NHTSA Complaint #711356 — 1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER

WE WERE TRAVELLING WESTBOUND ON ROUTE 4 IN WEST RUTLAND, VERMONT, AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, WHEN WE HEARD A WHISTLING SOUND. WE THOUGHT IT WAS AIR COMING THROUGH THE TOP OF THE WINDOW, BUT IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, THE CAR LOST CONTROL AND THE FRONT END OF THE CAR "FELL DOWN". WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT WE HAD A BLOW OUT, BUT AFTER WE VIEWED IT WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO STOPPED TO ASSIST, WE DISCOVERED THE RIM WAS SEVERED IN HALF AND THE TIRE WAS TOTALLY OUT OF PLACE. A TRUCKER WHO STOPPED TO ASSIST US, LOOKED UNDERNEATH AND SAID IT APPEARED TO BE A BALL JOINT BREAKAGE. HE COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH A 1996 VEHICLE WITH ONLY 24,000 OR SO MILES ON IT. WE ALSO HAD A STATE TROOPER ASSIST US, AND HE COMMENTED ON HOW LUCKY WE WERE THAT WE WEREN'T HURT. FROM THE TIME THE CAR LOST CONTROL, WE HAD SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, MISSING THE GUARDRAIL BY INCHES. THE BLAZER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT PRESENTLY AWAITS REPAIR. THE OWNER OF THE SHOP CONFIRMED THE BALL JOINT BREAKAGE. WE HAVE CONTACTED GM AND AWAIT A CALL FROM ONE OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVES TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE.WHEN WE ORIGINALLY VIEWED YOUR SITE FOR INITIAL INFORMATION ON HOW TO REPORT THIS, WE NOTICED TWO OTHER INVESTIGATIONS REPORTED WITHIN THE PAST 100 DAYS THAT INDICATED SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH BALL JOINT BREAKAGE. THANK YOU FOR ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE IN THIS MATTER AS WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE OTHER CHEVY BLAZER OWNERS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM.TO DATE, WE STILL CAN'T USE THE VEHICLE AS WE WAIT FOR A SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION.