NHTSA Complaint #10181390 — 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER LS WOULD CONTINUOUSLY OPERATE ONCE ACTIVATED AND WOULD NOT STOP UNLESS THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. INSPECTION BY A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT WATER HAD GOTTEN INTO THE WIPER MOTOR AND SHORTED IT OUT. CHEVROLET HAD ISSUED A RECALL (04V046000) FOR THIS EXACT MALFUNCTION IN 2004. HOWEVER, THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR THE MALFUNCTION AS SHOULD BE REQUIRED AS THE MALFUNCTION WAS THE FAULT OF THE MANUFACTURER. CHEVROLET CLAIMED THAT MY CAR'S VIN WAS NOT IDENTIFIED TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH IT AND COULDN'T BE REPAIRED AT THEIR EXPENSE. THIS EXPLANATION IS CLEARLY RIDICULOUS AS THE MALFUNCTION I WAS EXPERIENCING WAS THE EXACT TYPE THEY HAD IDENTIFIED FOR THAT MAKE/MODEL/YEAR. WHILE NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, THE MALFUNCTION OF THE WIPER IN A CRITICAL MOMENT SUCH AS DURING A STORM COULD HAVE CAUSED PROBLEMS. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MOTOR AND I HAD TO PAY OUT OF MY OWN POCKET FOR THEIR REFUSAL TO STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT. *NM