1999 Oldsmobile Bravada

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME CAUSED THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE CROSS MEMBER THAT WAS CONNECTED TO THE FRAME, BELOW THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, HAD RUSTED AND FRACTURED IN HALF. THE MANUFACTURER REQUESTED THAT THE CONTACT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 145,000.

ON 11 APR 2005, I PURCHASED A 1999 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA FROM A NH DEALER, WITH APPROX. 74000 MILES ON IT. WITHIN ONE WEEK, THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED FOR A BAD WATER PUMP, AND DRIVER'S WINDOW SWITCH. DURING THE WEEK OF 21 APRIL, I HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED. THIS VEHICLE HAD A NH STATE INSPECTION STICKER, BUT IT HAS YET TO PASS A MA STATE INSPECTION. THE AIR INJECTION PUMP THAT ASSISTS IN THE AIR/FUEL MIX HAS BEEN UPDATED BY GM, BUT THEIR "UPDATE" ALLOWS THEM TO CALL IT SOMETHING OTHER THAN A RECALL, SO, IT WOULD COST ME AN ADDITIONAL $400-500. FOR THIS "UPDATE". IN SEP OF 2005, I NOTICED A GRADUALLY GROWING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END. I WAS TOLD THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS WIPED OUT. THE SAFETY ISSUES ALONE WERE EXHAUSTIVE. THE FOLLOWING HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND WERE DONE, TO THE COST OF $1700.: PITMAN ARM / IDLER ARM / UPPER, LOWER BALL JOINTS / CV JOINTS,AXLES,BOOTS/ ENTIRE FRONT HUB ASSEMBLIES / FRONT BRAKES (ROTORS,PADS,CALIPERS) / 4 TIRES CURRENTLY, THE DRIVER'S FRONT DOOR IS SAGGING DUE TO POOR DOOR PINS AND BUSHINGS. MAACO WANTS $1200. TO REPLACE THE HINGES, PINS, AND BUSHINGS, AND REPAIR/REPLACE THE STRIKER PLATE AND SURROUNDING AREA. THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL SOUNDS CONSTANTLY EVEN WITHOUT USING THE SIGNAL, AND GOES AWAY WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE (!?) THE KEY FREQUENTLY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WON'T COME OUT. LAST MONTH YET ANOTHER ALTERNATOR HAD TO GO IN AS THE OTHER FAILED. I HAD THIS BACK IN THE SHOP YESTERDAY 01FEB06 FOR A BANGING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END, AND THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED ME THAT HE CALLED GM. THEY CONFIRMED THERE IS A DEFECTIVE FRONT TORSION BAR IN THESE BLAZER-TYPE VEHICLES. THE TECHNICIAN STATED IT WOULD COST ME AROUND $250. IT NEVER ENDS. I AM TRULY EXHAUSTED BOTH MENTALLY AND FINANCIALLY WITH THIS CAR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN. THE DEALER WON'T TAKE IT BACK, WILL NOT ASSIST, AND GM DOES NOT WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH ME. THEY WON'T EVEN TAKE MY CALL. I TRULY FEAR FOR MY AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY. *JB

MY 8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS RETRIEVING SOMETHING FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. SHE OPENED THE REAR HATCH GLASS DOOR AS USUAL. WHEN SHE WAS DONE, SHE GRASPED THE HANDLE ON THE REAR GLASS AND STARTED TO PULL DOWN TO CLOSE IT. IT IMMEDIATELY SHATTERED ALL OVER HER. SHE RECEIVED TWO SMALL CUTS TO HER HANDS AND ONE SMALL CUT ON HER CHIN FROM FLYING GLASS. AT THIS TIME, THERE APPEARS TO BE NO GLASS IN HER EYES. UPON MY LOOKING INTO WHY THIS HAPPENED, I FOUND THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR HATCH HINGE PIN WAS LYING IN A RECESSED CHANNEL ON THE TOP OF THE CAR. THE "E" CLIP RETAINER WAS MISSING AND THE PIN HAD FALLEN OUT. THIS OBVIOUSLY ALLOWED THE GLASS TO TWIST AND SHATTER. WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALER IN THE MORNING AND WILL EXPLAIN THIS SAME STORY. TO SAY I'M FURIOUS IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. IN MY OPINION, THE HINGE PIN RETENTION SYSTEM IS NOT POSITIVE ENOUGH. THE "E" CLIP RETAINER CAN EASILY POP OFF OF THE PIN. I'M A MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN AND I HAVE ALREADY THOUGH OF 3 BETTER WAYS TO RETAIN THE PIN. YOUR PROMPT INVESTIGATION OF THIS MATTER IS MUCH APPRECIATED.*AK

