2000 Chevrolet Blazer Suspension Problems

WE HAVE A 2000 CHEVY BLAZER VIN [XXX]. SINCE OWNERSHIP THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPECTED. MY SISTER HAS COMPLAINED NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT ISSUES WITH RATTLES, SQUEAKS AND BODY ISSUES. WE HAVE NOTICED EARLY IN THE VEHICLES LIFE THE AMOUNT OF RUST THIS BLAZER HAS ON THE UNDERBODY. THIS HAS BEEN THE ISSUE OF SOME OF THE NOISES. RECENTLY, SHE COMPLAINED AGAIN OF A SUSPENSION NOISE WHILE STOPPING, TURNING OR HITTING RUTS OR HOLES IN THE ROAD. I INSPECTED AND LUBRICATED PROBLEMATIC POINTS THAT WE ADDRESSED IN THE PAST. THE NOISE WOULD COME AND GO. FINALLY, SHE MENTIONED A FEEL OF CONTROL LOSS WHILE BRAKING AND MAKING TURNS AND THE NOISE. SHE MENTIONED THE NOISE WAS SO LOUD PEOPLE WOULD STARE OR TURN HEADS. UPON MY INSPECTION I WAS SHOCKED AND NEVER HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM ON ANY VEHICLE. THE REAR SHACKLES THAT HOLD THE REAR LEAF SPRING TO THE FRAME HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. THUS ALLOWING THE LEAF SPRING TO FLOAT FREELY ON THE FRAME RAIL IN REAR. THIS SHACKLE ALLOWS THE LEAF SPRING TO MOVE FORWARD AND BACKWARD DURING SUSPENSION FLEX. IN ADDITION, THIS STABILIZES THE REAR END AND KEEPS EVERYTHING IN PLACE-CONSULT A MECHANIC FOR SPECIFIC FUNCTION. I HAVE DEALT WITH MANY CARS IN MY LIFE AS WELL AS TRUCKS. NEVER, HAVE I SEEN THIS RUST ISSUE IN ANY VEHICLE-CHEVY TO NOTE AS WELL. I AM DEMANDING A RESPONSE TO THIS PROBLEM AND I WILL FURTHER CONTACT TRAFFIC SAFETY ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I'M SORRY, BUT THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AT HAND. THIS BLAZER HAS AROUND 73000 MILES AND FROM THE OUTSIDE PAINT AND INTERIOR LOOKS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. HOWEVER, WHEN LOOKING AT THE UNDERSIDE CARRIAGE, ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE DOOR HINGES (ESPECIALLY DRIVERS DOOR) IT IS A MESS. I AM EXPECTING A REASONABLE EXPLANATION ON THIS ISSUE AND APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT. *** THIS IS THE SAME LETTER I SENT TO GM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I BOUGHT THE 2000 BLAZER USED JUST OVER A YEAR AGO AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. TO BEGIN, I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR, FUEL PUMP, AND VIRTUALLY ALL SUSPENSION COMPONENTS IN THE FRONT END WITH JUST OVER 65,000 MILES. ON VACATION DURING ONE OF THE HOTTEST DAYS OF THE YEAR TRAVELING HOME THE BLAZER OVER HEATED AND LEFT MY FAMILY AND I STRANDED ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE WITH NO A/C FOR NEARLY AN HOUR BEFORE GETTING TOWED TO THE WORST CHEVROLET DEALER IN THE COUNTRY(RICHMOND, VA). WE WERE FORCED TO PAY FOR A NEW RADIATOR AND MISCELLANEOUS PARTS TOTALING OVER $600. THEY SAID THE COOLANT SYSTEM WAS FULL OF RUST AND THE RADIATOR WAS PLUGGED AND COULD NOT BE REUSED. NOW I'M EXPERIENCING THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON THAT WILL NOT GO OUT. AFTER NUMEROUS TRIPS TO THE DEALER THAT STARTED WITH LEAKING OIL COOLER LINES, THEY SAID THAT THE CRANK SENSOR WAS GOING BAD. I REPLACED IT, STILL THE LIGHT STAYS ON. NEXT THEY SAY THERE IS A MISFIRE IN CYLINDER 2, I REPLACE THE PLUGS, WIRES, ROTOR, AND CAP. STILL THE LIGHT STAYS ON. ALL OF THESE REPAIRS WITHIN THE FIRST 14 MONTHS OF OWNING THIS JUNK AND IT IS NOT ANYWHERE NEAR BEING PAID FOR. GM NEEDS TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS. I HAVE SPOKE WITH OTHER BLAZER OWNERS AND THEY TOO HAVE EXPERIENCED NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. AND THE BIG 3 WONDER WHY THEY ARE LOSING CUSTOMERS AND MARKET SHARE. HAVE THEY EVER HEARD OF QUALITY? LOOKS LIKE I'M GOING FOREIGN. *JB

