NHTSA Complaint #10235548 — 2002 BUICK CENTURY

I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE COOLANT TANK AFTER I GOT A LOW COOLANT LIGHT WHEN THE COOLANT WAS NOT LOW AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS NORMAL. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO THE BUICK DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT OIL WAS LEAKING THROUGH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET INTO THE COOLANT CHANNELS OF THE MANIFOLD. THE OIL WAS INTERFERING WITH THE COOLANTS SENSOR CAUSING THE INDICATOR LIGHT TO COME ON. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE SYSTEM WOULD NEED TO BE DRAINED, FLUSHED AND REFILLED AFTER THE MANIFOLD WAS REMOVED AND THE GASKET REPLACED. THIS WAS GOING TO COST OVER $800.00 THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THE 3.1L ENGINE SO I ASKED WHY THIS WAS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE TO WHICH HE RESPONDED THAT GM WOULD NOT COVER THIS PROBLEM. I ASKED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I DID NOT DO THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS; RESPONSE, POSSIBLE WATER MIGRATING INTO THE CYLINDERS OR OIL/WATER MIXING, ALL VERY BAD FOR THE ENGINE. BECAUSE I LIKE THE CAR, I HAD THE WORK DONE AS I USE THIS CAR FOR EXTENDED TRIPS AND I DO NOT WANT TO FIND MYSELF WITH AN ENGINE FAILURE. SINCE THIS DOES APPEAR TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WHICH MAY BE AGGRAVATED BY THE USE OF DEXRON COOLING FLUID, I BELIEVE THAT GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRS AND/OR REIMBURSEMENT FOR SUCH REPAIRS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE. *TR