NHTSA Complaint #761540 — 2001 GMC YUKON

I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY IN FEB OF 2002 AND IT WAS SLEETING, I WAS USING MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO CLEAR THE WINDOW. THE RIGHT FORNT WIPER ARM CAME LOOSE AS THE WIPER STARTED THE UP STROKE AND THEN JUST STAYED IN THE "UP" POSITION, IT GOT TANGLED UP INTO THE LEFT WIPER ARM AND BENT THE ARM TO WHERE THE WIPERS COULD NOT BE USED. I TOOK THE YUKON INTO A GMC DEALER WHO WAS CLOSE BY, THEY REFUSED TO WORK ON IT SINCE I HAD NOT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THERE, SO I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE APPROX. 50 MILES TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM TO GET IT REPAIRED. THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AND TOLD ME THAT THE WIPERS ON THIS VEHICLE SOMETIMES DO THAT, IN FACT HE SAID HE HAD ALREADY REPAIRED TWO THAT SAME DAY AND I SHOULD CARRY A 13MM WRENCH WITH ME AND CHECK THE TIGHTNESS ON THE ARMS FROM TIME TO TIME. THE NEXT INCIDENT HAPPENED IN APRIL AND IT WAS MISTING RAIN, I HAD JUST TURNED ON MY WIPERS WHEN I SAW THE LEFT FRONT WIPER ARM COME LOSE AND STOPPED WIPING. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE WIPERS OFF BEFORE IT GOT TANGLED UP WITH THE RIGHT WIPER ARM. I USED THE 13MM WRENCH, THAT THE DEALER RECOMMENED I BUY, AND TIGHTENED IT. I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFTEY FEATURE IF THIS HAPPENED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHILE IT WAS RAINING OR SLEETING HARD. THE INCIDENT WITH THE REAR DEFROST HAPPENED IN APRIL OF 2002. I WAS DRIVING THROUGH TOWN AND THE REAR WINDOWS (IT HAS CARGO DOORS, 1 WINDOW IN EACH DOOR) START TO FOG UP, I TURNED ON THE REAR DEFROST AND THE RIGHT REAR WINDO IN THE CARGO DOOR CLEARED UP WITHIN SECONDS, THE WINDOW ON THE LEFT REAR CARGO DOOR NEVER DID. THE DEALER IS SCHEDULED TO LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM ON 05/06/2002. THIS SERIOUSLY IMPAIRS YOUR VISION WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING AND ONE OF THE REAR WINDOWS WON'T DEFOG/\. *AK