NHTSA Complaint #10037447 — 2003 CHEVROLET CAVALIER

I WAS INFORMED BY A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP AT CHEVROLET ON 9/5/03 THAT MY VEHICLE WAS COVERED FOR HEAD GASKET REPAIR UNDER A "SPECIAL POLICY" RECALL. AT THE URGING OF THIS CUSTOMER SERVICE REP FROM CHEVROLET, BRUCE MITCHELL, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. I WAS NOTIFIED BY THEIR SERVICE DEPT. THAT THIS "SPECIAL POLICY" EXPIRED 7/03 AND THAT IT WOULD COST OVER $1,400 TO FIX ALL OF THE DAMAGES INCLUDING THE HEAD GASKET. I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP NOT TO FIX THE PROBLEMS. I CALLED CHEVROLET AND SPOKE WITH THE SAME CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AS I HAD EARLIER. HE APOLOGIZED AND INFORMED ME THAT HE WAS INCORRECT IN TELLING ME THAT THE HEAD GASKET WOULD BE COVERED AT NO COST. I PURCHASED THIS VECHICLE FROM A PRIVATE SALE IN 2/03. I WAS NEVER INFORMED BY ANYONE THAT ANY RECALLS WERE AVAILABLE TO ME. MY VEHICLE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, SO I LOOKED ON CHEVROLET'S WEBSITE TO SEE IF PERHAPS THERE WERE ANY RECALLS OUT FOR MY CAR AND THERE WERE 2 AND THIS OTHER "SPECIAL POLICY". I ASKED THE COMPANY HOW I WAS SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT THIS POLICY HAD AN EXPIRATION DATE IF I NEVER KNEW ABOUT IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY DID ALL THAT THEY CAN DO AND THAT THEY CANNOT HELP ME. I CANNOT AFFORD TO GET MY VEHICLE FIXED SO THEREFORE IT IS UNDRIVABLE TO ME. I THINK THAT THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I MISSED THE EXPIRATION DATE BY 2 MONTHS BECAUSE OF AN EXPIRED POLICY THAT I NEVER KNEW ABOUT, OR WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IF I DIDN'T TAKE IT UPON MYSELF TO CONDUCT SOME RESEARCH ON THE CHEVROLET WEBSITE AND TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO CALL THEIR COMPANY. I'M FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY THAT A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE GOT THIS INFORMATION SO WRONG. NOW I'M STUCK.....I WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR IF I WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN MISINFORMED.*AK