NHTSA Complaint #10060514 — 1996 GMC SUBURBAN

I HAVE TWO GMC VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ENGINE, A GAS 5.7L V8, THAT REQUIRED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACEMENT WITHIN ONE MONTH OF EACH OTHER. THE FIRST VEHICLE IS A 1996 1500 SUBURBAN WITH 90,000 MILES. THE OTHER IS A 1998 K1500 PICKUP WITH 80,000 MILES. BOTH LEAKS OCCURRED AT THE REAR OF THE BOTTOM INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE MECHANIC PERFORMING THE REPAIR STATES THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH HIS SHOP PERFORMING APPROXIMATELY 5-6 A MONTH IN A TOWN OF ONLY 30,000. THE DEALER DENIES ANY GENERIC PROBLEM. INSPECTION OF THE GASKET IMPLIES A TEMPERATURE RELATED PROBLEM OF THE GASKET BODY THAT UNDERMINES THE SEAL RIDGE. *JB