1999 Chevrolet Blazer

I AM SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS BRAKES AND THE FRONT END BALL JOINTS. I AM ACTUALLY AFRAID TO DRIVE MY BLAZER AFTER READING ABOUT THE PROBLEMS. I LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN IN THE MOUNTAINS AND HAVE TO DRIVE MOUNTAIN ROADS AND ALONG A RIVER TO GET TO A BIGGER CITY. I AVERAGE ABOUT ONCE A MONTH THIS TRIP AND IF I MY BLAZER WAS TO HAVE A WHEEL FALL OFF BECAUSE OF A BAD BALL JOINT SYSTEM I AND MAYBE OTHERS WOULD BE DEAD OR SERIOUSLY HURT. I HAVE OVER THE YEARS REPLACED MY BALL JOINTS SEVERAL TIMES AS THEY KEEP GOING BAD, MUCH MORE THAN JUST NORMAL WEAR IT APPEARS. I ALSO HAVE FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS OR SO HAVE HAD THE ABS LIGHT COME ON AND THE ABS BRAKES COME INTO PLAY WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR COMING TO A STOP ON DRY ROADS. THERE ARE TIMES THE LIGHT IS ON WHEN I FIRST START MY BLAZER AND HAVEN'T EVEN MOVED YET. A MECHANIC THAT LOOKED AT IT SAID THAT IT APPEARED THAT THE SENSOR WOULD NEED REPLACING. I DID NOT HAVE IT DONE AS IT WAS GOING TO BE SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THE REPAIR. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO HAVE A RECALL? HOW CAN PEOPLE TELL YOU OF THE PROBLEMS THEY TOO ARE HAVING, WHEN THESE PROBLEMS ARE NOT PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA THAT IT IS NOT JUST THEIR VEHICLE. LIKE ME, I HAD NO IDEA THERE WERE THESE PROBLEMS GOING ON FOR OTHER PEOPLE TOO. LIKE I SAID I NOW AM AFRAID ABOUT HAVING A MAJOR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE BALL JOINT/SUSPENSION PROBLEM THAT IS TALKED ABOUT ON THIS WEBSITE. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO BUY A NEW VEHICLE. CAN'T WE GET HELP BEFORE SOMEONE HAS TO BE HURT OR KILLED? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CHEVROLET BLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC FOR AN UNRELATED ISSUE WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE BALL JOINTS WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 55,000.

I WAS DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN I HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE IN FRONT END THEN A SEVERE PULL TO MY LEFT WHICH VEERED ME OFF THE ROAD , LUCKILY THERE WAS A GRASSY KNOLL TO MY LEFT AND NOT A GUARD RAIL. WHEN I EXITED I FOUND MY FRONT LEFT WHEEL OFF . THE SHOP SAID MY WHEEL FELL OFF DUE TO A BAD BEARING. I FOUND THIS ODD DUE TO MY REPLACING BOTH BEARINGS A YEAR BEFORE. APPARENTLY ITS A COMMON PROBLEM. VEH. HAS 147K AT THIS INCIDENT AND ONLY 126K WHEN REPLACED PARTS THE FIRST TIME. IN ADDITION HAD 4X4 ACTUATOR REPLACED, FUEL PUMP, OIL COOLER LINES REPLACED, AND PITMAN ARM...ALL APPARENTLY COMMON AND FREQUENT REPAIRS WITH THIS VEHICLE !! *TR

I PURCHASED A 1999 CHEVROLET S10 BLAZER IN MARCH 2002. SINCE THEN, I HAVE REPLACED A FRONT END, A REAR END AND A TRANSMISSION. NOW I HAVE TO REPLACE THE REAR END AGAIN. I HAVE 143000 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE AND I AM NOT HAPPY WITH IT ALL. I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING DONE BY GM IN REGARDS TO MY PLIGHT. I HAVE HAD GM CARS MOST OF MY LIFE AND NEVER HAD ONE AS BAD AS THIS. I AM READY TO GO TO A FOREIGN VEHICLE. THIS IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED. *NM

WHILE DRIVING (AT ABOUT 5 MPH) THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED. THE CAR DROPPED TO THAT SIDE, AND STEERING CONTROL WAS LOST. LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED AS I WAS SLOWING TO A STOP BEFORE ENTERING A HIGHWAY. IT APPEARED AS THOUGH THE WHEEL HAD BEEN SEPARATED FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION. AFTER TOWING TO A MECHANIC, I FOUND THAT IT WAS THE LOWER BALL JOINT THAT HAD FAILED, AND THE BRAKE LINE HAD ALSO BEEN SEVERED. AS A RESULT THE SHOCKS ON THAT SIDE WERE BENT OUT OF SHAPE, AND THE SHOCKS ON THE OTHER SIDE WERE STRETCHED OUT (AS IT WAS PULLED BY THE WEIGHT OF THE DROPPED SIDE). HAD I BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY OR TRAVELING AT A HIGHER SPEED, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED WITH POSSIBLE INJURY OR DEATH. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT MULTIPLE PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH ON A DAMP ROAD THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL CAME OFF. HE WAS ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE SAFELY TO THE CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE UPPER BALL JOINT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND REALIGNED THE WHEELS. LATER, HE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE OTHER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD FOGGED UP. THE MECHANIC STATED THE HEATER CORE BROKE AND THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING. THE HEATER CORE WAS REPLACED. N ADDITION, THE VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS STARTING. THE MECHANIC HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL INJECTOR. THE STARTING PROBLEM HAS NOT RETURNED. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE ACTUATION MOTOR WAS REPLACED. THE HEATER CORE BECAME BLOCKED AND WAS FLUSHED BY THE DEALER. THE STEERING BOX AND PITMAN ARM WERE REPLACED. ALSO, THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED. THE HEADLIGHTS BECAME DIM. THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER STOPPED WORKING. THE DEALER PERFORMED NUMEROUS REPAIRS, AND COULD NOT OFFER AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THESE PROBLEMS OCCURRED AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. THE VEHICLE IS REMAINED AT THE DEALER AWAITING REPAIRS ON THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER. ALSO, REPLACED LOOSE FRONT HUBS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH LOWER RIGHT FRONT BALL JOINT FAILED CAUSING WHEEL TO COLLAPSE. THERE WAS NO NOISE AT FAILURE, ONLY THE FEELING THAT A TIRE MIGHT HAVE GONE FLAT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY WHERE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE REMAINING 3 BALL JOINTS WERE ALL "LOOSE" AND IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. ALL 4 BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED. VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY 93000 MILES AT TIME OF INCIDENT. *JB *NM