1999 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Complaints

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ENGAGED THEY MALFUNCTIONED. WINDSHIELD WIPERSZ WILL EITHER NOT WORK, QUIT WORKING WHILE ENGAGED, OR ENGAGE IN THE FASTER SPEED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CIRCUIT BOARD,THE WIPER MOTOR, AND THE TAP WASHER. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED IN MIDDLE OF DOWNPOUR. HAD TO PULL ONTO SHOULDER OF ROAD. HAVE NOT HAD THEM INSPECTED YET. *AK

CHEVROLET SUBURBAN RIGHT REAR STEELTEX TIRE TREAD SEPARATED.*MR THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD FROM GM AND FIRESTONE, WHO NEVER LOOKED AT OR REQUESTED TO LOOK AT THE FAILED TIRE, THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A ROAD HAZARD. A LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER LOOKED AT THE TIRE AND INDICATED THAT THE TIRE LOOKED LIKE IT'S TREAD SEPARATED, BUT HE COULD NOT OFFICIALLY (LT245/75R16, 120/116R M/S, R4SV611B1A448 (23557), (SP872K), (TPC SPEC 2012 MS). *NM

KATHLEEN DEMETER, DIRECTOR OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATIONS NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC & SAFETY ADMINISTRATION 400 SEVENTH STREET SW WASHINGTON, DC 20590 DEAR KATHLEEN I AM WRITING ON BEHALF OF THE SECOND PETITION FROM LISONI & LISONI CONCERNING THE FIRESTONE STEELTEX CLASS ACTION SUIT. IT IS MY DESIRE THAT THE NHTSA ALLOW THAT SUIT TO PROCEED AND STAND ON ITS OWN MERIT IN THE COURTS. I BOUGHT A NEW 1999 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN IN NOV OF 1999 WHICH CAME EQUIPPED WITH FOUR LT245-75R-16 FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRES ON THE GROUND AND ONE SPARE. THIS VEHICLE WAS 100% DEALER MAINTAINED AND NEVER RAN OFF OF PAVED ROADS. IT PRIMARILY TRAVELED FROM THE LA AREA OR LAS VEGAS TO LAKE TAHOE. I HAVE HOMES IN ALL THREE AREAS AND TRAVEL BETWEEN THEM. DURING THE COURSE OF THESE TRIPS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, I HAVE HAD THREE HIGH SPEED BLOWOUTS AND TWO TIRE TREAD SEPARATIONS. THAT IS FIVE FOR FIVE OF THE TIRES FIRESTONE BUILT AND WERE DELIVERED ON MY VEHICLE. I AM IN MY MID 60S AND HAVE DRIVEN AUTOS SINCE I WAS 16 AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF SUBSTANDARD PERFORMANCE ON ANY AUTO THAT I HAVE EVER OWNED. MY MAJOR DISSATISFACTION AND THE REASON FOR THIS LETTER IS THE TOTAL DISREGARD FIRESTONE ACKNOWLEDGED IN ANY OF MY SEVERAL LETTERS OF LOSS CLAIM WITH THEM. TO THIS DATE, ALL I EVER RECEIVED FROM FIRESTONE WAS ASSURANCE THEIR PRODUCT WAS SAFE AND THAT ANY PROBLEMS THAT I WAS HAVING WAS THE FAULT OF MY MISUSE OF THEIR PRODUCT. THIS TOTAL DISREGARD FOR CONSUMER SAFETY AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION NEEDS CORRECTING OR THIS COMPANY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO DO BUSINESS IN OUR COUNTRY. PLEASE MAKE FIRESTONE DEFEND THEIR CUSTOMER COMMITMENT IN COURT. THANK YOU JACK T STONE, JR. 319 MAKIN AVE. PALMDALE, CA 93551. *JB *JB

WHILE PULLING OUT ON TO THE MAIN STREET FROM A RESIDENTIAL HOUSING AREA, BOTH LANES CLEAR OF ON COMING TRAFFIC..DRY/SUNNY DAY.....12 NOON SATURDAY....AS I PULLED OUT I SAW 60 YARDS AHEAD TRAFFIC IN MY LANE WAS STOPPED FOR A VEHICLE 3-4 CARS AHEAD OF ME MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN. MY SPEED WAS UNDER 25 MPH AND WHEN I WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES MY 1999 SUBURBAN 2WD WOULD NOT STOP. I APPLIED MY BRAKES WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE STOPPED VEHICLES, BUT MY SUBURBAN CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH LITTLE OR NOT STOPPAGE. I TRIED TO DITCH THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT BUT COULD NOT DUE TO A TELEPHONE POLE, ROAD SIDE CEMETERY AND TREES. AT THE TIME I SAW THE ON COMING LEFT LANE DID NOT HAVE VEHICLES COMING SO I PULLED OUT INTO THAT LANE. I PASSED 2 OR 3 OF THE VEHICLE IN MY LANE BEFORE A VEHICLE TRAVELING IN THE LEFT LANE TOWARDS ME CAME. I TRIED TO STEER THE SUBURBAN TO THE LEFT INTO THE DITCH. I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND COLLIDED HEAD ON WITH THE OTHER VEHICLE. I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON BUT THE SEAT BELT DID NOT STOP ME FROM HITTING MY HEAD ON THE WIND SHIELD CAUSING A STAR BURST CRACK IN THE GLASS. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED....CW *JB

TURNED WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON DURING HEAVY RAIN AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE . WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING IN MIDDLE OF WINDSHIELD.MY DRIVING WAS IMPAIRED,SO I PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD. I THEN MOVED THE WIPERS WITH MY HAND.THEY STARTED TO WORK,BUT STOPPED AGAIN. THIS ALSO HAPPENS TO MY OTHER VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE ALMOST ROLLED OVER, HOWEVER, CONSUMER MAINTAINED CONTROL. THERE WAS SEVERE BODY DAMAGE TO THE REAR WHEEL WELL. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN 1999 K1500 SUBURBAN WITH 49600 MILES WHILE TOWING 18 FOOT LIGHTLY LOADED BOX TRAILER ON LEVEL GROUND. TOWING WAS IN ACCORDANCE WITH INSTRUCTIONS IN OWNERS MANUAL TO TOW IN OVERDRIVE. TRANSMISSION FAILED 150 MILES AFTER STARTING TOW. SUBSEQUENT CHECKING OVER INTERNET AND WITH FRIENDS HAS REVEALED MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SAME TYPE FAILURE. CHEV DEALER STATES THAT THERE IS NO FACTORY SERVICE BULLETIN CONCERNING TRANSMISSION FAILURES. FAILURE APPEARS TO BE DO TO EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILD UP.

THE WIPERS WOULD OCCASIONALLY WORK NORMALLY, OR NOT WORK AT ALL OR TURN THEMSELVES ON AND WE WERE UNABLE TO STOP THEM UNTIL WE TURNED OFF THE IGNITION.*AK

UNEXPECTED WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILURE AT 60 MPH ON INTERSTATE. ABLE TO MANUEVER TO SHOULDER WITHOUT INCIDENT. CAR IS PARKED. LOOKING FOR ANSWERS AND SOLUTION.*AK