NHTSA Complaint #10066254 — 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM

OUR 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM GT1 HAS COOLANT LEAKS. 3/15/04 WE CALLED PONTIAC TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE. THEY OPENED A FILE & SAID THEY'D INVESTIGATE TO DETERMINE IF THE PROBLEMS WERE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT & IF SO PROVIDE REPAIR ASSISTANCE, TO TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP FOR EVALUATION & CALL BACK WITH DIAGNOSIS, WHICH WE DID 3/19/04 (COST $47). THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED REPLACING [SEE GM SERVICE BULLETIN #03-06-01-010] & WOULD COST $700+. AFTER APPROX A MONTH OF WAITING, ON 4/14/04 PONTIAC DENIED OUR REQUEST STATING WE WERE PAST WARRANTY & THERE WAS NO RECALL. (WE KNEW THAT & SO DID THEY FROM THE START! OTHERWISE, WE WOULD HAVE JUST HAD IT FIXED!) NO ONE READ THE SERVICE BULLETIN & PONTIAC REFUSES TO ADMIT LIABILITY FOR A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, DESPITE THE SERVICE BULLETIN WHICH READS: "CORRECTION: INSTALL A NEW DESIGN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE MATERIAL USED IN THE GASKET HAS BEEN CHANGED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE SEALING QUALITIES OF THE GASKET. WHEN REPLACING THE GASKET, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BOLTS MUST ALSO BE CLEANED, COATED WITH THREADLOCKER AND TORQUED TO A REVISED SPECIFICATION." NOT A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT? IN DENYING OUR REQUEST PONTIAC IS HIDING BEHIND THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE UNETHICALLY NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THEIR ADMITTED DEFECT. THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED A DESIGN DEFECT BUT DISGUISED IT IN A SERVICE BULLETIN, THEN USED THE WORDS "NEW DESIGN", "CHANGED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE" AND "REVISED SPECIFICATION", WHICH ADMITS FAULTY EQUIPMENT & PROCEDURES & SHOULD WARRANT A RECALL OR AT LEAST ASSISTANCE TO THE CUSTOMER!! PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER ON OUR BEHALF. WE APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN OFFER US.*AK