NHTSA Complaint #10362160 — 2002 GMC SIERRA 1500

NEITHER THE LEFT NOR RIGHT CARGO GATE LATCH BOLTS FAILED TO ENGAGE WHEN THE GATE WAS IN THE FULL UPRIGHT POSITION AND WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE LATCHED. THIS ALLOWED THE GATE TO FALL OPEN WHEN ACCELERATING. LUBRICATION WITH A SILICONE WAX SPRAY DID NOT SEEM TO FREE THE BOLTS. REPEATED LIFTING OF THE CENTER HANDLE ON THE GATE FOLLOWED BY QUICK RELEASE DID NOT RESULT IN THE LATCH BOLTS ENGAGING AND THE HANDLE SUBSEQUENTLY BROKE WITH MINIMAL EFFORT. ONCE THE HANDLE WAS REMOVED, CONTACT POINTS ON THE REMAINING HANDLE HARDWARE AND LATCH BOLTS THEN ALLOWED FREE MOVEMENT OF THE LATCH BOLTS. THE HANDLE HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED BUT THE LATCHES ON THE GATE ARE EASILY OPENED BY PULLING BOTH CABLES TOWARDS THE MIDDLE. CONTACT SURFACES SHOW LITTLE OR NO CORROSION OR DEBRIS. THE GATE WAS ALWAYS TESTED FOR CLOSURE AND IT IS SUSPECTED THAT THE LATCH BOLTS WERE ONLY PARTIALLY CLOSING AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE GATE HAD BEEN FOUND OPEN AND ITEMS LOST IN THE PAST BUT IT HAD BEEN THOUGHT THE GATE HAD JUST BEEN LEFT OPEN RATHER HAVING BEEN CLOSED FOLLOWED BY FALLING OPEN AFTER LATCH FAILURE. *TR