1996 Chevrolet Blazer

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/30/2003· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  I HAVE HAD TO CHANGE THE OIL COOLANT LINES ON MY 1996 S-10 BLAZER 5 TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE AUTO. I PURCHEASED IT IN 1998. IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY THEN, AND THE FIRST TIME THEY DID THE WORK FREE OF CHARGE. SINCE THEN, EVERY 12-18 MONTHS I FIND OIL DRIPPING IN MY GARAGE, AND I AM TOLD IT IS THESE LINES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY 3 DIFFERENT MECHANICS THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE NOTORIOUS FOR THIS PROBLEM. CAN'T ANYTHING BE DONE!!

• 12/30/1999· VISIBILITY

  WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE. VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

• 12/28/1998· SUSPENSION

  WHILE DRIVING HEARD A BIG BANG FROM THE REAR END. DEALER CONTACTED AND STATED THE REAR END WAS BLOWN AND REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE WHICH WAS DEFECTIVE AND ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. PROOVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

• 12/28/1998· VISIBILITY

  REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO BE INOPERATIVE. DEALER REPLACED THE REAR WINDSHIELD MOTOR. CURRENT PROBLEM IS JUST LIKE THE RECALL FOR THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, RECALL # 98V150000. *AK

• 12/27/2000· SEAT BELTS

  REAR RESTRAINT ON DRIVER'S SIDE IS INOPERABLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

• 12/27/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WHEN EVER THE ABS BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY MAKE A CHATTERING NOISE. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER HAS NO SOLUTION TO CORRECT THE NOISE, BUT A RECALL WILL SOON BE MADE. *AK *ML

• 12/27/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  WHILE DRIVING APPLIED THE ABS BRAKES AND VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK CONSUMER STATES MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACT BUT THEY DENIED THAT THERE ARE ANY PROBLEMS. *JB

• 12/26/2001· AIR BAGSCrash

  VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN FRONTAL COLLISION AT 20 MPH. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS IF NEEDED. *AK

• 12/26/2001· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN A PANIC STOP PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, AND RESULTING IN A COLLISION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS IF NEEDED. *AK

• 12/26/2001· STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,AIR BAGSCrash

  WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A COLLISION.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES ALSO FAILED, AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY, AND POWER STEERING FLUID WAS ALSO LEAKING.*SLC

• 12/26/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  ABS BRAKE FAILURE, WHEN APPLIED BRAKES EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, NO EFFECTIVENESS, IMPACT 12:00 POSITION SPEED, 5MPH. *AK

• 12/24/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  ABS FAILED, PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE CRASHED.

• 12/23/2002· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN APPLYING THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES THEY CAN HEAR A LOUD NOISE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

• 12/23/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH HEARD A MUFFLED POP LOOKED OUT DRIVER SIDE VIEW MIRROR TO SEE FLAMES SHOOTING OUT LEFT REAR OF CAR. TURNED AROUND TO SEE ENTIRE REAR OF CAR ENGULFED IN FLAMES. PULLED OVER, FLAMES AT REAR TIRE, GOT FAMILY OUT AND IN 5 MINUTES ENTIRE CAR WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. HAVE CONTACTED GM WHO REFUSED TO GIVE ME ANY IDEA OF WHAT A PROBLEM CAUSE WAS. HELP. *AK

• 12/23/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKES FAILED.

• 12/23/1997· VISIBILITY

  THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS JUST STOPPED WORKING WHILE BEING USED IN THE HIGH WIPER MODE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH IN A HEAVY DOWNPOUR. REPAIR WORK WAS DONE TO THE WIPER ASSEMBLY SOMETIMES IN AUGUST OF 97 BY THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

• 12/23/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, AIRCrash

  ABS FAILURE.

