NHTSA Complaint #10098153 — 2000 CHEVROLET S10

WHILE STANDING ON THE TAILGATE OF MY S-10 PICKUP, THE LEFT SUPPORTING CABLE BROKE. THE CABLE ON THE OTHER SIDE HELD SO THERE WAS NO INJURY OR DAMAGE. MY INSPECTION OF THE BREAKAGE REVEALED THE MULTISTRANDED STEEL CABLE HAD BECOME HEAVILY RUSTED AND THEREBY WEAKENED. THE CABLE IS COVERED BY PLASTIC TUBING WHICH CAN BE EASILY ABRADED BY REPEATED OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE TAILGATE. MOREOVER THE CABLE IS OBVIOUSLY MADE FROM UNPROTECTED METAL IE. ZINC-DICHROMATE AT BEST, RATHER THAN GANVANIZED OR STAINLESS. (ZINC-DICHROMATE SACRIFICES ITSELF TO MOISTURE OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME). I WENT THE AREA DEALER WHO, AFTER CHECKING TO SEE IT WAS ON THE RECALL LIST, QUOTED OVER $100.00 TO REPLACE BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT CABLES. I LEARNED SOME LARGER TRUCK MODELS ALREADY HAD RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED GM AND AFTER A DAY WAS TOLD THEY WOULD SPLIT THE COSTS WITH ME WHICH I TOLD THEM WAS UNACCEPTABLE AS I CONSIDERED THE PROBLEM TO OF A SAFTEY RELATED NATURE STEMMING FROM POOR DESIGN WHICH ESSENTIALLY MADE THE PRODUCT UNFIT FOR IT'S INTENDED USE. IT REMAINS UNREPAIRED AT THIS TIME. *AK