Chevrolet Blazer Complaints (1996)

1,153 consumer complaints on file.

#785494August 29, 2001
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
RUST HAS DEVELOPED UNDER THE VEHICLE. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#751252August 27, 2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION DIPSTICK TUBE AND DIPSTICK HAVE RUSTED. AM AFRAID THAT THIS IS BEGINNING OF A SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. NOTHING ELSE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS RUSTY AND VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUSTPROOFED. PROBLEM MAY BE INTERNAL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894991August 23, 2001
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING POOR VISIBLITY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894997August 23, 2001
INTERIOR LIGHTING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IS CAUSING DOME LIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS TO BE INOPERABLE. ALSO, ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN AIR CONDITIONER IS RUNNING. DEALER HAS SERVICED VEHICLE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS REORCCURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#751039August 23, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
THE BELT TENSIONER ON MY '96 BLAZER STARTED TO FALL APART. I CAUGHT IT BECAUSE THE BELT STARTED SQUEELING LOUDLY AND I WAS ABLE TO REACH THE DEALER BEFORE IT COMPLETELY FELL OFF. IF IT HAD FALLEN OFF, THE ALTERNATOR, WATER PUMP, FAN AND POWER BRAKES WOULD HAVE FAILED IMMEDIATELY. I AM WRITING BECAUSE I PERSONALLY KNOW 3 OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. MY FRIEND HAD THIS PROBLEM ON A '96 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME. MY FATHER HAS A '98 BLAZER AND HE JUST HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS BEING FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. MY FATHER'S CO-WORKER HAS A '98 BLAZER. HE HAD TO HAVE THE BELT TENSIONER AND SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED 3 TIMES ALREADY. THE FIRST 2 TIMES IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE THIRD TIME THE WARRANTY WAS UP BUT THE DEALER FIXED IT BECAUSE OF THE ON-GOING PROBLEM. IT SEEMS THAT THE BELT TENSIONER DESIGN COULD BE DEFECTIVE. AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY PROBLEM. WHEN THE TENSIONER BRAKES, YOU INSTANTLY LOSE POWER TO ALL ENGINE ACCESORIES BEING TURNED BY THE SERPINTINE BELT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#562614August 21, 2001
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER BALL JOINT, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
UPPER BALL JOINT BROKE AND WAS REPLACED IT. *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750879August 21, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750399August 14, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
HAD TO HAVE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED TWICE WITHIN A YEAR OF OWNING 96 BLAZER. FIRST REPAIR WAS DONE BY DENOOYER CHEVROLET, JUST ABOUT A YEAR LATER THE TRANSMISSION WENT AGAIN, WITH NO HELP FROM CHEVROLET I HAD TRANSMISSION REPAIRED AT BUFF O MATIC IN GLENMONT, NY (WITH NO PROBLEMS THEREAFTER). THEN HAD TO HAVE PRACTICALLY ENTIRE COOLING SYSTEM CLEANED AND REPAIRED BY DEPAULA CHEVROLET DUE TO DEX-COOL ANTI-FREEZE CRYSTALLIZING WITHIN ENGINE, AGAIN WITH NO HELP FROM CHEVROLET I HAD TO DISH OUT MONEY FOR REPAIR. GM AND CHEVROLET SHOULD BE RESPOSIBLE FOR BOTH MY REPAIRS. I AM CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE BBB, ATTORNEY GENERAL AND A PERSONAL ATTORNEY TO HOPEFULLY RECOUPE DAMAGES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750362August 13, 2001
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
BEGINNING IN NOVEMBER OF 1999, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DIDN'T ALWAYS WORK. AT FIRST, I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A FLUKE. AFTER THE INITIAL FAILURE, THEY WORKED FINE FOR SOME TIME. WE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM, AND SERVICE MAN TOLD US THERE HAD BEEN NO PROBLEMS WITH THE WIPERS. SINCE THAT TIME, IT HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT. IT INTERMITTENLY WORKS. SOMEDAYS, IT WORKS EVERY TIME, SOMEDAYS SOME OF THE TIME, AND OTHER DAYS, NONE OF THE TIME. YESTERDAY, IN THE RAIN, DRIVING ALL OVER NASHVILLE, TN, IT WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I TRIED IT. TODAY, WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR, I TRIED IT JUST FOR THE HECK OF IT, AND THEY WORKED. MY HUSBAND KNOWS SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE 95 AND 96 MODEL S-10 BLAZERS, WHO HAVE HAD THEIRS REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE, IT WAS CALLED A CAMPAIN. WHEN WE HAVE ASKED, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR OUR VEHICLE. I FOUND A RECALL NO. 98V150, AND SOUNDS AN AWFUL LOT LIKE OUR PROBLEM. PLEASE ADVISE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750163August 9, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
