NHTSA Complaint #10293717 — 2002 CHEVROLET BLAZER

2002 S-10 BLAZER 4WD CONCERN FIRST LET ME SAY I HAVE NOT CHANGED THE DRIVERS DOOR PINS AND BUSHINGS EVEN THROUGH I KNEW THEY WERE BAD. THE DOOR CLOSES AND LOCKS ON THE DOOR STRIKER THAN MOUNTS TO THE VEHICLE SIDE POST. HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED, WHICH AT A SERVICE CENTER GETTING THE TRANSMISSION SERVICED AND REPLACING THE 4 WD DRIVE SHAFT, I RETURNED TO PICK MY CAR UP. THE DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE AND LATCH, UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE ENTIRE DOOR STRIKER ASSEMBLY FRACTURED THE SIDE POST METAL AND PUSHED INTO THE SIDEPOST ASSEMBLY. THIS PREVENTED THE DOOR FROM LATCHING. I WENT TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP IN GRESHAM, OREGON, WE LOOKED AT THE DESIGN, THE DOOR STRIKER IS ONLY MOUNTED TO THE SHEETMETAL WITH A METAL BACKING SUPPORT BEHIND IT. MY QUESTION IS, HOW DID THIS VEHICLE PASS ANY KIND OF SIDE IMPACT TEST WITH THIS DESIGN? THE ONLY THING KEEPING THE DOOR FROM FLYING OPEN IS WHAT I DESCRIBED ABOVE. I AM SHOCKED THAT THE DOOR STRIKER IS NOT SECURED TO A STEEL POST OF SOME KIND. I'M GOING TO TAKE SOME DIGITAL PICTURES OF THE STRIKER ASSEMBLY TO KEEP INCASE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THEM. *TR