• 12/23/1997· AIR BAGSCrash

  CONSUMER WAS INVOLEVD IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, HITTING A TREE IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

• 12/22/2003· VISIBILITY,EQUIPMENT

  GOOD MORNING, I AM WRITING IN REGARDS TO THE ISSUE OUTLINED BELOW. I HAVE CUT AND PASTED THE EMAIL I RECEIVED FROM GENERAL MOTORS IN REGARDS TO MY INQUIRY ABOUT INTERMITTENT WIPERS ON OUR 1996 S-10 BLAZER. AS I EMAILED BACK TO GENERAL MOTORS, OUR VEHICLE HAS OVER 70,000 MILES (EXCLUSION OF SPECIAL POLICY 02054); HOWEVER, I A FEW CONCERNS: 1) GENERAL MOTORS REPLACED A DEFECTIVE PART WITH ANOTHER DEFECTIVE PART. 2) GENERAL MOTORS IS USING THE AGE/MILEAGE OF A VEHICLE TO AVOID REPLACING A DEFECTIVE ITEM THAT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE - CAUSING REDUCED VISIBILITY. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR CLARIFICATION ON THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE! BEST REGARDS, CHARLES BECK EMAIL FROM GENERAL MOTORS: THANK YOU FOR CONTACTING THE CHEVROLET CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER. WE APPRECIATE YOUR OWNING A 1996 BLAZER AND WE APOLOGIZE FOR YOUR DISSATISFACTION AND FRUSTRATION OVER THE REPAIRS THAT HAVE BEEN NEEDED ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. YOUR BLAZER WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS THAT WAS ISSUED IN 1998. THIS REPAIR WAS COMPLETED ON YOUR VEHICLE IN DECEMBER OF 1998. NOW IT APPEARS THAT YOUR BLAZER MAY BE INCLUDED IN SPECIAL POLICY #02054, WHICH COVERS WIPER FAILURE DUE TO A CRACKED CIRCUIT BOARD: SOME CUSTOMERS OF 1996-1997 CHEVROLET BLAZER, S10 PICKUP VEHICLES NOT INVOLVED IN RECALL 98043 MAY EXPERIENCE A WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE DUE TO CRACKED SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CONTROLLER CIRCUIT BOARD. THIS SPECIAL POLICY COVERS THE CONDITION DESCRIBED ABOVE FOR A PERIOD OF 7 YEARS OR 70,000 MILES (112,000 KM), WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST, FROM THE DATE THE VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PLACED IN SERVICE, REGARDLESS OF OWNERSHIP, OR FOR THOSE VEHICLES CURRENTLY OUTSIDE OF THIS COVERAGE, UNTIL FEBRUARY 29, 2004. THE REPAIRS WILL BE MADE AT NO CHARGE TO THE CUSTOMER. WE HAVE CREATED A COMPUTER FILE, 1-172249532, TO NOTATE YOUR CONCERNS. *AK

• 12/22/1998· STRUCTURE

  IN NOVEMBER, I NOTICED AN INCREASE IN WIND/AIR NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR TAILGATE. UPON INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR WINDSHIELD IS BEING PULLED AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE; THE HINGE MECHANISM, THAT HOLDS THE GLASS TO THE VEHICLE, HAS FAILED AND THERE IS ABOUT = INCH GAP BETWEEN THE GLASS AND THE WEATHER SEAL. THIS PROBLEM HAS BECOME WORSE WITH CONTINUED DRIVING AND A DEALER HAS DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DO TO " NO FAULT OF MY OWN". CHEVROLET HAS REFUSED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WHICH MAY CAUSE EXHAUST FUMES TO ENTER AND/OR THE REAR WINDSHIELD TO BE RIPPED FROM THE VEHICLE.

• 12/22/1998· STRUCTURE

  TAILGATE HATCH FAILED.

• 12/22/1997· VISIBILITY

  TINTED REAR WINDOW IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE THROUGH WHILE BACKING UP AT NIGHT, SMALL COLLISIONS DUE TO DESIGN AND POOR VISIBILITY.

• 12/21/2007· LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR FLEW OPEN. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE DOOR AND NOTICED THAT THE LATCH FAILED. HE PLACED A PIECE OF WOOD AT THE LOCK POSITION TO KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCK ALSO FAILED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY PARKED AT HER HOME AND WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, NUMBER OF CYLINDERS, DEALER INFORMATION, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,000.