DRIVERS SIDE UPPER BALL JOINT SEPARATED WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN OFF OF A MAIN STREET ONTO A SIDE STREET. THE WHEEL FOLDED INTO THE WHEEL WELL CAUSING THE 2000 WORTH OF DAMAGE. CHEVY BLAZER CAME TO A SUDDEN HALT. MY FAMILY WAS VERY LUCKY WE WERE NOT GOING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 72,000 MILES. I HAD JUST LUBED THE FRONT END AND CHANGED THE OIL CHANGE THE DAY BEFORE. *JB

BALL JOINTS UPPER AND LOWER REPLACED AT 40K AND 100K MILES. WILL BE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED AGAIN VERY SOON AT 140K MILES. THE REPLACEMENT AT 40K WAS A TOTAL FAILURE OF PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINTS TO WIT: VEHICLE WAS INCAPACITATED AS WHEEL WAS LEFT 'BENT'. FUEL GAUGE FLUCTUATED WILDLY IF LESS THAN 1/3 TANK OF GAS. FUEL PUMP FAILED. *JB

ON SEPT 10 2005 I TOOK MY CAR TO HAVE A TUNE UP DONE ON IT AND THE MECHANIC TOLD MY HUSBAND THAT THE REAR END OF MY VEHICLE WAS ABOUT TO GO. I HAD JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ABOUT 7 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED ON A 2000 CHEV BLAZER, WITH THAT LOW OF MILEAGE. I HAD NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY IN TURN WANTED TO PUT ME INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT I WANTED I HAD WANTED THEM TO FIX MY CAR THE ONE THAT THEY HAD SOLD TO ME. I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO GET MY CAR TO RUN RIGHT, SO THAT I MAY USE IT AND NOT PAY FOR ONE TO SIT IN MY DRIVE WAY. AND I WANTED TO FIND OUT IF THIS HAPPENED TO ANY OTHER 2000 CHEV BLAZERS? SINCERELY YOURS SUSAN BURGOS. *JB

DT: THE BALL JOINTS ON DRIVERS SIDE BROKE SENT HEAD ON AUGUST 13, 2005. CONTACTED THE DEALER, THEY WERE OF NO HELP. CONTACTED GMC, THEY TOOK A COMPLAINT. DID NOT HEAR ANY TYPE OF NOISE OR ANY TYPE OF WARNING. THIS SEEMED TO BE A PROBLEM ON THE 4X4 VEHICLES. *AK

OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET BLAZER ZR2 WITH 68000 MILES. THE HEATER BLOWS COLD AIR ONLY. THE ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST TWICE. I REPLACED IT ONCE, AND PREVIOUS OWNER REPLACED IT ONCE . BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST TWICE. ALL BALL JOINTS REPLACED AT LEAST ONCE TO MY KNOWLEDGE. FUEL GAUGE BROKE BEFORE 50000 MILES. SEAT HANDLE ON PASSENGER'S SIDE BROKEN BEFORE 50000 MILES. TAILGATE WON'T OPEN. PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER ONLY MOVES HALF THE TIME. THAT IS ALL THAT I CAN RECALL RIGHT NOW.*AK

2000 CHEVROLET BLAZER HAD BALL JOINTS REPLACED.*MR *JB

1/5/04 - LOUD NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE (MILAGE 68,189) - REPLACED BOTH FRONT HUB BEARINGS (OLD PART NOT AVAILABLE) 12/09/04 - LOUD NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE (MILEAGE 88,616) - REPLACED DRIVER FRONT WHEEL BEARING AND PASSENGER IDLER ARM AND (OLD PART NOT AVAILABLE) 3/2/05 - LOUD NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE (MILEAGE 92,516) -REPLACED DRIVER FRONT WHEEL BEARING (OLD PART NOT AVAILABLE). *AK

FRONT WHEEL BEARING HAVE WORE OUT. AS A RESULT, THE ABS SENSOR LIGHT STAYED ON. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *AK

MY BLAZER NOW HAS 56,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT IT IS IN NEED OF FRONT END REPAIR - SPECIFICALLY THE BALL JOINTS ARE BADLY WORN, THE BOOTS ON THE FROND AXLE HAVE A BAD CRACK ON THE RIGHT SIDE, AND THERE IS SIGNIFICANT IDLER WEAR. IN DOING RESEARCH, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT NUMEROUS BLAZER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I FEEL THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT. I HAVE ALSO HAD TWO OTHER ISSUES THAT I AM NOW DISCOVERING ARE COMMON PROBLEMS WITH A GREAT NUMBER OF BLAZERS. BOTH FRONT RECLINING SEAT HANDLES HAVE BROKEN OFF. I AM ALSO EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE DOORS SEEMING TO NOT ALIGN PROPERLY - AS IF THE WELDS OR HINGES ARE FAILING. THESE HAVE ALSO BEEN MENTIONED REPEATEDLY IN YOUR COMPLAIN AREA FOR THIS MODEL. I HAVE NOT GOTTEN THESE ITEMS REPAIRED AS OF THIS DATE. THE BLAZER IS NOW PARKED UNTIL I CAN AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED. *NM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET BLAZER. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED AND HE MADE THE REPLACEMENT. APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED AGAIN. APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEARINGS. THE BEARINGS WERE REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

