE IS A NHTSA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN # 9774L60E08A, WHICH PERTAINS TO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WORK WAS NOT PERFORMED UPON SALE OF THE VEHICLE.

(1)BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR (2)PUMPED IT ABOUT 3 OR 4 TIMES AND IT REGAINED PRESSURE, TRIED A FEW PANIC STOPS OK (3)CALLED CHEVY DEALER WHO SAID NO RECALL NOTICE, NOTHING DONE YET (*)THIS HAD ALSO HAPPENED ONCE ABOUT A YEAR AGO FOR THE FIRST TIME. *JB