The bigger they are, the harder they fall: H2 knuckles under

For thousands of different reasons, millions of people have purchased SUVs in the past several years. The high seating position gives a commanding view of the road and a sense of invincibility. The high ground clearance and off-road tires let you know they can handle just about anything thrown their way. The rugged industrial looks and powerful motors add to the driver's self-confidence and sense of power. Particularly in the case of the HUMMER.

Many folks who have purchased H1s, H2s and H3s have done so because of the sense of security they get knowing that should an accident occur, they and their loved ones will be protected inside. So you can imagine the confusion Iris Ziroli felt when the front end of her H2 ground into the pavement after nudging a pole in her local fast food drive-thru. No hard impact or off-road activity, just a low-speed minor collision and the HUMMER is down for the count.

Apparently Iris is among 20 Hummer H2 owners whose cases are sitting on the desks of the NHTSA as they investigate whether a faulty steering knuckle on 2003 model year H2s is to blame. The part in question was apparently changed in 2004 but it's possible that the 47,900 other 2003s on the road might have a similar propensity for nosedives. The NHTSA has also collected data on 61 similar cases involving Suburbans and Avalanches that used the same knuckles. GM, for its part, is saying that cause and effect are being mixed up in these cases. It was the initial impacts that caused the knuckle failures, not the knuckle failures causing the accidents. No deaths or serious injuries have been reported in these cases and the investigation continues.

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johannas - 9/19/2006 10:29:37 AM

+1 Boost

logical,
Easy big fella. It's a little early in the day for such a broadly sweeping condemnation of our blue collar workers.

BavarianMotorrad - 9/19/2006 10:40:20 AM

+1 Boost

"lazy, overpaid American workers". Interesting comment logical although I can't say that I agree however. You sound like a punk - and keep in mind I'm no fan of 'substandard' American cars either.

Hose - 9/19/2006 11:16:41 AM

+1 Boost

I'm no fan of substandard American cars either, but the reason I won't buy German* is because they are waaaay overpriced. My perception is that's because their auto workers get $80,000/year for installing lug nuts.. and get 6 weeks paid vacation.

*I do, however, LEASE German... A6 Turbo.

Hose - 9/19/2006 11:24:36 AM

+1 Boost

BTW... I've had Mercedes and BMW... they have NOTHING on the Audi Turbo!

Mark - 9/19/2006 11:39:57 AM

+1 Boost

Logical,
You care to expand and explain the difference between the "lazy, overpaid, American auto workers"; and those workers from what ever plant you fly in from?

Or are you going to follow your tradition and not follow through?


....still wouldn't own an H2, no need for one so I don't have to worry about that problem.

stimling - 9/19/2006 12:51:26 PM

+4 Boost

Clearly, the people who drive hummers are the biggest pricks on the road. Their sense of invulnability makes them road and parking lot hogs.

bubbahotep - 9/19/2006 1:38:03 PM

+3 Boost

The only HUMMERS I like are from females....

scottcampbell10 - 9/19/2006 2:48:49 PM

+1 Boost

Were you molested by an autoworker when you were younger?

gearguru - 9/19/2006 5:00:24 PM

+1 Boost

they pee'ed all over hummers name... i remember when it was just the H1 and it was a MANS car. and now you got the h2 and the h3 ... GET YOUR GIRL ON... whats the world comming to

Lexus - 9/19/2006 5:27:55 PM

+1 Boost

So much for "Getting Out of my Way because I drive a hugemonous H2" ah.ah...ha....ha..ha..ha.. I guess the H2 is not as tough as it look on the road. I thought it suppose to be tough enough to handle anything, apparently not.

Lexus

krzykarl - 9/19/2006 7:32:16 PM

+1 Boost

Way to mess up the good part of the pic with the Auto Spies logo!!!! great thinking on that one!!!!

I95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 9/19/2006 9:08:28 PM

+1 Boost

zedani24

Thanks for that link
Gonna send it to my friend who likes to rent H2s from Hertz Miami to show him how unsafe that Vehicle is in the event of rollovers.

People just assume from the H2's Looks that it is some Super Strong Behemoth that can survive anything & they drive em on the freeways at speeds over 80mph. ( Its Suicide i tell ya )

S4cabriofox - 9/19/2006 9:25:18 PM

+1 Boost

Good.

