NHTSA Complaint #10240612 — 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER

MY FAMILY & I WERE ON OUR WAY BACK FROM CHICAGO ON I-55 NEAR PONTIAC IL WHEN WE HAD A TIRE BLOW-OUT ON OUR '03 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER. I TRIED TO REMOVE THE SPARE TIRE FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, BUT IT WOULD NOT LOWER. (CHEVYS HAVE A WINCH SYSTEM FOR THE SPARE TIRES) THE TIRE WOULD LOWER ABOUT 2 INCHES, BUT WOULD NOT LOWER COMPLETELY. I TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO LOWER THE SPARE W/ NO RESULTS!! IF THIS SYSTEM WOULD HAVE WORKED PROPERLY I WOULD HAVE HAD THE FLAT CHANGED IN A MATTER OF MINUTES. THE SPARE TIRE STORAGE IS A GOOD SYSTEM, IF IT WORKS! THERE WAS NO RUST ON THE CABLE, OR ANYTHING HINDERING IT FROM WORKING THE WAY THAT IT IS SUPPOSE TO. I FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE OWNERS' MANUAL TO NO AVAIL! IT JUST DIDN'T WORK! BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY SYSTEM, I HAD TO CALL A TOWING SERVICE TO GET OUR VEHICLE HAULED BACK TO BLOOMINGTON FROM OUTSIDE OF PONTIAC. THE BILL FOR SAID TOW, WOUND UP COSTING MY FAMILY $255.00. WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO TO HAVE A SPARE TIRE ON A VEHICLE, IF YOU CAN'T RETRIEVE IT FROM IT'S STORAGE SPOT? THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING I COULD DO TO GET MY FAMILY OFF THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE, SO WE HAD TO WAIT FOR A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR ON THE SHOULDER UNTIL THE TOW-TRUCK ARRIVED. LIKE I STATED, IF THIS SYSTEM HAD WORKED PROPERLY, I WOULD HAVE HAD THE SPARE SWITCHED IN A MATTER OF MINUTES & SAVED MY FAMILY ALOT OF STRESS NOT TO MENTION $255.00! *TR