NHTSA Complaint #10018724 — 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA

THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS ON MY 1998 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA WITH AWD SMARTRACK WEAR AT A VERY ACCELERATED RATE. THEY, ALONG WITH THE TIE RODS WERE REPLACED SOON AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AT APPROX 86000 MILES WITH ALL GM PARTS, AND NOW AT 93000 MILES NEED REPLACING AGAIN. THEY HAVE BEEN PROPERLY LUBRICATED, AND THE FRONT END HAS BEEN ALIGNED SEVERAL TIMES, ALL BY A GM DEALER. THE VEHICLE IS NOT USED OFF ROAD OR FOR PLOWING. HAVING SPOKE TO SEVERAL OTHER BRAVADA OWNERS, I AM FINDING THIS TO BE A RATHER COMMON PROBLEM. THESE COMPONENTS ARE CRITICAL, AND SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN THEY HAVE, ESPECIALLY ON AN ALL WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE THAT NEVER GOES OFF ROAD. NO RECALL IS NOTED, HOWEVER FRONT SUSPENSION COMPONENTS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THESE HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED BY THE NHTSA. THE VEHICLE IS FITTED WITH QUALITY NAME BRAND STANDARD SIZE TIRES IN GOOD CONDITION. *NLM