2002 GMC SIERRA 2500 Trailer Hitches Problems

HEARD NOISE WHEN TOWING TRAILER AND I STOP. A BRIEF INSPECTION OF THE RECEIVER HITCH INSTALLED ON VEHICLE SHOWED BROKEN WELDS AND TEARING METAL DUE TO THE BROKEN WELDS. I CALLED GMC TO REPORT SAFETY ISSUE AND HAVE REPAIRED. THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY HITCHES IN STOCK AND SAID THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I TOLD THEM THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS PROBLEM WITH NO RESPONSE. THIS IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT NOT A WEAR OR ABUSE ISSUE AND COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A VERY SERIOUS INCIDENT INCLUDING A FATALITY. I HAVE THE CASE # THAT I WAS GIVEN BY THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. I WILL REPLACE THE HITCH THIS WEEK AND SAVE THE OLD PART. *TR

WITHIN 60 DAYS OF PURCHASE (01/19/2002 I REPORTED TO THE SELLING DEALER (DENNIS DILLON GMC, BOISE, ID) THAT THE HITCH BOX WAS EXTREMELY LOOSE ALLOWING THE TOWING HITCH TO MOVE BOTH VERTICALLY AND HORIZONTALLY WHEN INSTALLED ON THE TRUCK. HAVING OVER 12 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE RV INDUSTRY I KNEW IT TO BE WORRY SOME. I PRESSED THE POINT SUCH THAT A REGIONAL REP LOOKED AT IT. THE EVENTUAL RESPONSE WAS THAT THE HITCH WAS BUILT TO SPECIFICATION AND THEY FELT NOTHING WAS WRONG. ANNUAL INSPECTION OF RECEIVER HITCH (TRAILER HITCH) IN EARLY 2006 SHOWED A MARKED TWIST OF THE RECEIVER BOX THAT THE TRAILER HITCH SHANK RIDES IN. CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE HITCH BOX SHOWED A SEPARATION AT THE FORWARD END OF THE HITCH BOX AND A PRONOUNCED DISTORTION OF THE WEEP HOLES IN THE TORQUE TUBE (CROSS MEMBER). I PHOTOGRAPHED THE OLD HITCH AND REPLACED IT WITH A...

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE HITCH WAS DRAMATICALLY BENT UPWARDS AND IMMEDIATELY UNHITCHED THE TRAILER. A VISUAL INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE CENTER ROUND TUBE SECTION OF THE HITCH WAS TWISTING AND THE RECEIVER WAS DEFINITLY POINTED UP. CONSUMER HAD TO PURCHASE AN AFTER MARKET HITCH TO MAKE IT TO THE DESTINATION. CONSUMER IS ATTEMPTING TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THE REPLACEMENT HITCH. *JG