NHTSA Complaint #738221 — 1996 CHEVROLET C1500

WHENEVER IT IS RAINING OR SNOWING WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL EITHER NOT COME ON AT ALL, OR IF THEY DO, YOU CAN'T TURN THEM OFF. DURING THE TIMES THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WON'T WORK PROPERLY, THE WINDSHIELD WASHERS WILL NOT OPERATE. IF THE WIPERS OR WASHERS ARE USED DURING A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER, THEY BOTH WORK PROPERLY. THERE IS A RECALL OUT ON CERTAIN TRUCKS JUST LIKE MINE FOR THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM, BUT CHEVROLET SAYS MY TRUCK DOES NO QUALIFY FOR THIS RECALL BECAUSE IT WAS BUILT IN A DIFFERENT PLANT. IT IS MY OPINION THAT EVEN THO MY TRUCK WAS ASSEMBLED IN ANOTHER PLANT, THE CIRCUIT BOARD MENTIONED IN THE RECALL COULD HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED IN THE SAME PLANT AS THE DEFECTIVE ONES AND THEN INSTALLED ON MY TRUCK AT THE OTHER PLANT. THE NHSTA SAFETY BULLTEIN THAT MENTIONS THIS DEFECT ON THE 1996 CHEVROLET C-1500'S IS "CAMPAIGN NUMBER 98V150001". THE CHEVROLET NUMBER IS "CAMPAIGN NUMBER 98043". I HAVE CALLED NHSTA SEVERAL TIMES OVER THIS ISSUE AND HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE LADY ON THE PHONE THAT THE SAFETY BULLETIN IN QUESTION DOESN'T EVEN EXIST. I HAVE GIVEN HER THE CAMPAIGN NUMBER AND STILL SHE SAYS SHE HAS NO IDEA WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. HOW CAN NHSTA PUT OUT BULLETINS AND NOT HAVE A CLUE HOW TO TRACK THEM. IF MY MECHANIC CAN FIND THEM, WHY CAN'T NHSTA'S OWN EMPLOYEES FIND THEM? " I HAVE TAKEN THIS TRUCK OFF THE ROAD UNTIL I CAN RESOVLE THIS SITUATION BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO PUT THE LIVES OF MY DAUGHTERS AND OTHER DRIVERS AT RISK BECAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD THAT CONTROL MY WIPERS, THEREFORE THE VISIBILITY OF THE DRIVER IS IMPAIRED. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND SEE IF CHEVROLET CAN'T BE MADE TO EXTEND THIS RECALL TO ALL OF THEIR TRUCKS THAT HAVE THIS DEFECT ON IT, REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT WAS ASSEMBLED. *AK