NHTSA Complaint #10245054 — 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT

I OWN A 2004 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT. THE GLASS PORTION OF THE TAILGATE BECAME UNGLUED FROM THE HINGE. THIS DID NOT ALLOW THE GLASS PORTION TO LATCH PROPERLY. THE DEALERSHIP/BODY SHOP SAID THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THAT HAPPEN. IN ALL THE OPENING TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM, THE SUPPORT BAR FOR THE GLASS FAILED AND THE ENTIRE LIFTGATE COVER WAS LOOSE. MY THOUGHTS ARE THE COVER WAS THE START OF THE HINGE COMING UNGLUED AS THE BODY SHOP SAID THAT THEY HAVE HAD CASES WHERE THE COVER COMES FLYING OFF. THIS WOULD PLACE STRESS ON THE HINGE/GLUE AND CAUSE A FAILURE. THE BODY SHOP SAID THEY COULD NOT REPAIR. IT WOULD CAST $1000+ FOR A NEW GLASS AND $650+ FOR A USED GLASS. I TOOK IT TO A PRIVATE BODY SHOP AND THEY REGLUED THE GLASS AND HINGE BUT WERE UNABLE TO SECURE THE LIFTGATE COVER WITHOUT SCREWING IT IN PLACE. THE FIX LASTED FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND THEN WHEN I WENT TO LIFT THE TAILGATE (ENTIRE TAILGATE, NOT GLASS), IT BOUND UP ON THE TOP AND ONLY ONES 1/2 WAY. FINALLY, THE TAILGATE LATCH MALFUNCTIONED AND WOULD NOT LATCH WHEN TRYING TO CLOSE THE TAILGATE. UPON REPAIR, THE LATCH MECHANISM HAD DISINTEGRATED AND THE RUBBER COATING WAS ALL TORN APART, CAUSING THE LATCH MECHANISM TO JAM. *TR