NHTSA Complaint #10135488 — 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS

I OWN A 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS AND THE "CHECK ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A GARAGE ON 8/19/05 AND THEY FIXED WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS THE PROBLEM (R&R FUEL TANK CONNECTION TO CLEAN AND RE-SECURE, HAD WATER IN CONNECTOR). TOTAL COST OF REPAIR WAS $145.07. ON 8/26/05 THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, WE TOOK THE BACK TO THE SAME GARAGE AND THEY FOUND WATER AGAIN IN THE CONNECTOR AND DETERMINED THAT THE WATER WAS COMING FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THEY DISCOVERED THE WATER WAS COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING DRAIN TUBE. AS LONG AS THE CAR WAS SITTING STILL THE A/C WOULD DRAIN PROPERLY, BUT AT SPEED THE FORCE OF AIR WOULD FORCE THE WATER BACK INTO THE INTERIOR UNDERNEATH THE SEATS WHERE MANY OF THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS ARE, THEREFORE SHORTING THEM OUT. THE SEATS HAD TO TAKEN OUT, THE CARPET HAD TO BE REMOVED AND DRIED OUT AND A NEW A/C DRAIN TUBE WAS INSTALLED. THE EVAPORATOR CASE WAS ALSO RESEALED. TOTAL FOR THIS REPAIR WAS $276.38 UPON ORDERING AND RECEIVING THE NEW DRAIN, THE MECHANIC WAS TOLD THAT THE PART HAD BEEN "UPDATED". THE UPDATED PART HAD A SLIGHT BEND IN IT NOW, AND THE OLD WAS JUST A STRAIGHT PIECE. MY COMPLAINT IS, IF A PIECE NEEDED TO BE UPDATED OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE ORIGINAL DESIGN AND I THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE PAY FOR THE DAMAGES OR REPAIRS DUE TO A FAULTY PART. THANK YOU. *NM