NHTSA Complaint #10040850 — 1999 CHEVROLET BLAZER

AC DELCO BATTERY ON A 1999 CHEVROLET BLAZER FAILED IN 21 MONTHS - LEAKING BATTERY ACID FROM ONE OF THE SIDE TERMINALS. THE EXACT SAME FAILURE OCCURRED ON THIS VBEHICLE ON 12/3/01. THE SAME BATTERY ON THIS VEHICLE ALSO FAILED ABOUT 10 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE BUT ACTUAL CAUSE OF FAILURE IS UNKNOWN. SERVICE MANANGER AT CHEVY DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT AC DELCO HAD SENT REPRESENTAIVES AROUND TO FIND OUT WHY THEY WERE HAVING SO MANY FAILURES OF THIS TYPE WITH THESE BATTERIES. SAID IT IS RELATED TO HEAT AND ONLY HAPPENS IN SOUTHERN STATES WHERE IT GETS HOTTEST. AC DELCO CUSTOMER SERVICE ADMITS NOTHING OF THIS SORT AND ALWAYS BLAMES THESE FAILURES ON OVERTIGHTENING THE CONNECTIONS TO THE TERMINALS. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS CAUSED BY THIS LEAKING BATTERY ACID AND WHAT IT WILL EAT INTO AND WHAT KIND OF PROBLEMS IT WILL CAUSE. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO ID THE PROBLEM AND CLEAN UP THE ACID BEFORE MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS DEVELOPED.