NHTSA Complaint #10080728 — 2003 CHEVROLET BLAZER

2003 BLAZER LS 4X4, 29,000 MILES, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WE PURCHASED THIS CAR IN FEBRUARY 2004 WITH 21,000 MILES ON IT. IT CURRENTLY HAS 29,000 MILES. *AK CRUISE CONTROL AND TRANSMISSION SHIFT POINT WE HAVE OWNED THIS BLAZER FOR 5 MONTHS. IMMEDIATELY WE NOTICED THAT WHEN THE BLAZER HAS THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, FREQUENTLY WHEN TRAVELLING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WANTS TO DOWNSHIFT TO THIRD GEAR IT WILL INSTEAD SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR. THE DOWNSHIFT RED-LINES THE ENGINE TO 5000 RPM. IT HAS DOWNSHIFTED FROM 4TH GEAR TO 2ND GEAR AROUND TWO DOZEN TIMES IN 7,000 MILES. AND RECENTLY IT HAS DOWNSHIFTED TO 2ND GEAR WHEN THE BLAZER WAS NOT ON CRUISE CONTROL -- JUST WHEN THE DRIVER IS DRIVING UP A SLIGHT INCLINE. SOON AFTER PURCHASE OF THE CAR WE RETURNED IT TO CHAMPION CHEVROLET IN RENO, NEVADA, TO HAVE THEM FIX THIS PROBLEM. THEY COULD NOT MAKE THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT FROM 4TH TO 2ND GEAR. SINCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRES AT 30,000 MILES, WE AGAIN TOOK IT TO CHAMPION CHEVROLET, TO HAVE THEM FIX THE DOWNSHIFT PROBLEM. SERVICE ADVISOR CHUCK BROWN TOLD US THAT THE CAR WAS ROAD TESTED AND OPERATES NORMALLY. HE ALSO EXPLAINED THAT THE OVER-REV SITUATION IS NORMAL. WE HAD A 1995 BLAZER WHICH WE OWNED AND LOVED FOR 8 YEARS AND 200,000 MILES AND NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY TYPE OF DOWNSHIFT PROBLEM. WE FEEL THIS SITUATION IS DANGEROUS. FOR INSTANCE, WE ARE DRIVING ALONG ON CRUISE CONTROL ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY GOING 60-70 MPH. THE BLAZER TRIES TO MAINTAIN ITS CRUISING SPEED WHILE GOING UP A VERY GRADUAL HILL. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS TO 2ND GEAR, THE RPM REVS UP TO 4500-5000. IMMEDIATELY THE DRIVER HAS TO UNEXPECTEDLY TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. IF THIS HAPPENS WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER PASSING A TRUCK, THE "SHOCK" BY THE DRIVER TRYING TO CORRECT THE SITUATION COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE "INCIDENT DATE" BELOW IS ONLY A ESTIMATE AS TO THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED.