NHTSA Complaint #10153529 — 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU

CHEVROLET MALIBU 1999. 84000 MILES. IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS I HAD TO REPLACE THE TAIL LIGHTS TWICE THIS IS THE ENTIRE UNIT WHICH COST OVER $250 EACH I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE STOP/BRAKE LIGHT BULBS AT LEAST SIX TIMES ON EACH SIDE. THE SOCKET THAT HOLDS THE BULBS KEEP MELTING AND LAST DECEMBER IT MELTED TO THE POINT THAT I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT AND WHEN I OPENED THE PLASTIC SOCKET WAS COMPLETELY MELTED. AS OF NOW NEITHER LIGHT IS WORKING. I CHECKED IN THIS SITE AND NHTSA ACTION NUMBER RQ04005 INDICATES THE FOLLOWING: GM IN DECEMBER 2004, GM WILL ISSUE A SPECIAL POLICY FOR MY 1999-2000 ALERO, GRAND AM AND MALIBU VEHICLES NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL 03V327. THE POLICY COVERS TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES (WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST) TO PROVIDE A NO COST REPLACEMENT OF THE HAZARD SWITCH. GM WILL SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS STARTING DECEMBER 30, 2004. THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE MANUFACTURER IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS. THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FUTURE ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. I CALLED GM AS WELL AS THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE LIGHT THEY CLAIM THE AGREEMENT WAS ONLY FOR SOME OF THE 1999 CHEVY MALIBU AND MY VEHICLE [XXX] IS OUTSIDE THE RANGE THEY ARE COVERING. I WAS TOLD BY A GM CUSTOMER SERVICE TO WAIT AND SEE IF THEY RECALL OTHER CARS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED OF THE ADVICE AS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. ALSO, THE INFORMATION AND AGREEMENT POSTED ON NHTSA (SEE ABOVE) DOES NOT INDICATE ANY EXCEPTIONS. CAN SOMEONE INVESTIGATE THIS PLEASE? IN ADDITION TO THIS PROBLEM, THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING AND I HAD TO HAVE THE MANIFOLD REMOVED AND A NEW GASKET PUT IN TWICE. REPLACED BRAKE PADS 5/6 TIMES AND ROTORS ONCE. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012*JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)