NHTSA Complaint #10025831 — 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU

MY CAR IS ONLY 3 1/2 YRS. OLD, BUT, I'M HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT THAT I SHOULDN'T BE HAVING. LAST SUMMER, I HAD TO HAVE MY BATTERY AND SURROUNDING WIRES & HOSES REPLACED DUE TO A CORRODED CABLE WHICH HAD LEAKED ACID EVERYWHERE--LUCKILY UNDER WARRANTY. NOW, MY INTAKE VALVE GASKET IS RUINED, SO ANTIFREEZE LEAKS OUT CONSTANTLY AND THE CAR IS PERPETUALLY ON THE VERGE OF RUNNING HOT. I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY ADD ANTIFREEZE AND WATER TO KEEP IT FROM OVERHEATING, ALTHOUGH, IT STILL SMELLS OVERHEATED ALL THE TIME. IT WILL COST ME BETWEEN $900-$1100 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH THE PART ONLY COSTS $150 DUE TO THE LABOR INVOLVED IN REMOVING THE TOP OF THE ENGINE TO GET TO THE GASKET. SINCE THE WARRANTY HAS ALREADY RUN OUT, I'LL HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL MYSELF. I DON'T APPRECIATE THIS BECAUSE I SHOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AT THIS TIME, NOR DO I FEEL THAT IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX IT. THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER SHOULD FOOT THE BILL SINCE THE CAR IS SO YOUNG AND THERE IS NO WAY THAT I CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. *AK