NHTSA Complaint #10046978 — 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE

I PURCHASED A 1998 CHEVROLET VENTURE NEW FOR APPROXIMATELY $27,000. AFTER 4 1/2 YEARS I HAD TO REPLACE THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AT A COST OF ABOUT $500. I MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE TO THE MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS EVEN CHANGING THE OIL EVERY 3 TO 4000. ON LABOR DAY 2003, A LITTLE MORE THAN 5 YEARS AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, I BROKE DOWN RETURNING FROM A FAMILY VACATION WITH THE CAR PACKED AND MY THREE KIDS. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST CHEVROLET DEALER. 75 MILES FROM HOME. BOTTOM LINE THE CAM BEARINGS SPUN IN THE ENGINE AND THE DEALER SAID THE CAR WAS WORTH $300 AS IS. IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE AT A TOTAL COST OF $6150. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AGREED THAT THIS WAS PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE BUT THAT THE ENGINE HAD 72,000 MILES AND ACCORDING TO GM THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THAT ENGINE IS ONLY 100,000 MILES. THEY SAID I GOT ALMOST 75% OF THE ENGINES EXPECTED LIFE AND THEY OFFERED ME 25% OF THE COST INCURRED BY ME TO INSTALL A NEW ENGINE. GM NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE FAULTY GASKET ON THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUSED THIS PROBLEM BY ALLOWING ANTIFREEZE TO ENTER THE ENGINE. GM SHOULD HAVE REIMBURSED ME THE COST FOR THE GASKET REPLACEMENT AND THE ENGINE. NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR I EXPECT, BUT TO HAVE A VEHICLE WORTH ABOUT $7,000 ONE DAY AND $300 THE NEXT IS NOT FAIR. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER GM PRODUCT AS LONG AS I LIVE AND I WILL LET AS MANY PEOPLE I KNOW HOW GM STANDS BY THEIR PRODUCT. *LA