1997 Chevrolet C/K Pickups Visibility Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET C/K. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

NHTSA ID

10457418

Incident

May 4, 2005

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET C/K PICKUP. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS THE WINDSHIED WIPERS WOULD NOT OPERATE NORMALLY. HE WOULD HAD TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND WAIT UNTIL THE RAIN STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THE CIRCUIT BOARD TO THE WIPER MOTOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HIM THAT HE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 02/09/12*LJ UPDATED 02/13/12

NHTSA ID

10442483

Incident

Dec 1, 2008

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET PICKUP QUAD CAB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOW WIPER MOTOR WOULD FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V159000 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 128,397.

NHTSA ID

10436091

Incident

Nov 2, 2011

Mileage

128,397 mi

RECENTLY HAD WIPERS FAIL DURING HEAVY STORM WHILE ON FREEWAY. NEARLY CAUSED CRASH. CONDITION IS INTERMITTENT. CHECKED NHTSA WEBSITE AND FOUND RECALL (03V159000) AND DOCUMENTS SHOWED ENTIRE PRODUCTION FROM MY MODEL WAS INCLUDED. TOOK TRUCK TO PENSKE CHEV. OF CERRITOS, CA. ASKED THEM TO CHECK FOR RECALL APPLICABILITY. THEY TOLD ME "THE TRUCK WAS TOO OLD" AND MY VIN NUMBER WAS "NOT A GOOD VIN". THEY CALLED GM AND GOT THE SAME INFO, NO RECORD OF VIN. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER (NEVER RECEIVED OWNER NOTIFICATIONS) AND SHOWED THEM MONRONEY LABEL, ORIGINAL BILL OF SALE AND TITLE WITH THIS VIN. SERVICE WRITER TOLD ME THAT WITHOUT VIN, THERE WOULD BE NO REPAIR, DESPITE THE PAPERWORK PROVIDED AND GM RECALL DOCUMENT WITH AFFECTED RANGE. DEALER ACTED LIKE I WAS TRYING TO STEAL FROM THEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10365824

Incident

Sep 1, 2010

Mileage

93,850 mi

I WAS RETURNING HOME WHEN IT STARTED RAINING. I TRIED TO TURN ON MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND THEY DID NOT COME ON. THE RAIN BECAME VERY HEAVY AND I WAS UNABLE TO SEE. I HAD NO WAS TO TURN OFF OR STOP SO I SLOWED DOWN TO ABOUT 10 MPH IN A 45 MPH ZONE, SO I COULD EVEN STAY ON THE ROAD. WHEN I FINALLY HAD A CHANCE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD I DID. THE WIPERS DID NOT WORK AT ANY SPEED, NOR DID THE WIPER WASH MODE WORK. AFTER I MADE IT HOME I CHECKED THE FUSE FOR THE WIPERS AND IT WAS OKAY. I TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH ON AND THE WIPERS WORKED. AS WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF RAIN IN OUR AREA, THIS OCCURRED 3 SEPERATE TIMES WHERE THE WIPERS FAILED TO WORK WHEN I NEEDED THEM. AFTER I HAD GOTTEN HOME, AND CHECKED AGAIN, THEY WORKED. I RESEARCHED ON THE WEB AT A CHEVY SITE AND FOUND THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE, MINE IS A 1997 CHEVROLET K PICKUP TRUCK. I ALSO FOUND A ODI RECALL WHICH MATCHED MY TYPE OF FAILURE. THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT MY VEHICLE NUMBER WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER IS EA02006. EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS A USED TRUCK AND THE SYMPTOMS MATCHED, THEY WOULD NOT PROVIDE THE REPAIRS FOR FREE BASED ON THE RECALL. I BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD BE REPAIRED AS PART OF THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10233560

Incident

Jul 3, 2008

Mileage

98,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CHEVROLET K 1500. WHILE DRIVING WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATED, THE WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V159000 (VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER). THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE WIPERS HAVE YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATED 01-11-08. *KB UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10208955

Incident

Jul 12, 2007

Mileage

79,000 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING A THUNDERSTORM. *NM

NHTSA ID

10157839

Incident

May 18, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V159000, REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS; HOWEVER, IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

NHTSA ID

10156165

Incident

Apr 26, 2006

Mileage

108,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE WIPERS ARE ENGAGED IN RAINY WEATHER, THEY WORK INTERMITTENTLY OR NOT AT ALL. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V159000, REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 05/10/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10156117

Incident

Apr 26, 2006

Mileage

91,000 mi

I WENT TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO FIX A RECALL ON MY CHEVORLET TRUCK THAT I SAW ON YOUR WEBSITE AND THEY WILL NOT FIX IT FOR FREE. THEY WILL NOT FIX IT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANY RECALLS ABOUT IT. I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE WIPERS NOT WORKING ALL THE TIME AND IT IS CAUSING A HAZARD WHEN I DRIVE IN THE RAIN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10152862

Incident

Mar 16, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WIPERS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V159000, REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.

