NHTSA Complaint #10224313 — 1996 CHEVROLET EXPRESS 1500

96 CHEVY EXPRESS VAN, FAILED SIDE CARGO DOOR HINGES. THESE HINGES, PINS AND BUSHINGS, FAIL, SEIZE UP, AND THE SIDE CARGO DOORS ARE UNABLE TO BE OPENED. THIS MAKES IT UNSAFE FOR EXIT FROM THE VEHICLE FOR ANY PERSONS SITTING IN THE BACK OR REAR SEATS. GM KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE 4 SERVICE BULLETINS FOR THIS PROBLEM. DATED- SEPT. 24, 2001, MAY 01, 2002, JUNE 1, 2003, AND OCT 1, 2006... THE COST TO REPAIR THESE DOOR HINGES IS OUTRAGEOUS.. THEY ARE GM ONLY PARTS, AND TO REPLACE ALL 8 HINGES (THERE ARE 2 HINGES, BODY & DOOR, THAT MAKE UP 1 FULL HINGE. SO A TOTAL OF 8 ARE NEEDED TO REPLACE ALL) COST MINIMUM 115.00 A PIECE (SOME ARE MORE). THEN YOU ALSO HAVE TO REPLACE THE PINS AND BUSHINGS TO MAKE THE HINGES MOVE PROPERLY. THESE ARE 83.00 FOR JUST 2 PINS. SO TO DO ALL 4 HINGES YOU NEED 2 SETS. FOR A TOTAL TO COMPLETELY REPLACE ALL HINGES W/PINS AND BUSHINGS-- 1,036.00 JUST TO USE 2 DOORS ON YOUR VEHICLE. AND THAT ISN'T LABOR.. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS.!!!!!!! THEY KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM, AND THEY ARE KEEPING THE REPLACEMENTS TO THEMSELVES... MEANWHILE, I HAVE 2 DOORS ON MY VAN, THAT WON'T OPEN, SO IF I DO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT, MY CHILDREN WON'T BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THANKS GM.. *TR