NHTSA Complaint #10151838 — 1994 BUICK SKYLARK

I OWN A 1994 BUICK SKYLARK. IT DEVELOPED A COOLANT LEAK. I HAD THE HEATER CORE REPLACED ON ADVISE OF A MECHANIC THAT UNTIL RECENTLY WAS AT A GM DEALERSHIP. IT STILL LEAKED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS COLD. IT WAS THEN DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE WATER PUMP SO I HAD THAT REPLACED. IT STILL LEAKED. NOW I HAVE TO HAVE THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $660.00. I HAVE CONTACTED GM DEALERSHIPS AND INDEPENDENT MECHANICS IN REGARDS TO THE MANIFOLD GASKET AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE GASKET IS THAT IT IS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND THAT MANY LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON THE SKYLARKS BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT. APPARENTLY GM DECIDED TO USE A PLASTIC GASKET AS OPPOSED TO THE PAPER COMPOSITE GASKET AND THIS IS THE CAUSE OF SO MANY VEHICLES HAVING TO HAVE THIS GASKET REPLACED. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT GM SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT IT WAS DUE TO A DEFECT IN DESIGN. *JB