GM tailgate cables

[PhilB]

In the 10/28/2003 edition of the STL Post-Dispatch:

 

General Motors faces probe, recall of pickups

 

10/28/2003

 

 

General Motors Corp. faces a safety investigation and potential recall of 2 million of its 1999 to 2002 Chevrolet Silverado pickups, the automaker's biggest-selling vehicle, because of tailgate cable failures.

 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it received 16 complaints, including five injuries, that cables holding the tailgate in place broke. The injuries occurred when a person was standing or sitting on the tailgate or when cables failed during cargo loading, the agency said on its Web site.

[bigdogs]

Wonder if I can get my money back that I spent (at a GM dealer) for new cables, hinge repaint, etc. then...

[gb387]

The cables are only so strong... If you and the cargo are on the tailgate they have the potential to break from the load. thats my 2 cents

[LogixRat]

The cables are only so strong...  If you and the cargo are on the tailgate they have the potential to break from the load.  thats my 2 cents

 

Only if it were that simple! I've had several buddies that had theirs simply break by doing nothing more than putting down the tailgate. Luckily I haven't had the problem myself (at least yet), but from what me and my buddies can tell it looks like the coating material isn't completely sealed from the factory and consequently rain gets in, rusts them out and then with very little force they snap!

 

Even one of my buddies that works as a service advisor at the GMC dealership stated he gets alot of complaints about the same thing and has replaced them left and right. Personally I'd like to see GM do a recall on them. It's called taking care of their loyal customers. Now only if they would see eye to eye on the pinging issue.

[ctoliver]

 

mine broke and liked to dumped me and my four wheeler out on the concrete, i had never put the four wheeler or anything else heavy on the tail gate. i had the new style with the sealed ends no corrision just cheap ass materials broke right in the middle both at the same time! did you ever see this problem with older trucks? no because they used steel strap type stops! i think they should sue there butts off

[gmcjoe]

Very interesting. Long overdue as well....

 

My orig set (2000 GMC) broke and I replaced them with the 'revised' sealed cables.

One of those are starting to fray because the 'sealed' end isn't sealed enough.

 

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/...ht=2%2Ctailgate

[scooter70]

Mine just started to go the other day. I was sitting on it and....POP! You can tell where the wires inside the sheathing are fraying. Hopefully they make with the recall soon. Maybe I'll pay my dealer a visit and inquire about them.

[RyanbabZ71]

darnit wish i kept my broken ones

[pacodiablo]

Seriously, how did they screw up on tailgate cables? They come out with a new line of very powerful engines, and they can't make the tailgate cables right? I guess it comes down to spending $0.01 less on each truck.

[03Bluerado]

darnit wish i kept my broken ones

Ok so whats the deal on the 03's??...if this recall does only affect the 99-02. I thought I heard they updated them again, I can tell you from memory that the ones on my 2003 are sealed very well, or look to be, and believe me they have had a workout! I deal with motorcycles and quads in my business and in the last 10 months I have owned this truck I have had countless bikes in the back and have jumped up on my tailgate and stood on it alot, and im no featherweight! I think that GM sealed the 03's better, and I think they are pretty d**n strong but I dont want to find out when I am half way up the ramp with a 400lb sportbike!

[Wingnut]

............ and I think they are pretty d**n strong but I dont want to find out when I am half way up the ramp with a 400lb sportbike!

Me neither. I load mine without ramps most of the time, and it would suck to have the front wheels on the tailgate, with me holding the other end in the air.....To have them break right then....Whew....Thats a hernia waiting to happen. Not to mention a couple of broken bones.

 

I would rather they break when I'm using the ramp. More time to jump clear.

[99silveradoz71]

No problems so far, but I'd like to see the recall if this is becoming common like some of our other issues- driveline clunk, etc.

[sjspor]

Mine hav'nt broken yet, but the coating is all ready broken and the rusty cable is showing.. I guess I shoud send to the NHTSA. I can show the latch hook on the hood too, which is all rusted around where it's a attach to the hood.

 

Any one elses doing that??

[Worktruck]

I wan't to know what the hell was wrong with the old steel straps? Oh now I remember., they never had to be replaced!

Had both of mine replced already, less than 30,000 miles and 1 1/2 years old.

[bigdogs]

Try riding up with a 750lb (dry) Polaris 700. That is how I broke the set on our 2000 Silverado. They (someone) should make a set of HD cables since more and more people are loading heavy things into tailgates now.