NHTSA Complaint #10124100 — 1998 CHEVROLET CAVALIER

PATTERN OF OVERHEATING AND VEHICLE FAILURES IN 98 CAVALIERS. A SECOND CAR WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS IS NOW BEING REVIEWED RIGHT NEXT TO MINE AT FOX CHEVROLET TIMONIUM. 410-667-6666. CAR WITH 100,049 MILES OVERHEATED FOR FIRST TIME AFTER ORDINARY FLUSH AND FILL 2 DAYS PRIOR. (THE SERPENTINE BELT AND AN OIL CHANGE WERE ALSO PERFORMED FOLLOWING A COMPLAINT OF SMELLING ANTIFREEZE NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF ANY COOLING PROBLEMS) FOLLOWING THE OVERHEATING, THE CAR WAS PROMPTLY PULLED OVER WITHIN 2 MILES AND FLATBEDDED BACK TO THE SERVICE STATION. AFTER REPLACING THE THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP (SIGNS OF LOW COOLANT FLOW - TEMPERATURE DIFFERENTIAL IN THE UPPER AND LOWER HOSES) CAR CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT. THE CAR WAS FLATBEDDED TO THE DEALER: NO LEAKS OR DAMAGE WERE FOUND IN THE HEATER CORE, RADIATOR, HEAD GASKET, OR CYLINDER HEAD. DEALER CONCLUSION IS THAT THERE ARE MICRO CRACKS INSIDE THE ENGINE BECAUSE ENGINE GASES ARE MIXING WITH THE ANTIFREEZE, ALTHOUGH OIL IS NOT ENTERING THE COOLING SYSTEM. DEALER INSISTS ONLY POSSIBLE REPAIR IS AN ENTIRE ENGINE REPLACEMENT.