1997 Chevrolet Blazer

VEHICLE'S LEFT UPPER BALL JOINT SNAPPED. *MR WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLES DRIVER'S SIDE UPPER BALL JOINT SNAPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. SOON AFTER THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE RELATED TO THE UPPER BALL JOINT (RECALL # 01048). THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIRS ALREADY MADE BUT WAS DENIED. *SCC *NLM

I PURCHASE MY 97 BLAZER IN DEC 2000 WITH 35000 MILES FROM A LOCAL DEALER, I BELIEVE IT WAS A PREVIOUS LEASE VEHICLE. WITHIN ONE YEAR I HAD TO REPLACE BALL JOINTS BUT WAS TOLD THAT I DID NOT QUALIFY FOR A RECALL. IN FEB OF 2003 I LOST MY HEAT AND SPENT CLOSE TO 2000 DOLLARS REPLACING FIRST THE WATER PUMP, THEN THE RADIATOR. AFTER THAT DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE FLUSHED WITH A SPECIAL MACHINE THAT WOULD COST ANOTHER 400 DOLLARS. THE SYSTEM HAD TO BE FLUSHED TWICE TO GET MARGINAL HEAT. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE NEXT MOVE IS TO REPLACE THE HEATER CORE. NOW THE WIPERS STOP WORKING AND ONLY RESTART BY FLIPPING THE SWITCH BACK AND FORTH. NOT REAL GOOD ON THE HIGHWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I RECENTLY HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED AND THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS OLD AND CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT ACTUALLY HAD LESS THAN 5000 MILES ON IT AS THEY REPLACED IT IN FEBRUARY WHEN THE WATER PUMP WAS DONE, THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE COMBINATION OF LOUSY SERVICE FROM 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS, A VEHICLE THAT HAS HAD NOTHING BUT ONGOING PROBLEMS WILL BE ENOUGH TO STOP ME FROM BUYING ANOTHER GM PRODUCT AGAIN. *NLM

GM/CHEVROLET COVER-UP ON MAY, 07, 2003 OUR 1997 CHEVY BLAZER WAS TAKEN IN FOR "RECALL" WORK. WIPERS, ELECTRONIC MIRRORS AND BALL JOINTS. I MIGHT POINT OUT THAT THE CAR ONLY HAD 51,057 MILES ON IT AND BALL JOINTS NORMALLY LAST 100,000-150,000 MILES EASILY, WITH PROPER CARE. MY HUSBAND DAVID, WORKS AT PARKLAND NATL AUTO AS THEIR MACHINIST (28 YEARS) AND OVERSEES THE 'SHOP', HENCE THAT IS WHERE MY VEHICLE GETS ITS LUBE, OIL AND FILTER WORK. GM/CHEV COVERED ALL REPAIRS, EXCEPT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS. THEYVE REFUSED RESPONSIBILITY, UNUSUAL SINCE UPPERS AND LOWERS ALL WORK TOGETHER. THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE SHOT AND THE LOWER ONES WERE ABSOLUTELY THRASHED. SINCE THE CAR HAD BARELY 51,000 MILES ON IT, WE FELT THAT GM/CHEVROLET SHOULD COVER ALL COSTS DUE TO THE USE OF INFERIOR PARTS. A WEEK AFTER REQUESTING COMPENSATION, WE WERE DENIED A REFUND. GM INFORMED US THAT SERVICE MANAGER AT GILCHRIST CHEV IN TACOMA, TOLD THEM WE NEGLECTED SERVICE AND BECAUSE OF HIS STATEMENT THEY WOULD NOT HELP COMPENSATE US. WE INSPECTED THE WORN OUT PARTS THAT GILCHRIST CHEVROLET HAD LEFT IN MY BLAZER. THE PARTS WERE GREASABLE AND STILL FULL OF GREASE! THE NEXT DAY (TUES. 5/20/03) I WENT INTO GILCHRIST CHEV TO SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH THE SERVICE MGR BOB CORNET. HE PERSONALLY, THAT TOLD GM, THAT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE BALL JOINTS HAD BEEN MAINTAINED, THEY WERE SHOT AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. HE CLAIMED HE NEVER TOLD THEM THAT WE NEGLECTED MAINTENANCE. GM IS COVERING UP THEIR USE OF POOR QUALITY COMPONENTS IN THEIR VEHICLES, EXPECTING PEOPLE LIKE US TO FOOT THE BILL. THEY ARE CLEAR TO STATE THAT THIS IS NOT A RECALL, HOWEVER THEY ARE MAKING REPAIRS FOR FREE. IIF YOUVE ALREADY PAID FOR COVERED ITEMS THEY WILL REIMBURSE. STILL THEY MAINTAIN THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINTS ARE NOT COVERED! IT'S A CASE OF INFERIOR PARTS BEING USED IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS AND THE COSTS BEING PASSED ALONG TO THE CONSUMER. THE PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW OF GM/CHEVROLETS CURRENT PRACTICE.

NAR 04/10/2003 THE CONSUMER RIGHT FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS OF THE VEHICLE WERE DAMAGED IN ADDITION TO THAT BOTH THE LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AND AFTER HAVING REPAIRS MADE. WITH OUT RECEIVING ANY NOTIFICATION THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ISSUED FOR THE VEHICLE (RECALL CAMPAIGN #-01V200000) THAT COVER BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. SO THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING A REIMBURSEMENT OF APPROXIMATELY $692.84 IN REPLACEMENTS. *CB