1998 Chevrolet Blazer

I HAVE A 1998 CHEVROLET BLAZER (LAST 8 OF VIN W2121658) THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENT LEVELS DO NOT WORK. THE HIGH LEVEL OF THE WIPERS WILL WORK FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME AND THEN STOP. I WANT TO MAKE A COMPLAINT BECAUSE SEVERAL OTHER YEARS OF THIS SAME MODEL HAVE HAD A RECALL BUT THIS YEAR AND VIN DO NOT HAVE A CURRENT RECALL ON THEM. *AK

DURING THE FIRST RAINSTORM SINCE I BOUGHT MY USED BLAZER, MY FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER DIDN'T WORK WHEN TURNED ON. AFTER REPEATEDLY TURNING THE SWITCH ON AND OFF, THE WIPER FINALLY WORKED AT HIGH SPEED ONLY. AFTER A WHILE, IT WORKED AT LOW SPEED AND INTERMITENT SPEED. THEN WHILE IN THE INTERMITENT SPEED POSITION, THE WIPER WORKED IN LOW SPEED ONLY. WHEN SWITCHED OFF, THE WIPER DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY STOP. SINCE THE RAINSTORM, THIS PROBLEM WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE WIPER EITHER WORKING CORRECTLY OR MALFUNCTIONING. I REMOVED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER PULSE CONTROL MODULE FROM THE WIPER MOTOR, EXAMINED THE CIRCUIT BOARD, AND FOUND EIGHT CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS. I RESOLDERED THE DEFECTIVE SOLDER JOINTS AND REINSTALLED THE MODULE INTO THE WIPER MOTOR. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER HAS WORKED CORRECTLY SINCE MY REPAIR. THE DESIGN OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD IS POOR. THESE FAILURES OCCURRED AT STRESS POINTS. APPARENTLY NO ACCOMMODATION WAS MADE TO MECHANICALLY SECURE THE LEADS TO THE CIRCUIT BOARD BEFORE THE LEADS WERE SOLDERED. INSTEAD, SOLDER WAS USED TO BOTH MECHANICALLY SECURE THE LEADS TO THE CIRCUIT BOARD AND ELECTRICALLY PROVIDE THE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY REQUIRED. TO EXACERBATE THIS SITUATION, NOT ENOUGH SOLDER WAS USED AT THESE JOINTS. THE PREVIOUS OWNER TOLD ME THAT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPER OPERATED ERRATICALLY, BUT IT HAPPENED AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND THE ERRATIC OPERATION WAS NOT SO BAD THAT HE WAS OVERLY CONCERNED ABOUT IT. IT IS A FACT THAT CRACKS ON DEFECTIVE SOLDER JOINTS WIDEN WHEN SUBJECTED TO STRESS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. THIS HAS BEEN AN IDENTIFIED SAFETY PROBLEM IN GENERAL MOTORS' 1994 TO 1997 PICKUPS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND VANS.

WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY,SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT WORK AT ALL,SOMETIMES THEY WILL NOT TURN OFF FOR A LONG TIME AFTER THE SWITCH IS TURNED OFF.FROM THE COMPLAINTS I HAVE READ ON THIS INTERNET SITE,IT SEEMS THAT YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS A PROBLEM IN PREVIOUS YEARS,BUT IT'S NOT A PROBLEM NOW.PLEASE BELIEVE ME,IT IS.TRY IT OUT FOR YOURSELF.NEXT TIME YOU ARE COMING HOME FRON A LONG TRIP,WITH TWO KIDS IN THE CAR,PRETEND THAT IT'S RAINING,PULL OFF THE ROAD AND SIT THERE FOR OVER AN HOUR,YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF THE CAR AND STRETCH,YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR KIDS TO THE BATHROOM.OKAY,IT STOPPED RAINING,ON YOUR WAY AGAIN.AFTER A HALF HOUR OF DRIVING,WOOPS,IT'S RAINING AGAIN.APPARENTLY,NOBODY TOLD THE CLOUDS THAT A 98 CHEVY BLAZER WAS ON THE HIGHWAY.STILL DON'Y THINK IT'S A PROBLEM,TRY THIS.TAKE YOUR CHILD TO A VERY IMPORTANT EVENT THAT THEY HAVE TO ATTEND,A LITTLE OVER HALF WAY THERE,PRETEND THAT IT STARTS TO RAIN,AND YOUR WIPERS WON'T TURN ON.DO YOU TRY TO SEE THROUGH THE RAIN CASCADING DOWN YOU WINDSHIELD AND HOPE THAT YOU CAN KEEP YOUR CAR ON THE ROAD AND OUT OF HEAVY ONCOMING TRAFFIC OR DO YOU PULL OFF THE ROAD AND HOPE THAT THE RAIN DOESN'T LAST MORE THAN THE TWENTY MINUTES OF EXTRA TIME YOU ALLOWED YOURSELF.I COULD GO ON,BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS "THERE IS A MALFUNCTION PROBLEM IN THE WIPER CONTROL SYSTEM IN THESE VEHICLES ."DO YOU NEED DEATH REPORTS BEFORE A PROBLEM BECOMES A PROBLEM?WHY DON'T YOU ,AT THE VERY LEAST,SEND A QUESTIONAIRE TO THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO SEE HOW MANY HAVE THIS PROBLEM,CAN'T YOU DO SOMETHING?*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS SEEM TO WORK WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE IT. UNFORTUNATELY THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE IT WHEN IT RAINS. I HAD TO DRIVE 6 MILES IN HEAVY RAIN WITH NO WIPERS TONIGHT. WHEN I CAME HOME I STARTED RESEARCHING THIS AND AM UPSET TO FIND THAT THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY TO OTHER BLAZER OWNERS. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY A RECALL. *AK