1999 Chevrolet Blazer

I TURNED THE CORNER AT AN INTERSECTION AND BEGAN ACCELERATING. IT FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE HAD A FLAT TIRE SO I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT. JUST AS I STOPPED, THE WHEEL FELL UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE BALL JOINTS BROKE ON THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL CAUSING THE WHELL TO FALL OFF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES DUE TO HOW SLOW I WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME. THERE WAS ALMOST NO WARNING BEFORE THE WHEEL FELL OFF. THE DEALER REPLACED THE BALL JOINTS, BENT CONTROL ARM, BROKEN TIE ROD, BENT BRAKE HOSE, AXLE, AND SWAY BAR LINKS. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RECALLS FOR OTHER CHEVY VEHICLES RELATED TO MANUFACTURING ISSUES WITH BALL JOINTS. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH FRONT END WHEEL BEARINGS ON 1999 CHEVROLET BLAZER.*MR WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A MOANING NOISE COMING FORM THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER WHO DETERERMINED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT HUB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. FIFTEEN MONTHS LATER THE NOISE WAS PRESENT AGAIN. THE DEALER REPLACED ONE AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT HE OTHER ONE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED SOON. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE FRONT HUBS ARE A PROBLEM IN THESE VEHICLES. *NM

RQ 02 012/FRONT CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS: WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, A HUMMING NOISE WOULD COME FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT ALL UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACE ON BOTH SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE VIN # WAS NOT COVER UNDER THAT RECALL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *NM

WAS DRIVING ABOUT 25 MILES PER HOUR ON A LOCAL STREET WITH A 86 YEAR OLD PASSGNER AND CHRILDREN IN THE CAR, WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE FELL TO THE GROUND,UNAWARE OF WHAT CAUSED THIS I HAD ASSUMED I HAD A FLAT TIRE AND TRIED TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC UNSUCESSFULLY I REMAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY STREET CAUSING A MAJOR BACK UP. UNTIL AN HOUR LATER WHEN A TOW TRUCK CAME TO TOW ME TO A LOCAL SHOP. AND THE SFPD HAD TO RE-ROUTE TRAFFIC. ONCE AT THE SHOP I WAS TOLD MY BALL JOINTS SNAPPED AND BROKE CAUSING THE VECHICLE TO DROP AS IT DID. AFTER INSPECTION BOTH SIDES I WAS THEN TOLD THE DRIVER SIDE WAS ALSO ABOUT TO FALL OFF. A FEW MONTHS BEFORE I NOTICED MY CAR LEANING HEAVLY TO THE RIGHT SIDE THEN A CLICKING NOISE STARTED WHEN I WOULD TURN BUT IT STOPPED SO I THOUGHT NOTHING MORE OF IT AND BOUT 6 MONTH LATER THIS HAPPEND. *AK

RIGHT WHEEL ASSEMBLY SLIPPED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO LURCH TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. ONLY BY MY FIRM GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL, DID I AVOID A LOSS OF CONTROL WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH. *AK PREMATURE WEAR OF THIS COMPONENT IS NOTED IN OTHER GENERAL MOTORS SUV'S (SPECIFICALLY DURANGOS). THE COST OF REPLACEMENT (1500) THE COSTS OF RENTAL CARS WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS UNDER REPAIR ( 400) ARE PART OF MY CLAIM......LUCKILY NO CRASH RESULTED FROM THIS FAILURE.

BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS ASSEMBLIES FAILED ON MY 1999 BLAZER. THE VEHICLE HAD ABOUT 68,000 MILES. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC, THERE IS NO SCHEDULED AND/OR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE FOR THESE PARTS. I UNDERSTAND THAT CONTINUED USE OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE BAD BEARINGS COULD CAUSE A CATOSTROPHIC FAILURE. SINCE THE PROBLEM IS "JUST NOISE", AND VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR, THE POOR DESIGN OF THESE PARTS COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEMS AS THE VEHICLES AGE.

VEHICLE MAKING A LOUD SNAPPING NOISE WHEN TURNING LEFT. BROUGHT TO A LOCAL GARAGE, WAS TOLD THAT BOTH OF FRONT WHEELS WERE ABOUT TO "FALL OFF," AND IT WOULD BE VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC ACTUALLY EXPLAINED MY PROBLEM TO ME, SHOWING ME THE INCH OF PLAY THAT HE COULD SHAKE MY WHEELS. HE THEN WENT ON TO TELL ME THAT HE FIXES THIS PROBLEM IN THIS MAKE OF VEHICLE ABOUT ONCE A WEEK. MY BLAZER HAS 55,000 MILES, AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED VERY WELL. I AM TERRIFIED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED, AS WELL AS DISAPPOINTED AND UPSET. *LA