COOLANT FORMED A CLAY IN THE RADIATOR AT 86,000 MILES. ACCORDING TO CHEVROLET, THE ENGINE COOLANT DOES NOT REQUIRE MAINTENANCE FOR 5 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES IF A SILICATE FREE ORANGE COOLANT (MEETING GM SPEC 6277M) IS USED. THERE IS A NOTICE ON THE ENGINE THAT STATES THIS INFORMATION. WE HAVE MONITORED THE COOLANT LEVEL AND HAVE FOLLOWED THESE INSTRUCTIONS. IN JULY, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. WE HAD THE RADIATOR FLUSHED AND WERE INFORMED THAT THE COOLANT HAD SOLIDIFIED IN THE RADIATOR. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN INFORMED US THAT THE COOLANT HAD FORMED A CLAY IN THE RADIATOR. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, THE ENGINE DEVELOPED A SLOSHING/WATER NOISE. WE HAD THE RADIATOR FLUSHED AGAIN AND WERE INFORMED THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE THE RADIATOR REMOVED AND MANUALLY CLEANED. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TRENT, A GMC DEALER (AS THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR 3 WEEKS) AND WERE INFORMED THAT THE COOLANT SYSTEM HAD BEEN STOPPED UP AND CLOGGED THE HEATER CORE. ACCORDING TRENT, THE INTAKE WAS CLOGGED AND LEAKING, WHICH CAUSED THE ENTIRE RADIATOR SYSTEM TO STOP UP. THE RADIATOR WAS PLUGGED SO BADLY THAT THE FLUES COULD NOT BE UNSTOPPED WHEN THE RADIATOR WAS MANUALLY CLEANED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET SET, RADIATOR, UPPER AND LOWER RADIATOR HOSES, AND THERMOSTAT HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE HEATER CORE WAS FLUSHED TO REMOVE THE SLUDGE. ACCORDING TO TRENT, ALL PROBLEMS WERE CAUSED BY FAULTY COOLANT. THE VEHICLE WAS WITHIN 5 YEARS AND 100,000 MILES, AND WE FOLLOWED CHEVROLETS SERVICE INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAINTENANCE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#749999August 7, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
BRAKE FAILURE, POWER BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED AND MY COULD NOT STOP THE CAR EXCEPT WITH BOTH FEET USING ALL THE STRENGTH SHE HAD. LUCKY SHE DID NOT HAVE AN ACCIDENT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT ABOUT 35 MILES/PER HOUR AND THER WAS NO TRAFFIC AT THE TIME. IF THERE HAD BEEN A CAR STOPPED IN FRONT OF HER SHE WOULD HAVE HIT IT BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT STOP THE CAR. VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY CONDITION.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750012August 7, 2001
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH DOWNHILL ON WET PAVEMENT, THE ACCELERATOR SUDDENLY DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR. MY FOOT WAS ON THE PEDAL LIGHTLY AT THE TIME, AND THE PEDAL MOVED FROM BENEATH MY FOOT. I ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE ACCELERATOR HAD APPARENTLY OVERRIDEN THEM. MY SPEED WAS NEARING 90 MPH WHEN I RESORTED TO TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, AND COASTED TO A STOP ON THE HIGHWAY SHOULDER. THIS SEQUENCE OF EVENTS SPANNED ABOUT 20 SECONDS. AS THE VEHICLE NEARED ITS STOP, I HEARD THE ACCELERATOR POP FREE. WITH THE ENGINE OFF, BOTH PETALS THEN SEEMED TO DEPRESS NORMALLY, SO I DROVE TO THE NEAREST AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP. ALL APPEARED TO BE NORMAL UNDER THE HOOD AT THAT POINT. I CONTACTED GM ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AND THOUGH THEY EXPRESSED SYMPATHY, THEY TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT I COULD DO. I WAS EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THAT MY YOUNG CHILD WAS NOT WITH ME, THAT THE ROADS WERE NOT ICY (IT HAD RECENTLY SNOWED), THAT THERE WAS NO NEARBY TRAFFIC IN THE VICINITY, AND THAT I DID NOT PANIC. I WAS, HOWEVER, SCARED OUT OF MY WITS. THIS SITUATION OCCURRED SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER OUR LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP PERFORMED ABS RECALL MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE, AND I CANNOT HELP BUT WONDER IF THE TWO EVENTS ARE RELATED. I HAVE NOTICED THAT OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS IN THE RECENT PAST. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE SEEING A GROWING PATTERN, AND IF GM PLANS TO TAKE ANY ACTION. THIS IS MY WINTER VEHICLE; IT HAS ONLY 24,000 MILES ON IT AND I NOW FEAR GETTING BEHIND ITS WHEEL, ESPECIALLY UNDER ADVERSE WINTER CONDITIONS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#749971August 6, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
MY BLAZER WAS OVER HEATING THE COOLENT WAS FLUSHED, IT OVER HEATED AGAIN THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED, IT OVER HEATED AGAIN THE COOLING SYSTEM WAS FLUSHED AND A NEW THERMOSTAT WAS PUT IN, AGAIN IT OVER HEATED AND THIS TIME BLEW THE ENGINE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#893437August 6, 2001
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. ALSO, THEY STOP FUNCTIONING DURING PERFORMANCE. CIRCUIT BOARD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#749878August 5, 2001
