NHTSA Complaint #747956 — 1999 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

FRIDAY JUNE 6, 2001 MY WIFE AND FIVE KIDS LEFT FROM HUNTSVILLE, AL TO GO TO PENSACOLA, FL FOR THE WEEKEND, THEY GOT ABOUT 250 MILES AND THE REAR END BLEW OUT ON OUR 1999 CHEVY SUBURBAN LT K1500. THE WAS A "KLUNK" AS SHE WAS TRAVELLING 70MPH ON I-65. THERE WAS A DEALERSHIP IN SIGHT, SO I HAD IT TOWED THERE, AND THE FOLLOWING MONDAY I CALLED TO GET AN ESTIMATE. I WAS TOLD THE REAR END HOUSING HAD A HOLE BLOWN THROUGH IT. THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME $1,900 FOR A USED REAR END, AND $250 FOR LABOR. THE LABOR SOUNDED REASONABLE, BUT THE $1,900 WAS OUTRAGEOUS. I CONTACTED THE CHEVY DEALER IN PENSACOLA AND LOCATED A USED REAR END WITH A 12 MONTH PARTS AND LABOR WARRANTY FOR $1,200, SO I CALLED A FLAT BED WRECKER AND PAID $220 TO HAVE TOWED TO PENSACOLA FOR REPAIR. I CALLED CHEVY CUSTOMER SERVICE AND FILED A COMPLAINT AGAINST THE GREENVILLE DEALER AND ON THE VEHICLE ITSELF (FILE #C04557412). THE FIRST CR I SPOKE WITH TOOK THE INFORMATION, BUT WAS NOT VERY HELPFUL BEYOND THAT. MY OWN MECHANIC WHO REPAIRED THE VEHICLE EXAMINED THE REAR END AND SAID IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS NO SEAL OR LEAKAGE PROBLEM BUT THAT SOMETHING INSIDE JUST GAVE OUT AND WENT THROUGH THE HOUSING. WE HAD OWNED A 93, C2500 THAT HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR END SEAL AFTER 140,000 MILES, AND THAT IS A LITTLE MORE UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT 72,000 MILES SEEMS LIKE A VERY PREMATURE DEATH FOR A REAR END TO INCUR AN INTERNAL FAILURE. I CALLED CHEVY CUSTOMER SERVICE BACK AND SPOKE WITH A JUDY FRANCO. I TOLD HER WHAT THE MECHANIC SAID ABOUT THE REAR END AND SHE SAID THEY WOULD LOOK INTO IT FURTHER. SHE REPORTED DOING SOME INVESTIGATING AND SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING CHEVY WOULD DO. SHE AND A SERVICE REP IN PENSACOLA SAID THEY DOUBTED THAT CHEVY WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR ME BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE, AND BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE IT REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP. ALTHOUGH THE REP IN PENSACOLA TOLD ME THAT IF THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER 60,000 MILES THAT, IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT SOMETHING COULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE WAY OF COMPENSATION.*AK