NHTSA Complaint #10061903 — 2002 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA

ALL WHEEL DRIVE FAILED (WATER IN WIRING HARNESS CAUSED LOSS OF PROGRAMMING SOFTWARE). DEALER CONTACTED GM AND THEY DOWNLOADED SOFTWARE TO REPROGRAM THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE(TRANSFER CASE). THIS SOFTWARE WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL SOFTWARE INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE WHEN I PURCHASED IT. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL SOFTWARE. EVER SINCE THIS INCIDENT THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY. VEHICLE HAS EXCESSIVE REAR WHEEL SLIPPAGE BEFORE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE WILL ENGAGE. I LIVE IN SNOW COUNTRY AND THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING. WHEN YOU LOSE TRACTION THE REAR END BEGINS TO FISHTAIL BEFORE THE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE ENGAGES AND THEN THIS IS A HARSH NOT A SEAMLESS ENGAGEMENT THAT MAKES YOU ALMOST LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. THE SAME HOLDS TRUE WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC FROM A STOP, BACK END LOSES TRACTION BEFORE FRONT END ENGAGES THIS TOO IS A HARD ENGAGEMENT THAT REALLY DOESN'T GIVE YOU CONTROL OF YOUR VEHICLE. GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE WAS CONTACTED AND WERE UNABLE TO HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS FOR THIS PROBLEM . THEY HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH GM ABOUT THIS AND GM SAYS THERE IS NOTHING IN THE WORKS TO CORRECT THIS. SINCE THIS PROBLEM OCCURED I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WHEN CONDITIONS WARRANT THE USE OF ALL WHEEL DRIVE. *AK