NHTSA Complaint #10008421 — 1996 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME

WE GOT A LOW COOLANT LIGHT ON OUR DASHBOARD, AND FOUND THE COOLANT RESEVOIR TO BE COMPLETELY EMPTY. THIS WAS LESS THAN 3K MILES SINCE THE COOLANT SYSTEM WAS SERVICED - DRAINED, REFILLED, AND NEW RADIATOR HOSES INSTALLED. AFTER REFILLING, WE FOUND A SMALL COOLANT LEAK ON THE GROUND UNDER THE ENGINE (WHEN PARKED ON A DRY SURFACE INDOORS - NORMALLY THE CAR IS IN THE DRIVEWAY, WHERE SNOW, ICE, AND RAIN MAY HAVE MASKED A LONG-TIME SMALL LEAK). ON 3/3/03, OUR LOCAL MIDAS REPAIR SHOP FOUND THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS FAILING, CAUSING THE LEAK. IT WAS REPLACED (ALONG WITH THERMOSTAT AND SOME OTHER GASKETS, WHICH WERE LITTLE ADDITIONAL EXPENSE), AT A COST OF OVER $900. NOTE THAT THIS IS THE VEHICLE PRIMARILY USED BY MY (PREGNANT) WIFE AND OUR 2 YEAR OLD SON, AND THAT I MYSELF WORK ABOUT 30 MILES FROM HOME, SO WE WERE HEADED FOR INCOVENIENCE AT BEST, DISASTER AT WORST. NOTE THAT THE VEHICLE USES DEXCOOL COOLANT, AS REQUIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER FOR PROPER TREATMENT OF ITS ALUMINUM RADIATOR.*JB