Other Engine Info: Name Plate: Chev, Pont, Olds, Buick
Plant City: Orion
Plant Company Name: NA-GM Corp
Plant Country: United States (USA)
Plant State: Michigan
Seat Belts All: Manual
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Windows: 4
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
1998
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
WHILE ENROUTE HOME FROM VACATION LOW COOLANT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. WITHIN A FEW MILES THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO HOT. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP BACK A MILE OR SO TO A CHEVROLET DEALER I HAD PASSED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET HAD FAILED, COSTING $593 TO REPLACE ALONG WITH THE SPARK PLUGS, OIL AND FILTER. HOWEVER, UPON RETURNING HOME, I OPENED THE OIL FILLER CAP TO FIND A GLOB OF WATER CONTAMINATED OIL INSIDE. NOW EVEN SHORT TRIPS RESULT IN WATER DROPLETS ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE OIL FILLER CAP. ALSO, THE ENGINE IDLE IS DOWN ABOUT 100 RPM, IT DOESN'T SOUND OR RUN AS SMOOTHLY AS BEORE AND THERE'S A SLIGHTLY DETECTABLE METALLIC KNOCK FROM THE ENGINE. I BELIEVE THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS ALSO FAILED AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED. AS A RESULT OF THE DEFECTIVE MANIFOLD AND GASKET DESIGN, A $34,000 VEHICLE HAS A SICK ENGINE AT ONLY 64,000 MILES. THE MECHANIC THAT REPLACED THE GASKET SAID HE HAD ONLY WORKED AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THREE WEEKS, BUT REPLACING THESE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS HAD BEEN A CONTINUOUS JOB. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID I WAS LUCKY, BECAUSE ANOTHER CUSTOMER HAD SEIZED THE STARTER AND BROKEN THE FLYWHEEL TRYING TO JUMP START HER CAR FULL OF COOLANT FROM A FAILED INTAKE GASKET.*AK THIS PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND GASKET DESIGN IS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY GM AND NOT BORNE BY THE CUSTOMER. I'VE ALSO EXPERIENCED MOST OF THE OTHER CHARACTERISTIC FAILURES WITH THIS CAR SUCH AS, WARPED BRAKE ROTORS, FAILED IGNITION CONTROL MODULE, FAILED SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR, BROKEN ASH TRAY DOOR LATCH, SHUDDER IN STEERING WHEEL WHILE TURNING AT LOW SPEED, SUSPENSION VIBRATION DUE TO DEFECTIVE BUSHINGS, ETC. AFTER 26 YEARS OF GM OWNERSHIP LOYALTY, I'M CALLING IT QUITS.
