NHTSA Complaint #10068436 — 2000 OLDSMOBILE ALERO

THE 3.4L V6 ENGINE REGULARLY LOST COOLANT, AND THE RESERVOIR HAD TO BE REFILLED ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. ALSO NOTICED THICK WHITE GOO ON THE OIL CAP (BUT NOT ON THE OIL DIPSTICK), AND HEARD A TICKING SOUND AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, WHICH WENT AWAY AFTER THE ENGINE WARMED UP. THE DEALER SAID THE HEAD GASKET WAS LEAKING, AND THE REPAIR COST $1,100. THE ENGINE HAD 53,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE REPAIR, WHICH IS WELL BEYOND THE WARRANTY, BUT THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WOULD HAVE DEVELOPED SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES AGO, BEFORE ANY SYMPTOMS WERE NOTICEABLE. IT IS VERY DISAPPOINTING TO HAVE MAJOR ENGINE WORK DONE WITH SO FEW MILES (ALSO HAD TO HAVE SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED), ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ALERO'S SALES BROCHURE BRAGS ABOUT "LONG LIFE FLUIDS, INCLUDING COOLANT, THAT WILL LAST UP TO 100,000 MILES OR MORE." WHEN THE DEALER REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET, THEY SAID THAT REPLACEMENT PART IS THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL (GM HAD NOT MADE ANY DESIGN CHANGES TO THE PART), SO THIS WILL MOST LIKELY BE A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR THE LIFE OF THE ENGINE. OVERALL, IM HAPPY WITH THE CARS DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE, BUT ITS UPSETTING TO HAVE SUCH HIGH COST REPAIRS ON A CAR I PLAN TO DRIVE FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS.