NHTSA Complaint #10194991 — 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX

I BOUGHT THE EQINOX IN THE END OF FEBRUARY 2005. I NOTICED A SOUR SMELL, AND HAD THE DEALER CLEAN INTERIOR BECAUSE OF THE ROTTEN SMELL. THE SMELL PERSISTED, AND THE DEALER HAD THE COOLANT SYSTEM FLUSHED AND SAID THAT WOULD CURE THE PROBLEM. THEN , WHEN THE WEATHER WARMED UP AND I TURNED ON THE VENT LIGHT STEAM WOULD COME OUT OF THE VENTS AND MOISTURE ON THE WINDOW INSIDE. I HAD THE CAR IN THE SHOP AGAIN FOR 5 DAYS, AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THEY HAD FLUSHED THE SYSTEM AGAIN AND THE SMELL WAS STILL THERE. TWO WEEKS LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE ORIGINALS DEALER, AND THEY DETERMINED THE HEATER CORE WAS GONE AND THEY REPLACED IT AND SEEMED TO RUN FINE , EXCEPT IT SEEMED TO RUN HOT AND WOULD LEAVE A LARGE PUDDLE. I COMPLAINED, BUT THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NORMAL, AND THAT ALL WAS OKAY. LAST MONTH IN MAY 2007 EVERY TIME I STOPPED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD CLIMB SO THE DEALER REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT. 3 WEEKS LATER THE GAUGE WOULD HIT RED EVERY TIME I WOULD STOP AT A LIGHT. I BROUGHT IT BACK AGAIN THIS TIME THEY SAID THE HEAD GASKETS WERE SHOT. I CONTACTED CHEVROLET, AND THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GAVE ME THE PARTS, BUT IT STILL COST $918.00 SINCE NOW I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL MECHANICS, AND THEY CLAIMED THE ENGINE HEADS WARPED DUE TO THE HEATER CORE PROBLEMS IN THE BEGINNING, AND THAT IF I HAD A PRIVATE REPAIRMAN REPAIR THE GASKETS THE JOB WOULD HAVE COASTED $1000, AND CHEVROLET DID NOT GIVE ME ANY REAL BREAK.*AK