NHTSA Complaint #10134225 — 2001 GMC SONOMA

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I OWN A 2001 GMC SONOMA PICKUP TRUCK. AFTER VERY LIMITED USE OF MY TAILGATE I EXPERIENCED A BREAKAGE OF THE CABLE THAT SUPPORTS THE TAILGATE ON MY TRUCK. IT APPEARS TO BE THAT THE STEEL CABLE HAS RUSTED INSIDE ITS PROTECTIVE PLASTIC COATING CAUSING THE CABLE TO WEAKEN. THE ENDS OF THESE CABLES HAVE A SHRINK-WRAP MATERIAL TO SEAL OUT MOISTURE BUT IT LOOK TO HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY ALLOWING MOISTURE TO ENTER AND RUST THE CABLE. I HAVE CONTACTED GMC TO NO AVAIL AND THEY REFUSE TO RECALL OR FIX THIS PROBLEM. SEEING AS GM'S LARGER TRUCKS HAVE A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM I CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHY THE S10 / SONOMA PICKUP TRUCKS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. THE ONLY THING I CAN SPECULATE IS THE REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR THE SONOMA TAILGATE CABLE COST $50 EACH FROM THE DEALER AND NO ONE HAS SUED THEM FOR INJURY AS OF YET OR THEY HAVE SETTLED OUT OF COURT. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED OR KILLED FROM A TAILGATE COMING DETACHED FROM THE TRUCK IN QUESTION. PAUL DAUBEL PS: HERE IS A THREAD I STARTED IN AN S10 TRUCK FORUM. IT SHOWS THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. HTTP://WWW.S10FORUM.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=175244&PAGE=1&PP=30