NHTSA Complaint #10038939 — 1999 PONTIAC GRAND AM

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS INSTALLED WRONG WHEN CAR WAS MANUFACTURED. ALLOWING ANTIFREEZE TO MIX WITH THE ENGINE OIL, WHICH LEADS TO OVERHEATING OF VEHICLE.BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT( WHICH GM THEMSELVES HAVE A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) ADMITTING THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM). THIS DEFECT CAUSED MY CAR TO OVERHEAT WARPING THE HEADS ON THE ENGINE , NOW THE ENGINE IS NO GOOD. I HAVE TALKED TO GM ABOUT THE PROBLEM 2 TIMES . THE 1ST TIME THEY TOLD ME THAT YES THEY KNEW THEY HAD A PROBLEM BUT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH FOR A RECALL YET. THE 2ND TIME I TALKED TO THEM THEY TOLD ME BASICALLY THE SAME THING, BUT THAT IF I WAS TO BRING IT IN TO A PONTIAC DEALERSHIP AND HAVE IT DIAGNOSED THEN THEY WOULD GO FROM THERE.WELL I CALLED A PONTIAC DEALERSHIP TO ASK HOW MUCH WAS THE COST OF THIS DIAGNOSTIC AND THEY SAID ABOUT $1000.00. I'M SORRY BUT IM A SINGLE MOTHER RAISING 4 CHILDREN IF I HAD A $1000.00 FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST I COULD JUST AS SOON USE THAT MONEY TO FIX MY CAR.I HAVE TALKED TO NUMEROUS MECHANICS, INCLUDING THE MECHANICS OF OUR COLUMBUS CITY SCHOOL BUSES( WHICH IS WHERE I WORK) AND THEY ALL HAVE SAID THAT IT SOUNDS TO THEM LIKE ITS GM'S FAULT THAT MY CARS ENGINE IS NO GOOD NOW, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY HAVE A TSB ON THIS VERY PROBLEM BECAUSE THAT ADMITS THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM. GM INFORMED ME THAT IF I HAD THE CAR FIXED AND SAVED THE RECEIPT , IF THIS WAS EVER RECALLED THAT I COULD POSSIBLY GET MY MONEY BACK.I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO GET MY CAR FIXED, AGAIN BECAUSE I AM A SINGLE MOTHER RAISING 4 CHILDREN ON A SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS PAY. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A FEW MECHANICS THAT WORK AT PONTIAC DEALERSHIPS THAT THESE CARS WITH THIS PROBLEM COME IN THIER SHOPS DAILY. I BELIEVE THAT PONTIAC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MY CARS ENGINE GOING BAD AND I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING IT.MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN RUNNING FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS ,WHICH MEANS I HAVE HAD NO MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION FOR MY CHILDREN AND I FOR THAT LONG OF A TIME.