NHTSA Complaint #10156004 — 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM

I PURCHASED MY 2001 GRAND AM GT SECOND HAND IN SEPTEMBER 04. THE 1 PREVIOUS OWNER WAS MY MECHANIC'S BROTHER IN-LAW AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED WHEN HE OWNED IT AS WELL AS SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. MY PROBLEMS STARTED AS SOON AS I LEFT THE LOT. WITHIN A MONTH THE CAR HAD BEEN BACK INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE BREAK PADS REPLACED AND ROTORS RE-SURFACED. MY BREAKS HAVE MADE A CONSTANT RUBBING/GRINDING NOISE AND NO AMOUNT OF WORK HAS SOLVED THE PROBLEM. I ALSO HAVE THIS INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ISSUE. IN DECEMBER OF 05 THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT BEGAN COMING ON AS WELL AS THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT. I ATTEMPTED TO ADD COOLANT BUT THE CAP TO THE COOLANT TANK WAS BADLY BROKEN AND REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE TANK - SINCE THE CAP WOULD NOT COME OFF EVEN WITH A MECHANICS HELP. THIS SOLVED THE PROBLEM FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS - BUT IN FEBRUARY 06 THE COOLANT ALARM STARTED AGAIN - I ADDED MORE COOLANT AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT FOR ANOTHER MONTH. WHEN THE COOLANT ALARM SOUNDED AGAIN IN MARCH I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO FOUND THE COOLANT LEAK FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. $800-$900 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS WAS THE SECOND INTAKE MANIFOLD HE FOUND ON A GM CAR THE SAME DAY AND HE TOLD ME THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS. WHY IS GM NOT BEING FORCED TO RE-CALL THIS? COME ON - I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING FOR 1 DAY AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF EXAMPLES OF THIS PROBLEM. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER ON A VERY TIGHT BUDGET - OWE MORE ON THIS PIECE OF $)%& THAN IT IS WORTH AS IT IS! MY CAR HAS BEEN PARKED FOR A MONTH AND I AM BUMMING RIDES WHILE I MAKE MONTHLY PAYMENTS ON A PRETTY CAR - NICE TO LOOK AT SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY ! *NM