NHTSA Complaint #10129353 — 1998 AM GENERAL HUMMER

I HAVE A HUMMER H1 (1998). ON MY WAY TO THE AIRPORT IN TRAFFIC, MY #8 ENGINE CYLINDER WALL CRACKED CAUSING ME TO LOSE ALL MY COOLENT FOR BOTH THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. IF I HAD NOT NOTICED IT AS QUICKLY HAS I HAD, I WOULD HAVE COME TO A SCREECHING HALT IN THE FREEWAY TRAFFIC AS MY ENGINE MELTED DOWN. FURTHERMORE, I USE MY HUMMER FOR OFF-ROADING AND HAD IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS OFF-ROAD IN THE UTAH DESERT, INJURY OR DEATH WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE LIKELY (SINCE I AM OFTEN 20-40 MILES OFF THE HIGHWAY AND IT GETS TO BE 110 DEGREES F EASILY). I HAVE CHECKED AROUND AND APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THE VEHICLES FROM 1997, 1998, AND PART OF 1999 AND 2000 HAVE HAD THE #8 CYLINDAR CRACK. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER USED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS BUT ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO STOPPED COVERING THIS UNDER WARRANTEE OR EVEN GOOD-WILL. A TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE CAN BE A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN IF THE TRAFFIC IS HEAVY OR IF THE OCCUPENTS ARE NOT NEAR A TOWN. (OFTEN WHEN I DRIVE THROUGH NEVADA ON SOME VERY LONELY HIGHWAYS, I AM 3 HOURS FROM THE CLOSEST TOWN AND THE HEAT IS IMMENESE). WHEN I AM OFF-ROAD THIS IS EVEN WORSE AND I MAY BE A DAY OR TWO HIKE FROM THE NEAREST (LONELY) HIGHWAY IN 110 DEGREE HEAT. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AS IT IS A VERY FREQUENT PROBLEM FOR THE AFFECTED YEARS. THANK YOU.