NHTSA Complaint #10245757 — 2005 CHEVROLET AVEO

DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY UPHILL. NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE. THERMOSTAT HOUSING BROKE IN HALF AT THE SEAM. THERMOSTAT IS ORIGINALLY FROM FACTORY, PERMANENTLY ENCASED IN A PLASTIC TYPE HOUSING. THIS IS ALL ONE (1) PIECE. CHEVY HAS SUPERSEDED THIS ITEM WITH A METAL TYPE HOUSING WITHIN THEIR RANKS/COMPUTERS, BECAUSE IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE. THIS ITEM (PLASTIC THERMOSTAT HOUSING) KNOWINGLY SPLITS AS EARLY AS 30,000 MILES. FOR US IT WAS ABOUT 45,000 MILES. THIS WAS NEVER A RECALL ITEM NOR WAS ANY INFO EVER SENT OUT WARNING ABOUT IT. FAILURE OF THIS PART LEADS TO THE KNOWN LEAKING AND EXPELLING OF HAZARDOUS ANTI-FREEZE/COOLANT ON ROADS BUT ALSO LEADS TO THE UNREALIZED OVERHEATING OF ENGINE. THIS CAN LEAD TO UNNECESSARY ENGINE DAMAGE FROM SIMPLE OVERHEATING OF OIL TO THE EXTREME OF BLOWN HEAD GASKETS, BLOWN/BROKEN CYLINDER RINGS, WARPED ENGINE HEADS OR COMPLETE ENGINE SEIZURE. THIS FAILING PART WAS KNOWN EARLY ENOUGH THAT THE NEW PRODUCT HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE AND DISTRIBUTED TO DEALERSHIPS. WEB LOGS ARE FULL OF THIS PARTICULAR FAILURE, ON THIS VEHICLE. 3 DAYS AFTER REPAIR, THE CAR HAS A "SLOW START", AS LONG AS 15 MIN. THE DEALER KEPT IT 2 DAYS, REPLACED PLUGS & WIRES, CHARGED $400. 3 DAYS AFTER THIS (10/13/08), SAME EXACT PROBLEM, IN ADDITION HOLD LIGHT WILL STAY ON & CAR SHAKES AS IF NOT GETTING FUEL. I MUST TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND ATTEMPT TO RESTART. THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME UNLESS THE ACTUAL PROBLEM IS OCCURRING THEY CANNOT DIAGNOSE. TODAY (10/16/08) AFTER A SLOW START, THE A/C WORKED FOR ABOUT 10 MIN THEN STARTED BLOWING HOT AIR. TURNED IT OFF FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND IT PROCEEDED WITH COOL AIR. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. *TR