NHTSA Complaint #10100802 — 2001 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

I WAS SEEING A LOW COOLANT WARNING LIGHT THAT WAS INTERMITTENT. I ADDED DISTILLED WATER TO THE COOLANT SYSTEM SEVERAL TIME IN THE AMOUNT FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT A HALF GALLON. I SEARCHED FOR A LEAK IN THE COOLANT HOSES BUT COULD NOT FIND A LEAK. I CHECKED THE DIP STICK TO SEE IF THE OIL WAS CLOUDY OR HAD BUBBLES BUT DID NOT SEE ANY. (I USE MOBIL 1 SYNTHETIC OIL). AFTER ABOUT A WEEK THE COOLANT WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AT A HIGHER FREQUENCY SO I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS HEAD GASKET LEAKS AND POSSIBLE WATER PUMP GASKET LEAKS. THE BILL FOR THE REPAIR WAS $1200. I WAS LATER TOLD THE HEAD BOLTS LOST TORQUE AND "STRETCHED". THE HEADS HAD NEVER BEEN REMOVED AND THE TRUCK HAD NEVER REQUIRED ANY REPAIRS EXCEPT FOR THE BROKEN TAIL GATE CABLES WHICH CAUSED ME TO FALL OFF THE BACK TRYING TO LOAD MY KAYAK ON TOP. I DO NOT BELIEVE A TRUCK WITH 72000 MILES SHOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE HEAD BOLTS REPLACED. GM WAS OF NO HELP BECAUSE THEY KNEW I HAD INSURANCE TO COVER 80% OF THE REPAIR THEY DID EXTEND THE WARRANTY UP TO 100,000 MILES ON THE HEAD BOLTS AND FOR THE CLATTER IN THE VALVES THAT THEY SAID IS NORMAL. NEXT TRUCK WILL BE TOYOTA. *AK