This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
I am writing to seek some assistance with an inferior product produced by GM. I have a Chevy 2000 Silverado Z71 pick up that has piston slap starting at around 15K miles and progressively worsened which the dealer states is normal wear. This expensive vehicle also has a rear end bang into drive and then reverse again the dealer states is normal. Recently I fixed a snapped cable for the drivers window which the same kind of cable was recalled for the tail gate cables. I have replaced recall items for the tail gate cables, drive shaft yolk and the ABS sensors to which it is still not functioning properly. All of which when presented to the dealer and the response was it is normal, until the recall occurred. It seems the policy of a company which creates an inferior product is to state, "it is normal" to the consumer until the government steps when enough people complain and makes the dealer own up to the problems with the products and finally treats the consumer with more compassion, and to some degree "decency". with the many problems with this vehicle the government needs to step in and help the consumer with the dealership resistance to fix the problems caused by more concern for profit than quality.
Daytime running lights keep burning out. I have order 9 lights over 2 years, after about the 5th light going out I'm assuming there is a lose of ground, or improper fabracation of the unit that holds the light in place, one way or another something is making the light to make a loud pop when it burns out, loud enugh to hear it over the radio.
The truck has an automatic headlight circuit. (at twilight the headlights are energized without manual turn-on.) among the many electronic features there is also a ''dome light override'' button. This feature allows you to control whether or not the dome light comes on when the door is opened. One can easily assume it is to turn on and off the dome light without opening the door. However, this is not the case. If you are driving with the headlights on the automatic circuit and you push the ''dome override'' 3-4 times, all the lights go out (including the dashboard lights). To re-energize the headlights you must do one of the following: 1. turn ignition off and back on. (impossible to do if driving.) 2. hit the dome override button 3-4 more times. (not an intuitive correction.) 3. turn the headlight manual switch to on. (good idea if you know about the problem beforehand and have the presence of mind to do it while driving 60-70 mph on a blacktop highway. And if you can find the switch knob in total darkness while steering and braking in total darkness.) the really bad: Checking with the dealer about this defect, I was told this feature is designed into the electronics. That is, ''its not a defect, its supposed to do this.'' the really, really bad (and GM''s major liability): Nowhere in the detailed instruction manual does GM warn, caution, or even mention this feature. Apparently, this is something only Mr. Goodwrench is supposed to know. Conclusion: Being an engineer myself, I find this built-in feature (defect) to be mind-boggling.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Weymouth, MA, USA