NHTSA Complaint #10279189 — 2003 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER EXT

DESIGN FLAW OF THE CENTER HIGH MOUNTED STOP LAMP APPLIQUE (AKA - REAR UPPER LIFTGATE MOLDING) DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, ICE AND SNOW BUILDS UP BEHIND THE MOLDING, AND WHEN THE USER ATTEMPTS TO OPEN THE LIFTGATE, THE MOLDING IS SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE, SOMETIMES RESULTS IN PERMANENT BREAKAGE OF THE MOLDING, OR EVEN SHATTERING OF THE REAR WINDOW. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THE COMPANY IS ALREADY AWARE OF, AS EVIDENCED BY A RELEASED TSB. AS EVIDENCED BY NUMEROUS REPORTS ON "TRAILVOY.COM", MANY GROUP MEMBERS HAVE REPORTED HAVING THIS EXACT PROBLEM. I HAVE READ REPORTS OF THIS PIECE MYSTERIOUSLY COMING OFF, TO THE SURPRISE OF THE DRIVER, WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD. IT SEEMS THAT WHEN THIS VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED, TOO MUCH OF THE LIFTGATE'S STRUCTURE WAS LEFT TO RELY ON THE STABILITY OF PLASTIC AND GLASS. FOR INSTANCE, ON MY VEHICLE, AFTER BREAKAGE OF THE MOLDING, THE FORCE EXERTED BY THE GLASS LIFT ARMS CAUSED THE ADHESIVE TO SEPARATE FROM THE WINDOWS HINGE, LEAVING IT "DANGLING BY A THREAD". I FEEL THAT THIS A PROBLEM THAT HAS OCCURRED IN TOO MANY CASES; A PROBLEM THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE SAFETY ISSUES WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD. IT IS AN EXPENSIVE PART TO REPLACE ($700-$1000, WITH LABOR). CHEVROLET HAS SINCE REDESIGNED THE TRAILBLAZER VEHICLES TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT CHEVROLET SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE TO CORRECT THEIR DESIGN ERROR ON THE OLDER VEHICLES, INSTEAD OF LEAVING IT UP TO THE CONSUMER TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET.*TR