1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER Complaints

WHEN APPLYING ABS BRAKES ON WET PAVEMENT PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT IF IT OCCURRED ON A HIGHWAY AT A GREATER RATE OF SPEED AS THE SUV WOULD HAVE ROLLED-OVER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON THE EXPRESSWAY THE LEFT BALL JOINT FAILED, CAUSING THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL TO BUCKLE, CUTTING THE TIRE,RIM,AND CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER INDICATED THE RIGHT BALL JOINT WAS BROKEN ALSO. THE BOTTOM LINE IS "THIS SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED." THE BALL JOINTS ARE DEFECTIVE AND MY FAMILY AND I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE BALL JOINT FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DRAG. *MJS

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG OCCURED WHEN CONSUMER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHEN HE HIT THE VEHICLE THE FRONT END WENT DOWN UNDER OTHER VEHICLE. NLM

MY SON HAS A 1996 GMC JIMMY THAT HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. HE HAS HAD TO HAVE HIS RADIATOR REMOVED AND CLEANED OUT TWICE AND HAVE THE WATER PUMP REPLACED ONCE. GENERAL MOTORS KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL. THERE IS A LABEL IN FRONT OF THE RADIATOR THAT STATES THAT THE COOLANT DOES NOT REQUIRE SERVICE FOR 100,000 MILES. THIS COOLANT CAUSES SOME OF THE ENGINE COMPONENTS TO RUST ( EX. HEATER NIPPLE) SOMEONE AT THE DEALERSHIP ADMITTED THAT THEY SEE MANY VEHICLES EVERY DAY WITH THIS PROBLEM. *AK

THE ALTERNATOR FAILURE HAPPENED SLOWLY ENOUGH THAT I COULD GET OFF THE ROAD BEFORE IT THE VEHICLE DIED COMPLETELY. HAD IT FAILED FASTER, WELL, THERE'S NO TELLING. I WAS DOING 45 MPH IN TOURIST TRAFFIC WHEN THE LIGHTS BEGAN TO DIM. AS FOR THE BATTERY, I KNEW IT WAS DEAD, BUT THE CORROSION TO THE FRAME COMES THANKS TO A SHARP EYED MECHANIC. SURFACE CORROSION IS APPARENT, AND I SHALL HAVE TO PULL THE TIRE, SAND, PRIME, AND PAINT THE FRAME TO STEM THE CORROSION. I'M WONDERING HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SERIOUS BATTERY ACID LEAKS CAUSING FRAME CORROSION, AND HOW MANY OF THEM WILL FAIL WITH CATASTROPHIC RESULT IN THE FUTURE. FURTHER ON THE ALTERNATOR, I HAVE ANECDOTAL INFORMATION THAT A NUMBER OF GM TRUCKS AND SUVS HAD ALTERNATORS THAT FAILED JUST OVER THE 40,000 MILE MARK. I LEARNED THIS WHEN I WENT TO BUY A NEW ONE, AND NO ONE HAD ONE BECAUSE OF A RECENT DEMAND ON THEM. THE DEMAND IS STRONG AGAIN THIS SUMMER HERE, I'M TOLD. IS GM SELLING UNSAFE VEHICLES? NEED MORE INFO? PLEASE EMAIL. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED THE VIN. THANK YOU. GERRY BISHOP, NICEVILLE FLORIDA.

THE FRONT TOP & BOTTOM BALL JOINTS WENT BAD WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER'S SIDE/FRONT WHEELS CAVED INWARD. UNABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC GAVE NO INDICATION OF CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER PLOWED INTO THE DRIVERS SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN CONSUMER DURING IMPACT CAUSING HER HEAD TO HIT THE REARVIEW MIRROR, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG DURING ACCIDENT, CONSUMER RECIEVED SEVERE WHIPLASH. NLM

BOTH O2 SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED (AT SEPERATE TIME IN PAST 4 MONTHS). UPPER/LOWER BALL JOINTS ARE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP (DESANTIS CHEVROLET) SHOULD HAVE NEVER PASSED INSPECTION IN APRIL. HAVE HAD PROBLEM WITH ABS SINCE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. FIRST RECALL DID NOTHING TO FIX PROBLEM. ABS CAN'T TELL DIFFERENCE FROM WET & DRY PAVEMENT. ABS WILL KICK IN WHEN SLOWING DOWN ON GRAVEL AT 20MPH, BUT NOT AT FASTER SPEEDS ON WET PAVEMENT.