NHTSA ID

10152585

Incident

Mar 13, 2006

Mileage

55,000 mi

WINDSHIELD WASHER WORKS INTERMITTENTLY OR QUITS WORKING AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN POOR WEATHER. *NM

NHTSA ID

10147288

Incident

Jan 1, 2006

Mileage

100,000 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY, A HUMMING SOUND CAN BE HEARD, BUT WIPERS WON'T MOVE, THEN THEY WILL START WORKING AGAIN. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR APPROX. 1 AND A HALF YEARS. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT CHEVY WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE WIPER MOTOR SOLDER JOINTS AT THE CIRCUIT BOARD, BUT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP INSISTS MY TRUCK ISN'T IN THAT RECALL, HOWEVER...I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALL. *NM

NHTSA ID

10144808

Incident

Apr 5, 2002

Mileage

70,000 mi

1997 K3500 CHEVY TRUCK. HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE WIPERS NOT WORKING INTERMITTENTIALY FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS. CAME ACROSS A CHEVY BULLETIN ( 03023 ) AND NHTSA 03V159000 THAT REFLECTS THE PROBLEM ACCURATLY ALONG WITH THE INTERNAL DEALER/GM NOTICES THAT I OBTAINED FROM ALLDATA.COM. I CONTACTED BOTH MY LOCAL DEALER AND CHEVY CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE ABOUT THE ISSUE. (ED MWANGO CASE 1-379680418 CASE NUMBER FROM CHEVY CORPORATE ). THEY SAID THAT MY VIN DID NOT COME UP IN THE RECALL AND IT WAS TOO OLD FOR THEM TO CONSIDER. ACCORDING TO THE INTERNAL GM DOC THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED REGARDLESS OF AGE OR MILEAGE. I WOULD LIKE GM/CHEVY TO HONOR THIS RECALL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10144699

Incident

Dec 7, 2005

Mileage

60,000 mi

DT: WHEN THE CONSUMER WOULD USE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS THEY WOULD WORK OFF AND ON. THE PROBLEM FIRST STARTED ON AUGUST 13, 2005. THE NHTSA RECALL 03V159000/GM RECALL 03023 WAS ISSUED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP FOR RECALL REPAIRS. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE HE WAS BEING CHARGED FOR THE REPAIR WORK THAT OTHERS WERE NOT CHARGED. WHEN THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY TOLD HIM THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10136405

Incident

Aug 13, 2005

Mileage

140,000 mi

DT: THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY STOP OR FAIL TO COME ON. IN SOME CIRCUMSTANCES, MAY HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD AND MAY COME ON OR GO OFF. MOST OFTEN THIS OCCURS IN RAINY WEATHER. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE TO BE MANUALLY MANIPULATED TO WORK. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR 3-4 YEARS BUT BECAME WORSE. TOOK TO A DEALER AND THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10131406

Incident

Jul 4, 2001

Mileage

40,000 mi

I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM IN FEB 2003 STATING THAT IF A WINDSHIELD WIPER CIRCUIT BOARD WOULD BE REPLACED IF IT FAILED BY 70,000 OR FEB 29, 2004. IT FAILED AT 45000 MILES, BUT ON JULY 17, 2005. FORTUNATELY THE FAILURE WAS NOT AT A CRITICAL TIME! THE LETTER CLEARLY IMPLIES THAT GM FELT THEIR WAS A PROBLEM, HOWEVER INSTEAD OF ACCEPTING ALL RESPONSIBILITY THEY ALSO IMPLIED THAT NOT EVERY UNIT WOULD FAIL. THE TWO CHECKPOINTS WERE TIME OR MILEAGE. IF, HOWEVER ONE IS NOT A "HARD" USER OF A VEHICLE, THEN ONE WOULD EXPECT THE MILEAGE TO BE THE KEY, NOT THE TIME. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE LIKE A SOLDER JOINT (PROPOSED IN THIS CASE). I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A GM DEALER AND IT WAS NOT LISTED AS A RECALL (IT NEVER WAS), AND I AGREED TO HAVE THE WORK DONE AND PAY FOR IT (IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE!). IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAILURE OF THE CIRCUIT MODULE AND THE MODULE WAS REPLACED. I CALLED GM ABOUT THE ISSUE, TWO PLEASANT PEOPLE PLACATED ME BUT REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. HOWEVER A DEALERS AGENT IMPLIED THAT HAD I TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN BEFORE FEB. 29TH, 2004, THE MODULE WOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED, EVEN THOUGH WORKING - CLEARLY OUTSIDE THEIR POLICY. THE CUSTOMER COMPLAINT AGENT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WAS THE CASE - THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED "IF DIAGNOSED". HOWEVER IF THE MODULE WAS STILL WORKING, HOW WOULD IT HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED AS BROKEN! CLEARLY GM JUST USING TIME TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS COMPONENTS FAILURE. HAD THE WIPER FAILED DURING A HEAVY RAINSTORM ON A FREEWAY OR A MOUNTAIN ROAD, WHERE I TYPICALLY USE THE VEHICLE, THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC - EASILY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURIES. I BELIEVE GM SHOULD HAVE WORDED THEIR LETTER IN A WAY THAT STATED THEIR OPERATING INTENT TO REPLACE THE MODULE, EVEN IF CURRENTLY WORKING. I DO NOT WISH TO IMPLY I KNOW THEIR MOTIVES, BUT IT CERTAINLY SEEMS THAT THEY WERE DELIBERATELY MISREPRESENTING THEIR INTENT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE GM REPLACE EVERY MODULE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10130627

