NHTSA Complaint #10058935 — 2000 CHEVROLET S PICKUP

I OWN A 2000 CHEVROLET S-10 PICK-UP TRUCK [XXX]. IN SEPTEMBER 2003, WHILE LOADING THE BED PREPARING TO TRAVEL FROM WEST VIRGINIA TO WISCONSIN, I NOTICED ONE OF THE CABLES HOLDING THE OPENED TAILGATE TO THE TRUCK BED HAD SEPARATED. I DECIDED TO REPLACE THE BROKEN CABLE UPON MY ARRIVAL IN WISCONSIN. WHEN I OPENED THE TAILGATE IN WISCONSIN, APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES AND 24 HOURS LATER, I OBSERVED THAT THE OTHER TAILGATE RETAINING CABLE HAD SNAPPED. THE TAILGATE HAD REMAINED CLOSED THROUGHOUT THE TRIP AND THE CABLE WAS UNDER NO STRESS DURING THIS TIME. THE VEHICLE IS OFF WARRANTY, AND I DID NOT CONSIDER THE SNAPPED CABLES TO CONSTITUTE A SAFETY HAZARD, SO I DID NOT NOTIFY THE NHTSA AT THAT TIME. I DID, HOWEVER, PURCHASE TWO REPLACEMENT CABLES FROM A DUBUQUE, IOWA CHEVROLET DEALER AND REPLACE THE FAULTY TAILGATE CABLES. ON FEBRUARY 24 I READ IN THE WASHINGTON POST THAT A RECALL IS BEING CONSIDERED DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS.*AK UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)