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WORKS INTERMITTENTLY...I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#893350August 3, 2001
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
WHILE TRAVELING STEERING WAS PULLING TO ONE SIDE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND TECHNICIAN REPLACED UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURATHER INFORMATION.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#893237August 1, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
MEDFORD ENGINE GASKET BLEWOUT, AND COOLANT RAN FROM UNDERNEA VEHICLE.ALSO, THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO BEARINGS BEING DEFECTIVE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEMS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#749583August 1, 2001
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
THE CAR HAD MADE A NASTY NOISE SINCE ABOUT 30K MILES. WE BROUGHT THIS TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION MORE THAN ONCE, BUT THEY FOUND NO PROBLEM. WE HAD THE CAR LUBED, ALIGNED, REPLACED TIRES, ETC. WE LIVED WITH THE NOISE, ASSURED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THEN LAST SUNDAY MY WIFE TURNED INTO OUR DRIVE, AND THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL DETACHED AT THE LOWER BALL JOINT. HAD SHE BEEN GOING FASTER, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. CHEVROLET SAYS THERE IS NO PROBLEM, AND BALL JOINT FAILURE IS NOT UNUSUAL. I DISAGREE AND CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS DEFECT, AS AT MODERATE SPEED THIS KIND OF FAILURE WOULD RESULT IN A ROLLOVER.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#749600August 1, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
VEHICLE WAS PUT IN FOR RECALL ON ABS SYSTEM. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND WAS CHECKED AGAIN. SOME TIME LATER THE LIGHT WAS GOING ON AGAIN AND WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY HOOCKED IT UP TO THE COMPUTER AND THEY SAID THERE WERE AT LEAST 10 DIFFERENT CODES IN THE SYSTEM AND THEY WOULD NEED TO START WITH THE FIRST THING AND WORK THROUGH TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. THE LIGHT SEEMS TO GO ON WHEN THE TRUCK IS IN REVERSE AND WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE HARD AT 5 MPH THEN PUT IT IN DRIVE IT SEEMS TO GO OUT. IS THERE A WAY THAT THIS CAN BE CHECKED OUT WITHOUT THE TRUCK BEING TAKEN FOR A WEEK OR IS IT THE WHOLE COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT IS FAULTY?*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#749341July 27, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY, VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
DEXCOOL IN RADIATOR COOLING SYSTEM HAD TURNED TO A RUSTY SLUDGE. HAD COOLANT FLUSH DONE AT 60,000 MILES BY THE DEALER. HAD DEALER REINSPECT VEHICLE AS I WAS GOING ON A LONG ROAD. I HAVE COPY OF 27 POINT INSPECTION STATING MY VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION WITH NO NOTED PROBLEMS. 261 MILES LATER I WAS STRANDED IN THE DESERT WITH A PLUGGED AND BLOWN RADIATOR AND HEATER CORE. THE RADIATOR CAP WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE FLUID IN THE OVERFLOW TANK WAS A RUSTY BROWN THICK MESS. THE HOSES GOING INTO THE RADIATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A COATING OF RUST ON THE INSIDE. I HAD A NEW RADIATOR PUT ON, NEW HOSES, AND THE RADIATOR AND ENGINE BLOCK REFLUSHED, NEW COOLANT ADDED AND OVERFLOW TANK WASHED. 1,500 MILES LATER (TO THE CURRENT MILEAGE I AM AT NOW) THE DEXCOOL FLUID IS ALREADY DISCOLORING AND PARTICLES OF RUST ARE STARTING TO REAPPEAR. WHICH TELLS ME THE CORROSION IS DEEP INSIDE THE SYSTEM. GM WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM OF RUSTING AND CORROSION, DEALER WILL TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR WORK OR INSPECTIONS. GM NEVER WARNED THE CONSUMERS THAT THIS HAD TO BE CAREFULLY WATCHED OR MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE WOULD OCCUR. GM HAS A TRAINING VIDEO THAT WAS SENT TO DEALERS THAT SPECIFICALLY DEALS WITH THE DEXCOOL CORROSION PROBLEM. IT IS CALLED GM TRAINING VIDEO UNDERSTANDING RADIATOR CAP AND COOLING SYSTEM CONTAMINATION. THEY ARE CLAIMING THE RADIATOR CAPS MAY HAVE A PROBLEM PROPERLY SEALING THE RADIATOR THUS CAUSING HIGH EVAPORATION AND THUS CONTAMINATING THE COOLING SYSTEM. IF THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS WHY WAS THE CONSUMER NOT INFORMED? HOW CAN GM NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DAMAGE THAT IS BEING DONE TO A LARGE AMOUNT ON THEIR VEHICLES. THEY ALSO CLAIM THAT THE RADIATOR DESIGN ON CERTAIN TYPES OF THEIR VEHICLES MAKE THEM MORE PRONE TO THE CORROSION CONTAMINATION, SUCH AS THE BLAZER, JIMMY, ST PICKUPS, CAMAROS. THAT IS WHY NOT ALL GM PRODUCTS THAT WERE DELIVERED ORIGINALLY WITH DEXCOOL HAS HAD A PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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