NHTSA Complaint #10401180 — 2006 CHEVROLET UPLANDER

THE DRIVERS SIDE TRAILING ARM FAILED ON MY 2006 CHEVROLET UPLANDER. AS A RESULT OF THIS FAILURE, MY VAN WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN AND REQUIRED A TOW TO THE SHOP. THIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION NOVEMBER 2010. THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR BUMPER AND WHEEL AREA TOOK THE IMPACT, AND PART OF THE MOTORCYCLE WENT UNDER MY VAN. WE IN LIVE IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA WHERE THE CLIMATE IS FAIRLY DRY, NO SALT ON THE ROADS, AND NO FREEZE/THAW. I DO BELIEVE IF WE LIVED IN A AREA THAT EXPERIENCED MORE MOIST, FREEZE/THAW OR EXPOSED TO SALT THIS PART WOULD HAVE FAILURE SOONER THAN 5 MONTHS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY, THEY DO NOT FEEL THE ACCIDENT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE PART FAILING SINCE I HAD MY VAN BACK IN MY POSSESSION FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS. THEY FEEL IT IS A FAILURE OF THE PART OR DEFECTIVE PART. THE REAR AXLE IS BEING REPLACED AS A RESULT OF THIS FAILURE. OUR VAN IS NOT A HANDICAPPED CONVERSION VAN. UPON VISUAL INSPECTION, THERE IS NO OTHER INDICATION OF POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE TRAILING ARM THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSE BE MY RUNNING OVER SOMETHING OR HITTING SOMETHING AS THERE IS NO UNDERCARRIAGE DAMAGE PRESENT OR AS THE BODY SHOP OWNER SAID NO OTHER DENTS OR DINGS THAT INDICATE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE SINCE THE ACCIDENT. *TR