NHTSA Complaint #10075370 — 1999 BUICK REGAL

[XXX] [XXX] SUBJECT: OWNER COMPLAINT MY VEHICLE: 1999 BUICK REGAL [XXX] MESSAGE: ON 05/15/04, MY CAR SERVICE ENGINE SOON INDICATOR CAME ON. THE CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE EXHAUST. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED GM DEALER. AFTER $1,226.35 I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD LEAKED ANTIFLUID INTO THE ENGINE. UPON CLOSE INSPECTION, THE TECHNICIAN AND I NOTICE THAT THE UPPER INTAKE HAD CORRODED BADLY CAUSING IT TO LEAK. THE UPPER INTAKE IS MADE FROM SOME KIND OF BLACK PLASTIC, THAT LAYERS OF IT COMES OFF WITH A SLIGHT WIPE OF MY FINGER. THIS IN MY OPINION IS A DESIGN FLAW. NOW MY ENGINE IS RUIN. THE ENGINE SERVICE INDICATOR IS STILL ON BECAUSE OF INTERNAL ENGINE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE CORRODED INTAKE MANIFOLD. I HAVE ONLY 69,000 MILES ON THE CAR; THEREFORE THIS PLASTIC CORROSION MUST HAVE STARTED THOUSANDS OF MILES EARLIER. I BELIEVE GENERAL MOTORS (BUICK) SHOULD CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND COMPENSATE THEIR CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS DESIGN FLAW PROBLEM. IF YOUR ENGINEERS WISH TO INSPECT THE CORRODED INTAKE MANIFOLD, PLEASE ADVISE AND I WILL SEND IT TO THEM. PLEASE NOTE, GM REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AT GM EXPENSE. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] *AK UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)