NHTSA Complaint #10028452 — 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO

THE COOLANT STARTED LEAKING INTO THE OIL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, PENCE OLDSMOBILE, APRIL 24, 2003, DUE TO ENGINE TICKING. ADVISED OIL APPEARED TO HAVE NOT BEEN CHANGED IN 1 YR. I ADVISED THE SERVICE OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 3 MONTHS LESS THAN 3000 MILES. OIL WAS "GUNKY" AND THICK LIKE VASELINE. VEHICLE ALSO LOOSING COOLANT. OIL WAS CHANGED AND ENGINE TO CLEAN OF GUNK ON 04/24/03. 07/5/03, COOLANT TANK LOW 15 MILES LATER COOLANT TANK REFILLED AGAIN.. 07/06/03, VEHICLE PARKED. 07/7/03, BEFORE LEAVING FOR WORK, COOLANT REFILLED AGAIN. NO LEAKAGE ON GROUND. AFTER ABOUT TRAVELING ABOUT 8 MILES, WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT THE VEHILCE STARTED TO TREMBLE & MAKE SOUNDS. DROVE APPROX 1 MILE TO EMPLOYERS PARKING LOT AND CALLED TOW TRUCK TO TOW IT TO. DEALER SERVICE DEPT INFORMED ME OIL PUMP O-RING, INTAKE GASKET, VALVA COVER GASKET AND PCV VALVE NEEDED REPLACING AND THERE COULD POSSIBLEY BE INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE.. THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP ON 07/11/03 BETWEEN 5:30-6PM, DRIVEN 20 MILES AND PARKED UNTIL 07/12/03 UNTIL 5:30PM..VEHILCE DRIVEN ANOTHER 20 MILES AND COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. COOLANT REFILLED. SUN 07/13/03, VEHICLE DRIVEN 10 MILES AND COOLANT LIGHT ON AGAIN. COOLANT WAS REFILLED VEHICLE PARKED UNTIL 07/14/03. VEHICLE DRIVEN BACK TO DEALER ON 07/14/03, AND LEFT WITH SERVICE DEPT.. I HAD JUST PAID $757.80 FOR REPAIRS AND 24 HRS LATER THE VEHICLE WAS DOING THE SAME THING. APPROX 1HR AFTER I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY CALLED TO INFORM ME THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS NOW GONE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. COMPLAINT MADE TO OLDMOBILE CUSTOMER SERVICE BUT NO ACTION TAKEN. THE VEHILCE HAD 63000 MILES AND SERVICE AS REQUIRED. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTORER.. WHEN THE COOLANT WAS LOW, PRIOR TO WATER PUMP PROBLEM OF 07/12/03, THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. *AK