NHTSA Complaint #751039 — 1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER

THE BELT TENSIONER ON MY '96 BLAZER STARTED TO FALL APART. I CAUGHT IT BECAUSE THE BELT STARTED SQUEELING LOUDLY AND I WAS ABLE TO REACH THE DEALER BEFORE IT COMPLETELY FELL OFF. IF IT HAD FALLEN OFF, THE ALTERNATOR, WATER PUMP, FAN AND POWER BRAKES WOULD HAVE FAILED IMMEDIATELY. I AM WRITING BECAUSE I PERSONALLY KNOW 3 OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. MY FRIEND HAD THIS PROBLEM ON A '96 CHEVROLET SILVERADO. IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME. MY FATHER HAS A '98 BLAZER AND HE JUST HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS BEING FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. MY FATHER'S CO-WORKER HAS A '98 BLAZER. HE HAD TO HAVE THE BELT TENSIONER AND SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED 3 TIMES ALREADY. THE FIRST 2 TIMES IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE THIRD TIME THE WARRANTY WAS UP BUT THE DEALER FIXED IT BECAUSE OF THE ON-GOING PROBLEM. IT SEEMS THAT THE BELT TENSIONER DESIGN COULD BE DEFECTIVE. AS I SAID AT THE BEGINNING, THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY PROBLEM. WHEN THE TENSIONER BRAKES, YOU INSTANTLY LOSE POWER TO ALL ENGINE ACCESORIES BEING TURNED BY THE SERPINTINE BELT.*AK