NHTSA Complaint #10157163 — 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU

MY 2001 CHEVY MALIBU HAS STARTED LEAKING COOLANT. THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT HAS COME ON, GONE OFF, COME ON AND GONE OFF. WHEN I CHECK THE RESERVE, THE LEVEL IS SO LOW IT'S EMPTY. AFTER PURCHASING, SO FAR 6 GALLONS, OF DEXCOOL AND MIXING IT ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTIONS EACH TIME, THE COOLANT LASTED A SHORTER AND SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME. THE TEMP. WARNING LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AND RINGING, THEN WENT OFF AND THE TEMP WENT DOWN. I TOOK IT TO FIRESTONE, WHERE I JUST HAD THE CAR INSPECTED. NOW I'M BEING TOLD THAT THE MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET IS BAD AND THE REPAIRS WILL COST ME $1023.00 AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON THE PROBLEM, IT SEEMS THAT GM HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE PLASTIC GASKETS FOR SOME TIME. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE DUE TO AN OVERHEATED ENGINE, A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE BEFORE GM WILL RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM? OR IS THIS HOW MR. GOODWRENCH CAN MAKE SO MANY REPAIRS AND ADVERTISE ABOUT HOW MANY CARS THEY FIX AND MAN HOURS THEY WORK? I LOVED THIS CAR! I BOUGHT IT WITH 5 MILES ON IT(4 OF WHICH I PUT ON DURING THE TEST DRIVE.) A 2001 WITH ONLY 45K MILES? AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO SEES THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE AND THAT GM SHOULD STOP ISSUING "PRIVATE" NOTICES AND RECALL THE CARS FOR PROPER PARTS & SERVICING?*JB