1998 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

WHILE ADJUSTING MY POSITION IN THE DRIVER SEAT AFTER ENTERING THE TRUCK I FELT THE BACK OF THE SEAT ON THE RIGHT SIDE GIVE WAY. IT IS NOT BENT, THE SEAT FRAME IS BROKEN OR HAS COME LOOSE INSIDE. THE SEAT LEANS TO THE RIGHT PUTTING ME IN AN AWARD AND UNSAFE POSITION. I ONLY DRIVE IT WHEN I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE. I AM 6'1" 214 LBS. SEAT IS OTHERWISE IN GOOD CONDITION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHEN TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL PUMP WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FUNCTIONED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE VENT CONTROLS FAILED. THE BOLTS ON THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE REPLACED TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED WHERE A WIRE FAILED CAUSING THE LIGHTING FOR THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS TO FAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

THE HEATER BLOWER ON THE HIGH SETTING THAT DEFROSTS THE WINDSHIELD FOR VISIBILITY STOPPED WORKING. THE CAB OF THE TRUCK FILLED WITH SMOKE AND SMELLED LIKE PLASTIC BURNING. THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS FOR THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS BURNING. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT BUT THE YEAR OF MY TRUCK DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL. IF I DIDN'T CAN'T THE BURNING WIRES WHEN I DID MY TRUCK WOULD HAVE BURNED TO THE GROUND. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING DEFECT. I HAD IT VERIFIED THAT THE LOAD FOR THE WIRE AND THE TYPE OF CONNECTOR USED FOR THE WIRING HARNESS IS NOT ADEQUATE FOR THE ELECTRICAL LOAD OF BLOWER MOTOR AND BLOWER SPEED RELAY. I OWNED THIS TRUCK FOR YEARS WITHOUT BEING IN A HOT OR EXTREME COLD ENVIRONMENT. WHEN I USED THE HIGH SPEED BLOWER TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD IT COULD HAVE KILLED ME. THE TRUCK STILL HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED, THE MFR REFUSES TO ACCEPT THAT THIS TRUCK FALLS UNDER THE SAME DEFECT AS OTHER YEARS.

BRAKE PEDAL GOES SPONGES AND ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE TRUCK HAD OVER 120,000 MILES BEFORE REAR BRAKES WERE REPLACED. IN THAT TIME I WENT THROUGH 8 SETS OF BRAKES AND ROTORS. IN 2005 I REAR ENDED A CAR AT ABOUT 30 MPH. THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR. LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP REPLACED A DEFECTIVE BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLE. THIS WAS THE SECOND BRAKE BOOSTER/ MASTER CYLINDER ASSEMBLY REPLACE ON MY TRUCK SINCE 2005. SINCE THEN. I HAVE LOST BRAKES ON THE TRUCK 4 MORE TIMES. FAILED BRAKE LINES (LEAK AND BREAK) BLOWN BRAKE CALIPER AND RUBBER HOSE. I AM AN ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THE REAR BRAKES OF THE TRUCK DID NOT PROVIDE ANY BRAKING ASSISTANCE WHEN INSPECTED. SUSPECTED FAULT WAS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN ON THE 1500 SERIES TRUCK BRAKES. WHEN 2500 BRAKE PARTS ARE USED ( MASTER CYLINDER ASSY, PROPORTIONING VALVE, AND REAR BRAKES CHANGE TO 11" DRUMS THE BRAKE PEDAL FEELS FIRM AND THE BRAKING POWER OF THE TRUCK IS DRASTICALLY IMPROVED. I'VE OWNED THE TRUCK FOR OVER 11 YEARS AS THE SECOND OWNER I BOUGHT IT WITH VERY LOW MILES. THE BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TERRIBLE. I INITIALL SPENT OVER $2,000 AT THE DEALERSHIP STRING TO BET THE BRAKES CORRECT. IN THE END THE DEALER SAID THAT "THIS IS HOW THEY ALL ARE".

WE WERE GOING TO A FRIENDS HOUSE IN OUR 1998 CHEVY TRUCK. THE PEDAL WENT DOWN TO THE GROUND. WE BROUGHT THE TRUCK IN AND THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE BRAKE LINE FOR THE REAR BRAKES. WE REPLACED THE BRAKE LINES. SUBSEQUENTLY, I PUT THE CAR UP TO SEE HOW THE FRONT BRAKE LINES LOOK. THEY ARE ALMOST ROTTED THROUGH. WE NOW NEED TO REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE LINES. CHEVY SHOULD FIND OUT WHY THE TRUCK LOOKS SO BAD; THE DOORS ARE ALL ROTTING AWAY ALSO. *TR

THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS. MY BATTERY HAS SIDE MOUNTED TERMINALS. EACH TIME THE TEMPERATURE GOES UP OR DOWN THE POSITIVE POST BECOMES LOOSE. MOST TIMES IT IS A PROBLEM AS I START THE VEHICLE. WHEN I TURN THE KEY THE ENGINE BEGINS TO START, THEN IT SHUTS DOWN DUE TO LACK OF ELECTRICAL POWER. TWICE IN THE PAST WEEK IT HAS SHUT DOWN WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD, ONCE IN THE MIDDLE OF I-83, DURING RUSH HOUR IN DOWNTOWN HARRISBURG, PA. OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IT HAS, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, "HICCUPPED" SEVERAL TIMES WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I HAVE TIGHTENED THE SCREW-IN POST DOWN (TWICE) TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE ROUNDED THE HEX HEAD OFF AND THE WRENCH JUMPED OFF THE HEAD BUT, IT CONTINUES TO COME LOOSE. I SPOKE WITH AN AUTO PARTS STORE AND THEY RECOMMENDED AN ADHESIVE, WHICH I TRIED. IT STILL CAME LOOSE. I HAVE EVEN CHANGED OUT THE BATTERY BUT, STILL THE PROBLEM EXISTS. THIS WAS A VERY POPULAR YEAR FOR CHEVY W/T PICK UP TRUCKS. I CANNOT IMAGINE THESE PROBLEMS HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN RECALLS BEFORE NOW. THE OBVIOUS FIX IS TO REPLACE THE BATTERY WITH ONE THAT HAS TOP MOUNT POSTS. I WOULD ALSO HAVE TO REPLACE THE CABLES. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY THAT WHEN THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN FLAW? *TR