NHTSA Complaint #10221301 — 2000 CHEVROLET ASTRO

MY AC FAILED TO BLOW COLD AFTER I NOTED SOME OIL (NOT MOTOR OIL) UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP RECHARGED THE SYSTEM WHICH WAS APPARENTLY EMPTY INCLUDING DYE FOR WHICH I BORE THE COST ($200+). LESS THAN 12 HRS LATER THE SYSTEM NO LONGER BLEW COLD AND NO FLUID WAS NOTED UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION OF THE DYE. THE MECHANIC REMOVED THEN INTERIOR ENGINE HOOD AND FOUND THAT THE AC LINE HAD RUBBED AGAINST THE TRANSMISSION FILLER TUBE (NOW METAL ON METAL). A HOLE THE SIZE OF A DIME TO NICKEL WAS IN THE FILLER TUBE AND THE AC LINE ALSO HAD A HOLE IN IT. I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER 2K CHEVY ASTRO THAT WAS DIAG'D SEVERAL YEARS AGO FOR THE SAME HOLE IN THE AC LINE BUT IT HAD NOT WORN A HOLE IN THE TRANSMISSION FILLER TUBE. THE MECHANIC HAD INDICATED THAT THE AC LINE WAS "RUN THAT WAY FROM THE FACTORY". AT THIS POINT FOREIGN MATTER HAS FALLEN INTO THE TRANSMISSION INCLUDING THE METAL FROM THE FILLER TUBE, THE BLACK FOAM COVER ON THE AC LINE AND APPARENTLY THE FREON FROM THE DYE RECHARGE. I HAVE TO PRESUME OTHER FOREIGN MATTER HAS MADE ITS WAY IN TO FILLER TUBE AS WELL. I AM NOW ATTEMPTING THE HAVE GM COVER THE $1K REPAIR TO THE AC LINE AND TRANSMISSION FILLER TUBE. *TR