NHTSA Complaint #10126154 — 2000 GMC SONOMA

GMC 2000 SONOMA SLS 1) THE THIRD DOOR PLASTIC HANDLE ACTUATOR SNAPS OFF. (ONCE IN 5 YEARS) .....I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY CAREFUL NOT TO FORCE THE HANDLE BECAUSE A MECHANIC TOLD ME FOUR YEARS AGO THAT THE HANDLES WERE ALREADY BREAKING ON MANY CUSTOMERS. I BOUGHT THE PART AT A GM DEALERSHIP FOR $30 AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF...NOT TOO TOUGH IF YOU ARE A "PROJECT PERSON" WITH MANY TOOLS. TOOK ABOUT ONE HOUR. THE INITIAL ROD ADJUSTMENT MUST HAVE BEEN BAD BECAUSE MY INSTALL IS NOW BETTER FUNCTIONING THAN THE ORIGINAL. 2) THE METAL ROD OF THE RECLINER HANDLE SNAPS IN HALF. (ONCE IN 5 YEARS) ......THIS HAPPENED WHEN A TECHNICIAN WAS WORKING IN THE BACK CAB SPACE REPLACING MY BACK WINDOW. I THOUGHT THEY DID IT ON PURPOSE TO GENERATE SOME PAPERWORK. THE GUY SWORE TO ME THAT THOSE HANDLES HAVE BROKEN ON THEM MANY TIMES, AND MY PASSENGER SIDE WILL DO THE SAME SHORTLY. THEY REPLACED IT FOR FREE, BUT IT TOOK TWO HOURS AND THEY HAD TO TAKE THE WHOLE SEAT APART. 3) THE TAILGATE CABLES CORRODE AND SUDDENLY BREAK IN HALF. (TWICE IN 5 YEARS) ......THE FIRST TIME IT JUST SNAPPED FOR NO REASON. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED IT FREE. JUST ONE YEAR LATER THE NEW CABLE BROKE WHEN I WAS PUSHING OFF A LOAD...I ALMOST TUMBLED OFF UNDER THE DROPPING LOAD. THEY WANT $48 FOR THE CABLE ALONE, WHICH IS RIVETED TO A BRACKET. I AM NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND REFUSE TO PAY THAT MUCH OR THE LABOR. I AM GOING TO RIG UP MY OWN REPLACEMENT. MEANWHILE, THE EXISTING CABLE IS STRAINED AND THE UPPER CABLE BODY ATTACHMENT ROD IS BENT. THE TAILGATE WAS DENTED WAS THE CABLES SNAPPED. I CONDUCTED MUCH RESEARCH ON THE WEB ON THESE ISSUES, AND FOUND THEY ARE A COMMON PROBLEM. MOST PEOPLE WON'T TAKE THE TIME TO REPORT THEM, THOUGH....SO YOU NEED TO ESTIMATE THIS AND ALSO DEMAND GM'S WARRANTY AND PARTS RECORDS. WHAT IS SAD IS THAT ALL THREE OF THESE ISSUES INVOLVE GMC LITERALLY TRYING TO SAVE PETTY NICKLES AND DIMES ON MATERIAL QUALITY IN CRITICAL FUNCTION PARTS.