NHTSA Complaint #10190489 — 1997 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX

BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER FOR REGULAR OIL CHANGE AND WAS TOLD THE OIL WAS FULL OF COOLANT. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THIS WAS A COMMON" PROBLEM ,AND HE HAD CHANGED SEVERAL UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS ON PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 3.8 V6 ENGINES SEVERE CASES, INCLUDED CHANGING UPPER AS WELL AS LOWER GASKETS ,AND HEAD GASKETS DUE TO COOLANT LEAKS. ON A FEW OF THE CARS THE DAMAGE WAS BEYOND REPAIR, AND NEEDED NEW ENGINES DUE TO SEVERE COOLANT LEAKS. THE UPPER INTAKE PLENUM HAD MELTED, RESULTING IN A COOLANT LEAK, COOLANT IN THE OIL, AND VICE VERSA. HAD TO HAVE ANOTHER OIL CHANGE A WEEK LATER TO GET THE REST OF THE GUNK OUT, AND WILL HAVE TO BRING IT IN AGAIN NEXT WEEK TO CHECK FOR ANYMORE TRACES OF COOLANT IN THE OIL. IF FOUND WILL HAVE TO POSSIBLY CHANGE THE LOWER INTAKE GASKET, AND POSSIBLY HEAD GASKETS. IF DAMAGE WAS REALLY BAD, NEW ENGINE. IF THIS IS SUCH A "COMMON" PROBLEM GM PUTTING A PLASTIC PART WOULD BE INSTALLED. WHY WAS THERE NO RECALL ON IT? I HAVE CHECKED MESSAGE BOARD AFTER MESSAGE BOARD AND THIS PROBLEM WAS WIDE SPREAD.. LOTS OF COMPLAINTS, BUT THE CONSUMER WAS STUCK FITTING THE BILL FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE PART. *AK