NHTSA Complaint #10050756 — 2000 BUICK LESABRE

COOLANT LEAKAGE FROM COOLANT RESEVOIR INTO AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT ENGINE COOLANT DRAWN INTO CYLYNDER HEAD CAN HAVE NUMEROUS RESULTS DAMAGING TO THE OPERATION AND LONGEVITY OF THE ENGINE. FURTHER THE LOSS OF COOLANT FORM THE RESEVOIR CAN RESULT IN INADEQUATE ENGINE COOLING AND HIGH AND DESTRUCTIVE ENGINE TEMPERATURES. WHILE THERE WAS NO OBSERVED EVIDENCE OF COOLANT LOSS BEFORE GMC RECALL TO "TIGHTEN THROTTLE BODY BOLTS", THE LOSS OF COOLANT ACCELERATED AFTER THE UNSUCCESSFUL EFFORT TO ELIMINATE COOLANT LOSS. THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE EARLY IN 2000 MODEL OF THE BUICK LESABERS IS EVIDENCED BY COMPLAINTS AND SERVICE REPORTS. THE RECALL PROGRAM OF SUMMER 2003 WAS AN INADEQUATE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. IN ADDITION TO THIS HISTORY, THE EXISTANCE OF LONG STANDING PROBLEM IS CONFIRMED BY GMC'S RECALL IN THE SUMMER OF 2003. MY COMPLAINT IS HEIGHTENED BY THE FACT THAT BOTH THE DEARLER AND GM REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE THE COOLANT LOSS OBSERVED AFTER THE RECALL AS A PART OF THE RECALL AND USED THE EXPIRY OF MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY AFTER THE RECALL ANNOUNCEMENT AND ALSO AFTER THE COMPLETION OF RECALL SERVICING WITHOUT FULLY CHARGING ME FOR THE INVESTIGATION AND REQUIRED REMEDIAL WORK TO RESOLVE THE COOLANT LEAKAGE MALFUNCTION. DURING MY RESEARCH INTO THIS SITUATION I ENCOUNTERED A "MR GOOD WRENCH" WHO WORKED IN SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF A LARGE BUICK DEALER. WHILE DISCUSSING THE THROTTLE BODY LEAKAGE, HE COMMENTED THE "BUICK HAS AN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEM WITH THE "PLASTIC SECTION OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH IS ENCOUNTERING FREQUENT CRACKING OF THIS SECTION OF THE MANIFOLD RESULTING IN LOSS OF COOLANT AND MAJOR ENGINE OPERATION DIFFICULTIES. SOUNDS TO ME THIS PROBLEM WHICH IS EVEN MORE DAMAGING AND EXPENSIVE TO CONSUMER THAN THE THROTTLE BODY LEAKAGE MERITS AN INVESTIGATION.*AK