ON 2-12-1999 MY WIFE WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND DRIVEN INTO A SEMI DURING A WHITEOUT ON I94 NEAR MARSHALL, MICHIGAN. AUTO-OWNERS INSURANCE DECIDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE OVER OUR OBJECTIONS SINCE THIS INVOLVED COMPLETELY REBUILDING THE VEHICLE AND INSTALLING A NEW FRAME. THE CAR WAS IN THE BODY SHOP 11 WEEKS AND WE TOOK POSSESSION ONLY WHEN THE INSURANCE COMPANY SAID THEY WOULD ONLY GUARANTEE TO REPAIR ANY FUTURE ITEMS. OUR FIRST NOTICABLE OBJECTION WAS THAT DOOR GAPS WERE 125% GREATER THAN OTHERS. THIS LED US TO INSPECT THE REST OF THE CAR VERY CAREFULLY. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE OF CONCERN. I WILL ONLY GO INTO WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER SAFETY ITEMS NOT COSMETICS. LOUD VIBRATION WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE HOOD LATCHS NEVER SECURED (THIS BOTHERED ME SINCE IT WAS INDICATIVE OF OTHER POSSIBLE FLAWS FROM BEING COMPLETELY REBUILT BY HAND. "GRABBING" DURING TIGHT TURNS - WAS REPAIRED TWICE UNDER BULLETIN 86-74-02 FOR "LAUNCH SHUDDER" - OUR STEERING PROBLEM IS NOT DURING TAKEOFF BUT ONLY THE TIGHT TURNS. THE INSTRUMENTS OCCASSIONALLY GO WACKO AND GIVE FALSE READINGS PARTICULARLY THE OVERHEAD. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH THAT DESTROYED THE FRAME. FROM ALL I HAVE READ TJHIS COULD REOCCUR IN A FUTURE COLLISION AND PERHAPS THE INVERSE COULD OCCUR AND PREMATURE DEPLOYMENT RESULT. BOTH THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE BODY SHOP(OLDS DEALERSHIP) HAVE GIVEN ME LETTER ASSURING ME THEY WILL FIX ANY FUTURE DEFECTS BUT NOT GUARANTEEING THEY NOT OCCUR. ROB THE AGENT AT LES

THIS MODEL HAS AN OVERHEAD CONSOLE WITH A READOUT THAT PURPORTS TO TELL THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE. THE TEMPERATURE READOUT IS CONSISTENTLY 5-15 DEGREES WARMER THAN THE ACTUAL OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE. BASED ON THE READOUT, THE CONSOLE SHOWS AN "ICE" WARNING WHEN TEMPERATURES ARE RIGHT FOR THE FORMATION OF ICE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS READOUT MIGHT SUGGEST THAT TEMPERATURES ARE 10 OR 15 DEGREES ABOVE FREEZING, WHEN IN FACT ICE MAY BE PRESENT ON THE ROAD. OLDSMOBILE HAS ACKNOWLEDGED TO ME THAT THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT, AND THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. IN TALKING WITH OWNERS OF "TWIN VEHICLES" (CHEVY BLAZER AND GMC JIMMY) OF VARIOUS MODEL YEARS, THEY REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM HAS APPARENTLY BEEN PRESENT ON THESE MODELS FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF MODEL YEARS.