2003 Chevrolet S10

I BOUGHT A NEW CHEVROLET S-10 IN 2003. FROM THE VERY FIRST TIME I DROVE IT I NOTICED THE A/C COMPRESSOR MADE A GRINDING NOISE WHICH WAS MUCH NOSIER THAN ANY OTHER COMPRESSOR I'VE EVER HEARD ON ANY VEHICLE. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SUPPOSEDLY "CHECKED IT OUT", ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND CLAIMED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE A/C. ALL I KNOW IS TWO MONTHS AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, MY A/C COMPRESSOR STARTED SMOKING, BLOWING HEAVY CLOUDS OF WHITE SMOKE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, AND THE AIR COMING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WAS HOT. THE CLUTCH HAD WENT OUT ON THE COMPRESSOR. NOW I HAVE A FAIRLY NICE TRUCK THAT I HAVE TO BAKE IN WHEN I DRIVE IT. THIS IS THE FIRST CAR I'VE EVER OWNED IN MY 52 YEARS THAT EVER HAD THIS TO HAPPEN. I CERTAINLY FEEL CHEATED IN THAT I WAS AT THE TIME STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH I BOUGHT BRAND NEW AND TOOK GOOD CARE OF. DO I HAVE ANY AVENUE OF RECOURSE? I FEEL MY A/C COMPRESSOR WAS DEFECTIVE FROM DAY ONE, AS DOES MY BROTHER, WHO OWNS A LARGE PROFESSIONAL HVAC COMPANY HERE IN TOWN. PLEASE HELP ME. THANK YOU. *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2003 CHEVY S-10 PICKUP PURCHASED IN JUNE 2003 THAT HAS LESS THAN 35,000 MILES. IN FEBRUARY 2008 WHEN DRIVING IN LOCAL TRAFFIC AND PERFECT WEATHER CONDITIONS I SUDDENLY HEARD A ROAR THAT SOUNDED LIKE A DIESEL TRUCK AND LASTED ONLY FEW SECONDS. I HAD NEVER HEARD SUCH A NOISE FROM MY TRUCK. ABOUT ONE QUARTER OF A MILE LATER THE ROAR RETURNED AND THE ACCELERATOR SPONTANEOUSLY DEPRESSED. I HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE WITH ALL MY STRENGTH TO TRY TO SLOW THE TRUCK. I STOOD ON THE BRAKE FOR A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 30 FEET. I ULTIMATELY HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD TO CONTINUE TO STAND ON THE BRAKE TO KEEP IT FROM MOVING FORWARD EVEN AFTER THE IMPACT. THE PERSON THAT WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WALKED BACK TO ME AND SUGGESTED THAT I TURN OFF THE ENGINE. THIS STOPPED THE ROAR (OR "REVVED UP") ENGINE. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT NO PROBLEMS COULD BE DETECTED BY THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS OR THE CHEVY DEALERS MECHANIC TO EXPLAIN THE ACCELERATION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET S-10. WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE REACHED 1/4 OF A TANK, IT FAILED TO GO ANY HIGHER AND CAUSED A MISCALCULATION OF THE AMOUNT OF GAS IN THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT RAN OUT OF GAS ONCE BECAUSE OF THE INCORRECT READING ON THE FUEL GAUGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE SENSORS WERE CHANGED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,593 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET S10 PICKUP LS. THE VEHICLE DID NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO THE RUST ON THE ROTORS. THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT BECAUSE OF THE MATERIAL THAT IS APPLIED TO THE ROTORS. THEY ALSO STATED THAT IF HE WERE TO STOP SUDDENLY, THERE IS A GREAT POSSIBILITY THAT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT CATCH DUE TO THE RUST ON THE ROTORS WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 32,000. AN APPOINTMENT IS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 2008. GENERAL MOTORS HAS NOT OFFERED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE COST OR REPAIR.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET S10. THE HANDLE FOR THE THIRD DOOR SNAPPED AND FAILED WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR. AS A RESULT, THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 36,650. UPDATED 03/05/08.*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE PART WAS REPLACED BY HIM AT THE COST OF $27.50 PLUS TAX. UPDATED 03/04/08 *TR

THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ACTUATOR ON TOP OF THE TRANSFER CASE FAILED- ACTUATOR IS VACUUM ACTUATED AND WHEN IT FAILED IT ALLOWED TRANSFER CASE FLUID TO BE DRAWN INTO THE VACUUM SYSTEM OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ENGAGEMENT AND DISENGAGEMENT. BUT THE WORST PROBLEM IS THAT THE FLUID CAUSED THE HEATER CONTROLS, ALSO VACUUM ACTIVATED, NOT TO WORK PROPERLY SO THAT THE VEHICLE WINDSHIELD COULD NOT BE DEFOGGED OR DEFROSTED, WHICH IS A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF VISIBILITY. IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THIS VEHICLE BUT G.M. REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MANUFACTURING PROBLEMS. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE ALL THE ACTUATORS (5), THE VACUUM TANK, THE VACUUM LINES AND THE HEATER CONTROL. *TR