1995 CHEVROLET C3500 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 CHEVROLET C3500 EQUIPPED WITH ACHILLES DESERT HAWK A/P TIRES, SIZE LT225/75R16. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT FOUND THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SIDEWALL THREAD SEPARATED AND A BUBBLE HAD DEVELOPED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE TIRE PRODUCTION DATE (4511) WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12T006000 (TIRES). THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 193,000. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 CHEVROLET C3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES AND THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INJECTION PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I HAVE A 1995 3500 DULLY 6.5 TURBO, ENG F, SERIAL # [XXX]. I BOUGHT IT 4 YEARS AGO 170,000 MILES. THIS TRUCK IS USED FOR TOWING AND HAULING HEAVY LOADS IN MY BUSINESS.. ONE MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT IT AND AFTER SEVERAL STALLS (CREATING SOME CLOSE CALLS) AND HARD STARTING AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT FIXING STALLING, STARTING PROBLEM I LEARNED OF THE PMD PROBLEM. I REPLACEMENT AND RELOCATED PMD WITH STANADYNE PART # 34583, AND RELOCATED TO FIREWALL. AFTER DRIVING A FEW MONTHS STARTED EXPERIENCING SOME HARD STARTING AND STALLING AGAIN. THIS SUMMER 2010 WHEN TEMPERATURES REACHED THE 90S IT GOT REALLY BAD. ONCE DYEING ON A RIGHT HAND DOWNHILL CURVE THAT CAUSED THE TRUCK TO CROSS THE CENTER LINE FORCING AN ON COMING CAR TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID A HEAD ON COLLISION BEFORE I GOT IT UNDER CONTROL. I HOPE YOU NEVER HAVE TO EXPERIENCE CONTROLLING A CHEVROLET 3500 DULLY WITHOUT POWER GOING DOWN A HILL USING EXTREME EFFORTS TO STEER AND STOP. AND I HOPE YOU NEVER MEET ONE IN LIKE CONDITION HEADING IN YOUR DIRECTION. A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. IT STALLED AGAIN ON A CURVING UPHILL ROAD WITH NO SHOULDERS WITH A TRAILER IN TOW, CREATING A HAZARD DUE TO BLIND CURVES BEHIND TRUCK AND HAVING TO LET ROLL BACK DOWN HILL IN ORDER TO GET IT OFF ROAD AND WAIT FOR IT TO COOL DOWN BEFORE IT WOULD RESTART. REPLACED PMD AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH NEW PART STANADYNE # 35976 AND RELOCATING TO BEHIND FRONT BUMPER. NOW TRUCK HAS STARTED EXPERIENCING A HARD START UNTIL COOLS DOWN CONDITION AGAIN. I AM FORCED TO CONTINUE USING THIS TRUCK AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGMENT BECAUSE OF ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND MY BUSINESS. I HAVE MADE MY WIFE AND OTHER AWARE OF THIS STALLING, STARTING CONDITION SO THAT IF I DO HAVE AN ACCIDENT THEY CAN HAVE THE PROPER INVESTIGATION DONE. CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MANY OF THESE HEAVY LOADED TRUCKS ARE STILL COMING DOWN THE ROAD TOWARD YOUR FAMILIES? THEY ARE TICKING BOMBS WAITING TO KILL SOMEONE INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR AND WIPERS FAILED DURING RAIN. LEAVE THE SWITCH ON AND HOPE THEY START WORKING AGAIN. THIS TRUCK NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL, BUT DOES THE SAME THING AS RECALLED TRUCKS. TRANSMISSION REFUSES TO SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEARS. STOP TRUCK, SHUT OFF ENGINE, RESTART AND PROCEED SEEMS TO WORK MOST OF THE TIME TO GET TRANSMISSION WORKING CORRECTLY. SOMETIMES MUST REPEAT SEVERAL TIMES. CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. BOTH SHIFTERS REPLACED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. ALTERNATOR REPLACED 3 TIMES. AIR CONDITIONING PUMP REPLACED 3 TIMES. THIS PROBLEM CANNOT BE REMEDIED BECAUSE THE CLUTCH FREEZES UP ON EACH ONE SHORTLY AFTER INSTALLED. HARMONIC BALANCER PULLEY WAS FIRST TO GO. REPLACED IT 1 TIME SO FAR, VACUUM PUMP BLEW A HOLE IN SIDE AND REPLACED AS WELL. BOTH DOORS HAD HINGE PINS REPLACED AS BOTH DOORS WERE HANGING. PASSENGER DOOR WAS THE WORST. PASSENGER DOOR LINKAGES REPLACED AS WELL BUT FAILED WITHIN A FEW DAYS AFTER REPLACEMENT. ALL PROBLEMS STARTED IN FALL OF 2000.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR AND WIPERS FAILED DURING RAIN. LEAVE THE SWITCH ON AND HOPE THEY START WORKING AGAIN. THIS TRUCK NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL, BUT DOES THE SAME THING AS RECALLED TRUCKS. TRANSMISSION REFUSES TO SHIFT FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEARS. STOP TRUCK, SHUT OFF ENGINE, RESTART AND PROCEED SEEMS TO WORK MOST OF THE TIME TO GET TRANSMISSION WORKING CORRECTLY. SOMETIMES MUST REPEAT SEVERAL TIMES. CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. BOTH SHIFTERS REPLACED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. ALTERNATOR REPLACED 3 TIMES. AIR CONDITIONING PUMP REPLACED 3 TIMES. THIS PROBLEM CANNOT BE REMEDIED BECAUSE THE CLUTCH FREEZES UP ON EACH ONE SHORTLY AFTER INSTALLED. HARMONIC BALANCER PULLEY WAS FIRST TO GO. REPLACED IT 1 TIME SO FAR, VACUUM PUMP BLEW A HOLE IN SIDE AND REPLACED AS WELL. BOTH DOORS HAD HINGE PINS REPLACED AS BOTH DOORS WERE HANGING. PASSENGER DOOR WAS THE WORST. PASSENGER DOOR LINKAGES REPLACED AS WELL BUT FAILED WITHIN A FEW DAYS AFTER REPLACEMENT. ALL PROBLEMS STARTED IN FALL OF 2000.*AK