NHTSA Complaint #729236 — 1995 CHEVROLET TAHOE

THIS VEHICULE HAS A DRIVERS POWER SEAT, UPON PULLING OUT ONTO THE ROAD THE SEAT BROKE LOOSE FROM ITS MOUNT. I DID HAVE BOTH HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL AT THE TIME AND WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE VEHICULE AS IT LIFTED FROM THE FRONT LEFT MOUNTING BRACKET. AFTER LOOKING AT THE SEAT I DISCOVERED THAT THE SEAT MOUNTING BRACKET ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SEAT IS BOLTED INTO THIN SHEET METAL TO THE SEAT FRAME AND NOT INTO THE SEAT FRAME RAIL. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN PROBLEM SINCE THE PASSENGER SEAT FRAME RAILS ARE BOLTED TO THE SEAT BRACKETS AS SHOULD BE. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND HE SAID THEY WOULD FIX IT , BUT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE NEW SEAT FRAME AND LABOR AS A NORMAL SERVICE CALL. CONTACTED THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE LINE AND FILED A REPORT AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE PUT ON FILE AS A COMPLAINT FILE # C01348445, HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING IN A WEEK. I WILL BE FIXING THE SEAT MY SELF IN THE NEAR FUTURE BY TAKING 3/16 X 1 1/2 FLAT BAR AND BOLTING IT TO THE SEAT SUPPORT BRACKETS AND BOLTING THE SEAT FRAME TO THE FLAT BAR. WILL TRY TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT IS FIXED AND AFTER IT IS FIXED, ANYWAY THE DAMAGE PART WILL STILL BE THERE AS THE FLAT BAR WILL JUST GIVE IT STRENGTH. WHAT IT APPEARS TO LOOK LIKE IS THE VEHICULE HAS A FULL SIZE SEAT INSTALLED ON SUPPORT BRACKETS MADE FOR A S10 SIZE VEHICULE. IF MY SEAT BROKE I AM SURE THERE ARE OTHERS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OR WILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME, THEY MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY AS I WAS.