I HAVE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS, THE GAS GAUGE ON MY VEHICLE STOP WORKING AND I RAN OUT OF GAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHEN I REALIZED PROBLEM 2 THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS AND HAZARD LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THE VEHICLE STALLS, AND WHEN IT FINALLY TAKE OFF, THE CAR JERKS AND THE DRIVER SEAT MOVES/SLIDES BACK FROM THE HINGES WHICH CAUSED ME TO NOT BE ABLE TO REACH MY BREAKS AND RUN INTO A CURB. ALSO THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR STICKS AND IS DIFFICULT TO OPEN. LASTLY THE WHEEL BARING AND BALL JOINTS HAVE GONE BAD TWICE AND THE CAR HAS LESS THEN 75000 MILES ON IT. I CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND EXPLAINED ALL OF MY CONCERNS AND WAS TOLD THEY WE NOT AWARE OF ANY NATIONWIDE PROBLEM AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO EXCEPT FIX THE HAZARD LIGHT MALFUNCTION. I RESEARCHED ON THE NET AND FOUND MANY MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME CONCERNS I HAVE. *JB

I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MY CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP THAT THE BALL JOINTS ON MY 2000 BLAZER WERE IN EXTREMELY POOR CONDITION AND COULD FAIL AT ANY TIME. IN FACT HE SAID THAT THE WHEELS COULD FALL OFF THE CAR. THIS SEEMS LIKE QUITE A SAFETY ISSUE FOR A 4 YEAR OLD CAR WITH ONLY 30,000 MILES ON IT. HE ALSO SAID IT WAS NOT SURPRISING GIVEN THE LACK OF QUALITY PARTS USED BY CHEVROLET IN THE MANUFACTURING. WHILE LOOKING AT CUSTOMER REVIEWS / COMPLAINTS ON EDMUNDS.COM I NOTICE AT LEAST 2 MORE PEOPLE WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.*AK

2000 CHEVROLET BLAZER 4-WHEEL DRIVE WITH APROX 60,000 ACTUAL MILES FRONT BALL JOINTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. MECHANIC STATES THAT THE WHEELS COULD FALL OFF OVER SPEEDS OF 35MPH. HAVE SCHEDULED REPLACEMENT AT COST OF $800-$900. WILL REQUEST OLD PARTS.*AK

NOISE FROM ENGINE. DIAGNOSED AS BALL JOINTS NEED REPLACING OR WHEELS WILL FALL OFF. REPLACED UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND IDLER ARM FOR ABOUT 1200.00. NOW(JUNE 19, 2012) AT 100,000 MILES, SAME NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER BALL JOINT REPLACEMENT. *JS

(1) 2000 CHEVY BLAZER 4WD WITH 27665 MILES; PROPERLY MAINTAINED WITH IL AND LUBE EVERY 3,000 MILES, NO OFF ROAD OR ABUSIVE DRIVING AND I AM ORIGINAL OWNER AND BOUGHT NEW. (2) LAST MONTH BEGAN TO HEAR GROWLING NOISE FROM FRONT END WHICH GREW LOUDER WITH INCREASING SPEED. NOISE WOULD INCREASE EVEN LOUDER IF STEERING WHEEL MOVED TO RIGHT. (3) TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARING WERE "SHOT" AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT, AND SAID THERE WAS DANGER WHEEL WOULD FALL OFF. I EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER SAFETY IF THIS WERE TO HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY AND SURPRISE THAT A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE WITH LOW MILEAGE WOULD HAVE THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THEY SEE THIS EVERY WEEK WITH OTHER GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES WITH LOW MILEAGE. SOUNDS LIKE AN UNACCEPTABLY HIGH RATE OF MANUFACTURING DEFECT POTENTIALLY PLACING PEOPLE AT RISK AND CAUSING UNNECESSARY CONSUMER EXPENSE FOR REPAIR. *JB

WHILE DRIVING, THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENOR FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE, BUCK BACK AND FORTH AND NEARLY STOP. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE DANGEROUS FRONT END SUSPENSION DEFECTS WHICH FAILED INCLUDED A SECOND FRONT AXLE TUBE, FRONT AXLE BEARING FAILURE BOTH TIRE ROD ENDS FRONT DRIVE SHAFT. FRONT SUSPENSION HAS DEFECTS THAT COULD ALLOW THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF. CONSUMER WROTE A LETTER TO GM ABOUT THE PROBLEMS COMPLAINT NUMBER 1-245128909. *TC

2000 CHEVROLET BLAZER S10, 80000 MILES. WITHOUT WARNING UPPER BALL JOINT ON DRIVERS SIDE FRONT GAVE OUT. CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO SUSPENSION, ABS, AXEL AND MORE. WOULD HAVE BEEN FATAL IF ON HIWAY WHEN FAILURE OCCURRED. ENDED UP REPLACING ALL PARTS MENTIONED ABOVE FOR ABOUT $5K. STILL HAVE OFFENDING BALL JOINT IN A BOX AT HOME.*AK

FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS PREMATURE FAILURE ON 2000 BLAZER 4DR 4WD. COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS YEAR OF BLAZERS. MAKES A LOUD HUMMING SOUND WHILE DRIVING. *NM