• 12/21/1999· SUSPENSION

  I WISH GM WOULD TAKE THIS ? BACK. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

• 12/21/1999· STEERING,SUSPENSION,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,POWER TRAIN

  I'VE OWNED 25 VEHICLES, ITS TIME TO SWITCH TO A DODGE. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) MENTIONED. *AK

• 12/20/1999· VISIBILITY

  REAR WINDOW WIPERS DO NOT COME ON AT ALL. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

• 12/20/1996· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  OIL LEAK AFTER RECALL.

• 12/19/2004· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,SEAT BELTS,STRUCTURE,SEATSCrash

  ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2004, MY HUSBAND, MOTHER, 8 YEAR OLD SON, 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, AND 1 YEAR OLD SON, WERE STRANDED IN THE EMERGENCY LANE ON I-66 EAST IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA WITH A BROKEN FUEL PUMP. WHILE WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK THEY WERE HIT BY A DRUNK DRIVER WHO WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 100 MPH. THE BLAZER FLIPPED ONTO ITS SIDE AND SKIDDED A GREAT DISTANCE, BEFORE FINALLY COMING TO REST UPSIDE DOWN. MY 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN THE BACK SEAT, AND THE FRONT SEAT BROKE AND SANDWICHED HER IN BETWEEN THE TWO. SHE BROKE HER JAW WHEN SHE WAS SLAMMED INTO THE SMALL HANDLE ABOVE THE REAR RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. SHE ALSO SUFFERED A BROKEN WRIST AND BROKEN ARM WHEN SHE WAS THROWN INTO THE DOOR. WHEN THE BACK SEAT BROKE IT CAUSED HER TO HIT THE HEADSET OF THE BROKEN FRONT SEAT WHICH IN TURN CAUSED SOME OF HER TEETH TO GO THROUGH HER BOTTOM LIP. MY MOTHER WHO WAS SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS INJURED WHEN THE ROOF DID NOT HOLD UP IN THE CRASH AND SUFFERED THANKFULLY WHAT WAS CLASSIFIED AS "MINOR" INJURIES, BUT COULD HAVE VERY WELL BEEN MAJOR INJURIES BECAUSE THE ENTIRE RIGHT SIDE FROM FRONT TO BACK DID NOT HOLD UP IN THE ACCIDENT. I DO HAVE MANY PICTURES OF WHAT WAS LEFT OF MY BLAZER, FROM MANY DIFFERENT ANGLES BOTH INSIDE AND OUT. I AM DEEPLY TROUBLED BY THE FACT THAT BOTH SEATS BROKE, AND THE ROOF DID NOT HOLD UP AT ALL. MY 8 YEAR SITTING IN THE REAR CENTER SEAT HAD A LACERATION AND CONCUSSION, MY 1 YEAR OLD SITTING IN THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HAD NO INJURIES, AND MY HUSBAND IN THE DRIVERS SEAT SUFFERED MINOR HEAD AND SHOULDER INJURIES. GRANTED THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE, BUT I EXPECTED A LOT MORE OUT OF THE BLAZER THAN WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. *JB

• 12/18/2001· EQUIPMENT

  AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT OCCURS WITHIN RADIO WHICH CAUSES RADIO TO MALFUNCTION. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE RADIO WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE VOLUME COULD NOT BE TURNED OFF. *YH

• 12/18/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  FAILURE OF THE ANTI- LOCK BRAKES, THE FRONT BRAKES GRABBED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. *AK

• 12/17/1999· POWER TRAIN

  VEHICLE DID NOT GO INTO REVERSE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK

• 12/17/1998· POWER TRAIN

  RUST HAS APPEARED IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID DUE TO A PROBLEM THAT OCCURRED WITHIN THE TUBE THAT HOUSES THE DIP STICK, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO MALFUNCTION . PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

• 12/17/1996· STEERING

  IDLE ARM/PITTMAN ARM/LEFT AXLE MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING/ACCIDENT.

