NHTSA Complaint #727013 — 1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER

WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS STARTING IN 12/98. AT THIS TIME, OUR TRUCK WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, AND WE MENTIONED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING WHEN OUR TRUCK WAS SERVICED AT WILTON MOTORS. THE MECHANICS INSISTED IT WAS FINE. IN FACT, WE ARE NOT EVEN SURE IF THEY CHECKED SINCE OUR SERVICE INVOICE INDICATES THAT CHECKING THE TRANSMISSION WAS A "DELETED OPERATION". ON 2/25/00, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS CONSTANTLY SLIPPING AND COULD NOT HANDLE HIGHWAY SPEEDS (THE TRUCK WAS HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING GEARS AND MADE A GRINDING NOISE). WE BROUGHT THE TRUCK INTO AN INDEPENDENT SPECIALIST ON 3/2/00. THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT AND SEVERAL BANDS WERE REPLACED. THE ENTIRE REPAIR COST $1,800. WE WERE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICE AT THE GM DEALERSHIP, AND WERE CONCERNED THAT THEY WOULD NOW FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND CHARGE AN EVEN HIGHER AMOUNT THAN AN INDEPENDENT SPECIALIST. AT THIS POINT, OUR TRUCK WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER, WE FELT THE PROBLEM HAD DEVELOPED WHILE THE TRUCK WAS STILL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE GM MECHANICS FAILED TO FIND THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH GENERAL MOTORS ON 4/12, A COMPLAINT WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU ON 6/12, AND ARE NOW FILING A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER OWNERS OF 1995 AND 1996 BLAZERS, AND MANY HAVE COMPLAINED OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WE ARE HOPING THAT GM REALIZES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS PART AND WILL INVESTIGATE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE TRANSMISSION. WE HAVE ALREADY HAD 5 RECALLS FOR OUR 1996 BLAZER, AND WE ARE HOPING THERE WILL BE A RECALL FOR THE TRANSMISSION. *AK