Hummers suck!

Mark - 9/20/2006 7:39:34 AM

+1 Boost

logical, how is the auto worker single handedly responsible for the demise of the American car market? What is your problem with America? Did we deny your visa or something or are you just one of those American hating wanks that have nothing between your ears when your mouth opens.

Try this. Shut your mouth, go back and read (if you can) up on the history of the American auto companies and how they got to where they are today. It's not the workers fault that the company decided to give them the benefits and salary. They don't decide what cars to build and how to build them. But then again this is probably too many words for you.

And bavarian was right.

Sauceboy01 - 9/20/2006 1:10:43 PM

+1 Boost

POS

bigslick83 - 9/20/2006 2:47:07 PM

+2 Boost

hummers are great cars...for the military, and they should have stayed that way. an h1 is the uglyest, shittyest riding, rollover prone, and rpg proof vehicle ever built. it should have stayed that way. they did some queer eye make over and now they are a gas guzzling, monster that make roads MORE dangerous for anyone else not driving a sherman tank.

vehicles like this should be outlawed YES outlawed! and prohibited from use other than for agrecultural and military use. not shoe shopping on rodeo drive, where you were talking on your phone and yelling at the soccer team in back when you get in a fender bender and total 8 cars leaving 3 dead and 10 injured.

johannas - 9/20/2006 3:06:16 PM

+2 Boost

^^ well said.

Jay7 - 9/20/2006 5:01:21 PM

0 Boost

What is up with all the Hummer hating? The Hummer is just one of those vehicles that are for a certain type of person. Obviously everyone on this site is concerned about going from 0-60 in 3.5secs. That sounds kinda dangerous to me "bigslick93." Maybe those speed machines should be outlawed.

Gas guzzling monsters? Are you serious? At least 6-7 people can fit in the hummer. I don't know if 4 people could fit in any car that does 0-60 in under 4.5 secs.

Hummers are American, unique, and big. You gotta love 'em.

Jay7 - 9/20/2006 5:03:46 PM

+1 Boost

Oh, the last point. Those cars go from 0-60 in 4.5secs use just as much, if not more gas than the H2.

stimling - 9/20/2006 5:44:42 PM

0 Boost

Sure those SUVs can hold 6-7 people but they usually only have the driver in them.

Hummer H2: Too Big for the Road, Too Big for the Parking Lot and Too Big for their Faulty Steering Knuckles.

Jay7 - 9/21/2006 2:41:31 AM

+1 Boost

1995e34,

America is the land of the free. If you want to drive an 18 wheeler as a communter car you can. That you gotta' love.

Clog roads? How often are you on the road and its clogged b/c of a Hummer. They're not exactly the most inexpensive vehicles. Thus, they are sorta rare. Come on....lets be logical.

Inefficient? About as inefficient as a M6.

They add to other cars being less efficient? I don't even want to know how you measured this....think about your argument.

bigslick83 - 9/21/2006 3:37:24 PM

+1 Boost

how come i cant drive a monster truck down the road? or a huge john deer tractor, or a bulldozer, or a tank? or a car that does 300 mph? prob the same reason these should not be produced for the public. they make the road unsafe for normal everyday comuters. are you telling me a hummer is better for transoporting people then the more versitile honda mini-van? that gets better gas mileage and is alot smaller. im not one of those centrulized government people but this is something that is already regulated, i just think it should apply to hummers too.

Jay7 - 9/21/2006 7:45:29 PM

+1 Boost

bigslick83,

First of all, once again you as well as others are arguing that hummers cause traffic and make the road unsafe for other vehicles. I may be living in a closed world, but I have never personally seen a Hummer involved in an accident. I gonna guess that you haven't either. So where is the danger. I guess you expect that it must be dangerous b/c it is larger than your average vehicle.

Secondly, you can't compare a Hummer and a mini van. The mini van's sole purpose is to transport from A to B. The Hummer is a crossover vehicle. Its capable of performing on commuter streets and its capable of holding up off-road. Let me see you try to drive a mini-van off-road. You may need a Hummer to rescue you.

johannas - 9/22/2006 11:03:28 AM

+2 Boost

"Sounds to me it is the Europeans who are lazier overall"

Not lazyier. They have learned the lesson of working to live, not living to work.