• 12/17/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT TO THE FLOOR. THERE WERE NO BRAKES AND VEHICLE REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK

• 12/15/2000· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WHEN APPLYING ABS BRAKES PEDAL GOES TO FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

• 12/15/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  WHEN DRIVNG AT APPROXIMATELY VARIOUS SPEEDS ABS BRAKES WILL ENGAGE, WHEN GOING OVER A SMALL BUMPS EFFECTS ABILITY TO STOP, ABOUT 2 CARS BEFORE COMING TO COMPLETE STOP. WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP, BRAKES FAILED, VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN A CRASH. DEALER SAYS VEHICLE MEETS ALL THE PRESCRIBED STANDARDS. *AK

• 12/14/2004· SUSPENSION,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  ABS BRAKING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. A BANGING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. VEHICLE DROVE ROUGHLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BOTH FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE BALL JOINTS, AND ABS MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

• 12/14/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  SOME MAIN BEARINGS HAD SPUN REQUIRING ENGINE REPLACEMENT. YH

• 12/14/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  PRIOR TO RECALL DRIVER EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT ABS BRAKE FAILURE RESULTING IN VIRTUALLY NO BRAKING CAPACITY (99V-193). YH

• 12/13/1999· POWER TRAIN

  WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM THE AIRPORT I NOTICED THE SOS LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, I STOPED THE BLAZER AND CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL IT WAS OKAY. UPON STARTING AND WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED TO 2ND GEAR IT SLAMMED ON THE SHIFT. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALER, THEY TOLD ME THAR I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE IT REBUILT. I ASKED THE MECHANIC THAT SERVICED THE TRUCK WHAT FAILED HE TOLD ME THAT WATER WAS FOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT RUST WAS THE PROBLEM, AFTER ASKING HIM HOW IT GOT THERE HE TOLD ME THAT GMC WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION DIP STICK TUBE AND THAT THEY WERE LEAKING WATER TO THE TRANSMISSION,AND A SERVICE BULLETIN # 99-07-30-004 WAS OUT ON THE TRUCK AND IF THEY DID NOT DO THE WORK ASAP THAT THIS IS WHAT HADE CAUSED MANY FAILURES. REPAIR COST IS $1400.00. *AK

• 12/13/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  ABS BRAKES; DRY ROAD SURFACE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, OWNER SAYS WHEN BRAKES APPLIED VEHICLE GLIDED INTO ANOTHER REAR ENDING IT. NOT INSPECTED BY DEALER/MECHANIC YET. BRAKES MANUFACTURED BY KELSEY HAYES. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

• 12/11/1996· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION FAILED.

• 12/10/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  POOR ABS BRAKE PERFORMANCE DURING NORMAL BRAKING CONDITIONS, THE PEDAL ALMOST GOES TO THE FLOOR AND COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE IS EXPERIENCED. *AK *JB

• 12/09/2002· SUSPENSION

  CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN TO HAVE TIRES SERVICED, AND WAS TOLD AT THAT TIME THAT THEIR WAS A RECALL ON HIS VEHICLE FOR THE UPPER BALL JOINT. CONSUMER HAD NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS GIVEN THE RUN-A-ROUND, BUT THEY NEVER SENT HIM THE RECALL LETTER. NOW THE MANUFACTURER IS FUSING TO SEND THE LETTER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS PAST THE MILEAGE. TS

• 12/09/2002· UNKNOWN OR OTHERFire

  NO SUMMARY. DT

• 12/09/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAIL INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING A COLLISION.

• 12/09/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLCrash

  THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION, CONSUMER PLACED THE VEHICLE FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELEARATED IN DRIVE. CONSUMER APPLIED FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AGAIN IN REVERSE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE A COLLISION. *AK *JB

• 12/08/2004· AIR BAGSCrash

  WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. IT STRUCK A RETAINING CEMENT WALL. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO STRIKE THE STEERING WHEEL, CRACKING IT. *AK

• 12/08/1999· VISIBILITY

  INTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING WHILE OPERATING. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

• 12/08/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE SLID INTO AN INTERSECTION. DRIVER HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK