NHTSA Complaint #10255142 — 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS

WE HAVE A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS WITH 60,000 MILES. THE CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL. WE HAVE TWICE EXPERIENCED LOWER INTAKE GASKET FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN TWO EXPENSIVE REPAIR BILLS. LUCKILY THE LEAKS WERE NOTICED BEFORE THEY COULD CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. DURING THE LAST FAILURE, WE HAD LOST MOST OF THE COOLANT, WHICH WAS NOT INDICATED BY THE "LOW COOLANT" ALARM. LUCKILY WE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR WINDOW SERVICE AT A GM DEALER AND THEY NOTICED THE PROBLEM DURING ROUTINE INSPECTION. WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE PREVIOUS REPAIR, WHICH WAS DONE AT ANOTHER DEALER, DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAD FAILED TO NOTICE THE HEAD GASKET SEALS WHICH WERE LEAKING AND LED TO THE INTAKE GASKET FAILURE. THEY DID REPLACE THE HEAD GASKETS AND SEALS AT "GM GOODWILL" WITH NO COSTS FOR THE PARTS. WE HAVE NOW SPENT OVER $3000 IN REPAIRS TO THIS ENGINE ON SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ALONG THIS LINE ON OTHER FORUMS AND I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED . *TR