NHTSA Complaint #10083158 — 2000 OLDSMOBILE ALERO

UNUSUAL WEARING & PULSATION OF FRONT BRAKES ON CAR; REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 41,000 MILES. 1) REPLACED ROTORS & PADS AT 7000 MI. AT OLDS DEALER-NO CHARGE. 2) 28,000 MI. SAME PROBLEM; WORK DONE BY ESTES CHEVY INDIANAPOLIS. GM SERVICE CTR. PAID 1/2. 3) AT 41,000 MILES, SAME PROBLEM. TOOK TO CAR-X FOR OPINION; EST. OF $283.00 TO FIX THE PADS & ROTORS; CALIPERS OK. TOOK CAR TO ESTES. THEY SAID A BAD CALIPER CAUSED BRAKES & ROTORS TO WEAR & ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY SUGGESTED OWNER "RACED THE CAR" - UNTRUE. ESTES GAVE ESTIMATE OF $1000 & SAID TO CALL GM SVC. CTR. GM CUSTOMER SVC REP, MAURA SAID GM WOULD PAY 1/2 THE COST. I TOLD HER THAT WAS NOT OK; THEY HAVE BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH ALEROS & HAVE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES CAUSING A PRODUCT LIABILITY & SAFETY CONCERN. MAURA REFUSED TO GIVE US THE OLD PARTS ON THE CAR IF WE HAD ESTES DO REPAIR WORK, SAYING GM WANTED THEM. SHE SAID ESTES' ESTIMATE WAS $863, DIFFERENT THAN MY QUOTE. I ASKED MAURA TO SEND E-MAIL OR FAX WITH GM OFFER & SHE TOLD ME SHE DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A FAX OR EMAIL. SHE ASKED IF I WOULD GIVE MAINTANENCE DOCUMENTATION. I TOLD MAURA THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH BRAKES, AND I WANTED TO TALK TO HER SUPERVISOR. SHE REFUSED, SAYING SHE DOES NOT HAVE A SUPERVISOR. I TOLD HER TO CALL ESTES' SERVICE MGR; WE DID NOT WANT ESTES TO FIX IT. I HAD RESEARCHED BRAKE PROBLEMS ON ALEROS ON WEB; THERE ARE SITES DEVOTED TO THIS. WE PICKED UP THE CAR FROM ESTES, TOOK IT TO CAR-X TO FIX, & HAD THEM CHECK THE CALIPERS. COST WAS $284.00 FOR ROTORS AND PADS; THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG W/CALIPER; THEY WILL CHECK THE PADS EVERY 6 MOS . THEY GAVE US OUR OLD PARTS TO KEEP. THEY STATED GM ROTORS WERE THIN METAL; BRAKE PADS WERE GRINDING INTO THEM. THE VALUE OF THE CAR IS LESS THAN LOAN, BECAUSE OF POOR QUALITY OF THE CAR, SO WE ARE OUT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. ESTES LIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM, OVERCHARGED, AND GM REFUSED TO GIVE US THE PARTS OFF OUR OWN CAR. GM & ESTES COLLUDED IN EVALUATING THE CAR. *AK