Incident

Jul 17, 2005

Mileage

44,000 mi

ON 6/12/05, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET SILVERADO PICKUP TRUCK FAILED DURING A SUDDEN RAINSHOWER. I CHECKED THE BREAKER PANEL AND FOUND THAT THE FUSE FOR THE WIPER MOTOR HAD NOT BLOWN. PRIOR TO TAKING THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, I CHECKED THE NHTSA WEBSITE TO RESEARCH IF THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL COVERING THIS REPAIR. I LOCATED GM RECALL #03023/ NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #03V159000 WHICH COVERED CERTAIN PICKUPS OF MY MODEL YEAR. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND I SPENT $148.95 TO HAVE A "FAULTY CIRCUIT BOARD MODULE" REPLACED. THIS IS THE SAME REPAIR CALLED FOR UNDER THE AFOREMENTIONED RECALL. A COINCIDENCE???

NHTSA ID

10129256

Incident

Jun 12, 2005

Mileage

74,436 mi

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 1997 CHEVROLET C1500 PICKUP TRUCK WILL STOP WORKING WHILE I AM DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. TODAY IT WAS RAINING FAIRLY HARD AND I WAS DRIVING ALONG AT 55MPH AND THE WIPERS JUST STOPPED. IT WAS LIKE DRIVING BLINDFOLDED. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITHOUT HITTING ANYONE. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET TO FIND OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THIS. I FOUND A RECALL ON THE NHTSA.GOV SITE FOR MY YEAR AND MAKE TRUCK. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V159000 I WENT TO A CHEVROLET DEALER AND THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRONG, BUT TOLD ME MY TRUCK WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS CAN BE.

NHTSA ID

10128629

Incident

Jul 13, 2005

Mileage

181,000 mi

(1) FAILURE OF WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR DURING RAIN STORM (2) REDUCED VISIBILITY DRIVING IN RAIN (3) NONE

NHTSA ID

10128160

Incident

Jun 8, 2005

Mileage

62,000 mi

1997 CHEVROLET C/K 1500 PICK-UP WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE VIN # [XXX]. CALLED ATZENHOFFER CHEVROLET ABOUT RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL (GM RECALL #03023, NHTSA ID# 03V159000). *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10123790

Incident

May 26, 2005

Mileage

92,250 mi

I HAVE 1997 CHEVROLET PICKUP THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SEEM TO HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN THEY SEEM TO QUIT AT INOPPORTUNE TIMES AND START WHEN THEY ARE DUMB GOOD AND READY, THE DEALER IN KALKASKA TELLS ME THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND I NOW FIND THERE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST COVERING THE 1997 CK CHEV. PKUP

NHTSA ID

10119388

Incident

May 2, 2005

MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE INTERMITTENTLY QUIT WORKING.I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM FOR THE SAME YEAR MODEL BUT MINE WAS NOT INCLUDED.HOWEVER IT HAS THE SAME DEFECT AS THE OTHER 1997 MODELS THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED GMC NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF THIS AND AMEND ITS RECALL.*AK

NHTSA ID

10110077

Incident

Feb 8, 2005

Mileage

92,000 mi

INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS LEADING TO A COMPLETE FAILURE AND TOTALLY INOPERABLE. WIPER MOTOR MODULE/CIRCUIT BOARD WAS REPLACED BY CHEVROLET DEALER AT FULL PRICE OF $148.15. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER GENERAL MOTORS RECALL #03023 (NHTSA RECALL # 03V159000) AS MY VIN [XXX] WAS NOT ON THE APPROVED GM RECALL LIST. ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT LISTED, THE FAILURE WAS THE EXACT SAME AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL DESCRIPTION AND I FEEL I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS. *JB UPDATED 07/24/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10098388

Incident

Jun 10, 2004

Mileage

69,270 mi

THE CONSUMER WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS STATED IN RECALL# 03V159000 REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10096722

Incident

Sep 14, 2004

Mileage

47,000 mi