Tundra tailgate issues

[565]

So have the Silverado, Sierra, F-150, Ram, and Titan suffered similar issues?

I can't believe you forgot the huge GM tailgate cable breaking fasico.

The GM trucks used to have tailgate cables that snapped, sometimes at highway speeds, spilling your crap all over the road, causing major road hazards.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/defect/results.cfm?action_number=PE03049&SearchType=QuickSearch&summary=true

"During the PE, ODI discovered that one or both of the tailgate support cables can break due to the effects of metal fatigue at the point where the cable flexes when the lift gate is opened and closed. Concurrently, the strength of the cable degrades over time due to corrosion of the wire strands in the support cables. When the vehicle is stationary and cargo is being loaded or unloaded, the tailgate can tip downward displacing cargo and/or people to the ground without warning. ODI is also aware of one total separation of the tailgate from the vehicle. Owners cannot easily detect whether the support cabes are damaged or corroded because they are covered by a protective sheath. ODI is upgrading this preliminary evaluation for further appropriate action. Model year 2003 vehicles will be added to the investigation. Further, we will incude additional vehicles, those being the Avalanche and Cadillac ext, model years 2002-2003, and the Sierra, model years 1999-2003. Investigation was initiated on October 23 2003. Closed on February 19 2004. For detailed information & supporting documents, see the official NHTSA page concerning investigation #PE03049"

After much pressure, GM finally recalled the trucks

http://www.ohiolemonlaw.com/safety-recall-32.shtml

"Picture this: you?re driving down the highway when suddenly you hear a bang and you look in your rear view mirror and see the cargo that was in your truck?s bed bouncing down the roadway behind you. Sure you closed the tailgate, but according to GM, the cables can break and you could lose your cargo...you better just hope there?s no one behind you if it falls out!"


Compared to complete tailgate failure with your cargo and possibly the entire tailgate falling off, it makes Tundra's troubles seem indeed cosmetic.


http://www.atvoffroad.net/forums/showthread.php?t=119


GM ultimately recalled over 4 million trucks.

http://trucks.about.com/od/truckrecalls/qt/latch_recall.htm

"Existing Cables Could Corrode, Causing Tailgate to Drop Off
12-02-04 General Motors has sent owners of 4.1 million trucks a reminder to take take part in a safety recall involving tailgate cables. On some of those trucks, the galvanized steel tailgate support cables may corrode, weaken, and eventually break.
Letters went out to owners in March and October, and will continue to go out every other month until repairs are complete.

The recall involves some:

2000 Chevrolet CK
2000-2004 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks
2002-2004 Cadillac Escalade EXT
2002-2004 Chevrolet Avalanche trucks
Your GM dealer will replace the original cables with stainless steel versions at no cost to you."

[sandertheshark]

The Avalanche is useless as a pickup.  Sure it can tow, but the box is so small you may as well have a Ridgeline that at least has a trunk-in-bed.

I don't think so.  The whole point of the Avalanche is that you get to push in to the cab and you get enough space for the standard benchmark load of 4'x8' sheets of plywood.  I've looked into these things because I'm considering buying one soon, and I can't find much that an Avalanche can't haul and regular pick-up can.






That works for me.

[sandertheshark]

I don't think I'd call it useless, but I wouldn't call it innovative: it's simply a Suburban with a bed.

Tell that to the US Patent Office.

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/7036872-fulltext.html

[GoCougs]

Tell that to the US Patent Office.

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/7036872-fulltext.html

I forgot the mid gate. However, it's still a Suburban, with a bed, and mid gate (which cars have had in practice for quite some time). It needs more however to be innovative as a whole. Had the Suburban not existed, perhaps.

[etypeJohn]

Tell that to the US Patent Office.

http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/7036872-fulltext.html

There are close to 4,000 patents for mousetraps.  Most of those patented devices are virtually worthless.

The simple fact of having a patent does not ensure usefulness or practicality.

[etypeJohn]

"Picture this: you?re driving down the highway when suddenly you hear a bang and you look in your rear view mirror and see the cargo that was in your truck?s bed bouncing down the roadway behind you. Sure you closed the tailgate, but according to GM, the cables can break and you could lose your cargo...you better just hope there?s no one behind you if it falls out!"

The cables just supported an open tailgate.  Corroded cables would not have increased the likelyhood of the tailgate opening on its own.

[S204STi]

The cables just supported an open tailgate.  Corroded cables would not have increased the likelyhood of the tailgate opening on its own.

Right, the risk wasnt so much that your cargo would spill out of an otherwise closed bed, but that if you had weight on the open tailgate it would collapse, possibly causing a very bad day.

[thewizard16]

I don't think so.  The whole point of the Avalanche is that you get to push in to the cab and you get enough space for the standard benchmark load of 4'x8' sheets of plywood.  I've looked into these things because I'm considering buying one soon, and I can't find much that an Avalanche can't haul and regular pick-up can.



That works for me.

As much as I don't want an Avalanche, I'll back you up on this. A friend of mine has an Avalance and it's been quite useful. The bed's a bit short, but for day to day driving with occasional bed use, it's a nice set up. It's also great to go to Lowe's and be able to throw your stuff in an enclosed/covered area, you really don't have to worry about getting stuff rained on, and it's a bit easier to convert than most tonneau covers I've used.
It's not a great truck, it's not a great SUV, but it does a decent job at being both.

[sandertheshark]

As much as I don't want an Avalanche, I'll back you up on this. A friend of mine has an Avalance and it's been quite useful. The bed's a bit short, but for day to day driving with occasional bed use, it's a nice set up. It's also great to go to Lowe's and be able to throw your stuff in an enclosed/covered area, you really don't have to worry about getting stuff rained on, and it's a bit easier to convert than most tonneau covers I've used.
It's not a great truck, it's not a great SUV, but it does a decent job at being both.

That's pretty much all I'd want it for.  That and towing a bass boat.

[thewizard16]

That's pretty much all I'd want it for.  That and towing a bass boat.

It'd be a good fit then. The new ones have the nice interiors too.

[sandertheshark]

It'd be a good fit then. The new ones have the nice interiors too.

I'd be getting a GMT800, probably an '02 or '03.  I can't afford a $30k+ truck.  $10-15k is my budget.

The old ones are still pretty decent though, especially in LT trim.

[Raghavan]

I don't like how the interior can get dirty if you have grimy junk in the extended bed.

[thewizard16]

I'd be getting a GMT800, probably an '02 or '03.  I can't afford a $30k+ truck.  $10-15k is my budget.

The old ones are still pretty decent though, especially in LT trim.

That's what my friend has. It's an 02, and the interior's not terrible. His is the leather/cloth mix interior, and it's livable.

[thewizard16]

I don't like how the interior can get dirty if you have grimy junk in the extended bed.

As opposed to an SUV, where it definitely gets dirty when you put grimy junk in it. We already established the Avalanche was not the perfect pickup, nor was it meant to be.