NHTSA Complaint #10049393 — 1992 CHEVROLET S10

MY SON AND I BOTH OWN CHEVROLETS S10 TRUCKS. BOTH OF THEM DEVELOPED PROFUSE OIL LEAKS FROM THE OIL FILTER ADAPTER LINES. THIS CAUSED A TOTAL HEMORRHAGE OF OIL BEFORE IT COULD BE DISCOVERED AND DAMAGED THE ENGINES. WHAT A SURPRISE TO DISCOVER SEVERAL OTHER SIMILAR GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES IN THE SAME SHOP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE SHOP OWNERS SAID THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT WITH THESE CHEVROLET AND GMC TRUCKS, AND THAT THEY HAD REPLACED LEAKING LINES ON 8 OR 10 IN JUST THE PAST MONTH. IF THIS IS HAPPENING IN ONE SMALL SHOP IN TOWN, HOW MANY IS IT HAPPENING TO ALL OVER THE COUNTRY? MOST OF THE TRUCKS SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT ENGINE DAMAGE REQUIRING A COMPLETE OVERHAUL BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW THE OIL IS LEAKING OUT UNTIL THE ENGINE BEGINS MAKING NOISE OR SEIZES. THIS COULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT BECAUSE THE OIL LINES ARE VERY NEAR THE EXHAUST PIPE AND COULD SPRAY OIL ONTO IT. SOMEONE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WOULD BE UNAWARE THIS WAS HAPPENING UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS AFIRE. IT COULD ALSO SPRAY OIL ONTO THE TIRE AND CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL. GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD BE MADE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CORRECTING BOTH THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND FOR REPAIRING/REPLACING DAMAGED ENGINES CAUSED BY IT. *AK