# 2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE — LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH
> NHTSA complaint `513032` · 2004-12-21 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** CHEVROLET
- **Model:** AVALANCHE
- **Year:** 2002
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH
- **Miles at failure:** 46,648
## Narrative
I RELEASED THE TAILGATE TO REMOVE AN EMPTY BOX FROM THE BED OF MY 2002 CHEVY AVALANCHE. I JUMPED UP IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK AND RETRIEVED THE BOX. WHEN I REACHED THE BACK OF THE TRUCK (TAILGATE), THE TAILGATE GAVE WAY LIKE A TRAP DOOR AND I WENT DOWN WITH IT. I HIT BOTH MY KNEE AND HEAD ON THE TAILGATE AS THE TAILGATE HIT THE GROUND. BOTH CABLES (2) BROKE ABOUT 2 INCHES BELOW THE CONNECTOR. I CUT MY KNEE AND HAD A KNOT ON THE SIDE OF MY HEAD. ASPRIN SEEMED HELP, BUT THERE IS STILL PAIN IN THE OUTSIDE KNEE AREA (LEFT). WHEN I GOT TO WORK, I PULLED UP THE RECALL LIST. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VERY CABLES THAT SEVERED ON MY AVALANCHE. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE JUNE 2004 AND HAVE EVEN HAD MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AT A LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP. I DID NOT RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE ON THIS PART ALTHOUGH THE DEFECT NOTICE STATES I SHOULD HAVE.*AK
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*