NHTSA Complaint #759355 — 2000 CHEVROLET BLAZER

TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE BLAZER WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE, 2ND AND 4TH GEAR. AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP SAID THAT HE HAS FIXED AT LEAST SIX 1999 AND 2000 MODEL YEAR BLAZERS IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS THAT HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. BASED ON THIS INFORMATION, I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AT PHONE # 1-800-222-1020. CHEVROLET'S CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT CHEVROLET WOULD COVER THE REPAIR IN FULL AND IF THEY DIDN'T THEN CHEVROLET WOULD PAY FOR HALF. OBVIOUSLY IF THE MANUFACTURER IS WILLING TO DO THIS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD THEN THEY ARE ADMITTING THAT THERE IS A FAULTY PART. THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT GO OUT IN A VEHICLE THAT HAS 47,000 MILES ON IT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN FOUR-WHEELING. IT IS DRIVEN BY MY WIFE TO THE SCHOOL WHERE SHE TEACHES THAT IS ABOUT 40 - 50 MILES ROUND-TRIP ON THE INTERSTATE. THE DEALER SAID THE REPAIR COSTS WAS $1,040.86 AND THAT THEY WOULD SPLIT THE COST WITH ME. THE REVERSE REACTION SHELL PART IS LESS THAN $50 AND IF A SEAL KIT WAS NEEDED (WHICH IT WASN'T) IS ANOTHER $160. LABOR RANGES FROM THE "BOOK" FROM 6.6 HOURS AT THE INDEPENDENT SHOP TO 8.4 HOURS AT THE DEALER. BESIDES BEING GOUGED ON THE REPAIR COSTS BY THE DEALER, MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THIS CRITICAL TRANSMISSION PART SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CIRCUMSTANCES. I DO NOT EVEN WANT TO THINK OF THE CONSEQUENCES IF THE FAILURE WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH. THE MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO BE MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PRODUCTS IF FAILURE COULD COST LIVES.*AK