NHTSA Complaint #10023708 — 2000 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE

I OWN A 2000 SILHOUETTE VAN. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED THIS PAST DECEMBER. HOWEVER THE MILEAGE IS WITHIN THE WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD BY MY LOCAL OLDS DEALER THAT I HAD A WATER LEAK UNDERNEATH THE DASH. THE CARPET WAS DRENCHED, UNDERNEATH. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE LEAK, DUE TO THE CARPET HAS A RUBBER BARRIER UNDERNEATH IT. THEY COULD NOT TELL ME WHERE THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM. THEY REMOVED THE WHOLE DASH. THEY LOCATED THREE SEPARATE LEAKS IN THE SEAMS ON THE FIRE WALL. THE LEAKS ARE WHERE THEY APPLY PUTTY OVER THE WELDED SEAMS. THEY CAN NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE PUTTY HAS FAILED. NO ONE WILL TELL ME WHY. HOWEVER ONE PERSON SAID IT COULD HAVE BEEN A BAD BATCH OF PUTTY. WELL HOW MANY CARS HAVE THIS PUTTY ON THEM. ALL THEY SAY IS IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE A SECOND CONCERN. THIS COULD VERY WELL HAVE CAUSED HEALTH PROBLEMS(MILDEW,ETC.) FOR MY FAMILY IF THE LEAK WAS NOT NOTICED. HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE TYPE OF VAN ( VENTURE, MONTANA AND SILHOUETTE )HAVE LEAKS AND ARE NOT AWARE OF IT. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURED PROBLEM. IF THE BATTERY FAILED I UNDERSTAND, BUT NOT THE PUTTY IN THE FIREWALL. *JB