2000 Chevrolet S Pickup

IN LATE SPRING OF THIS YEAR, I EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OF MY LEFT TAILGATE CABLE DURING THE LOADING OF A MODERATE LOAD OF ABOUT 300 LBS. THANK GOD NOBODY WAS HURT. I WENT TO A COUPLE DEALERS AROUND TO FIND OUT ABOUT A REPLACEMENT. I'M AWARE OF THE RECALL FOR THE C/K TAILGATE CABLE SO INQUIRED ABOUT THAT FOR MY VEHICLE. WAS TOLD THERE WAS NONE AND PROBABLY WON'T BE DUE TO LOW COMPLAINT VOLUME. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS FAILURE IS NORMAL IN SUCH A SHORT TIME DUE TO SALT USE ON THE ROADS HERE. I DON'T BUY THAT; I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER. GM'S EXPLANATION OF WHY THEY AREN'T RECALLED (LOWER TAILGATE WEIGHT,ETC) DOESN'T JIVE CONSIDERING THE LOW LOAD THAT BROKE THIS CABLE THOUGH THEY ADMIT THE MATERIAL IS DEFECTIVE (SAME AS C/K MATERIAL). I'M EXPECTING THE OTHER ONE TO GO ANY TIME. THE PART IS AVAILABLE BUT I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GET THE LATCH TOO, WHICH IS FINE ON MINE.*JB

TAILGATE STRAPS SIMULTANEOUSLY BROKE ON 2000 CHEVROLET S-10 / 4WD. THIS HAPPENED APPROX. 2 1/2 YEARS AGO. I WAS HAND-LOADING A PUSH MOWER INTO THE BED OF THE TRUCK, WITH ONE KNEE ON THE TAILGATE SO THAT I COULD SHOVE THE MOWER FARTHER UP INTO THE BED. THE STRAPS BROKE AND DROPPED ME A FEW INCHES, AND CAUSING MY KNEE AND LEG TO SLIP OFF THE GATE. I ALMOST SMACKED MY FACE INTO THE BED, BUT CAUGHT MYSELF IN TIME.*AK

I OWN A 2000 CHEVROLET S-10 PICK-UP TRUCK [XXX]. IN SEPTEMBER 2003, WHILE LOADING THE BED PREPARING TO TRAVEL FROM WEST VIRGINIA TO WISCONSIN, I NOTICED ONE OF THE CABLES HOLDING THE OPENED TAILGATE TO THE TRUCK BED HAD SEPARATED. I DECIDED TO REPLACE THE BROKEN CABLE UPON MY ARRIVAL IN WISCONSIN. WHEN I OPENED THE TAILGATE IN WISCONSIN, APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES AND 24 HOURS LATER, I OBSERVED THAT THE OTHER TAILGATE RETAINING CABLE HAD SNAPPED. THE TAILGATE HAD REMAINED CLOSED THROUGHOUT THE TRIP AND THE CABLE WAS UNDER NO STRESS DURING THIS TIME. THE VEHICLE IS OFF WARRANTY, AND I DID NOT CONSIDER THE SNAPPED CABLES TO CONSTITUTE A SAFETY HAZARD, SO I DID NOT NOTIFY THE NHTSA AT THAT TIME. I DID, HOWEVER, PURCHASE TWO REPLACEMENT CABLES FROM A DUBUQUE, IOWA CHEVROLET DEALER AND REPLACE THE FAULTY TAILGATE CABLES. ON FEBRUARY 24 I READ IN THE WASHINGTON POST THAT A RECALL IS BEING CONSIDERED DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS.*AK UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)