NHTSA Complaint #10259590 — 2005 CHEVROLET EQUINOX

IN JANUARY, 2008, I STARTED TO NOTICE AN ANTIFREEZE ODOR WHENEVER THE WEATHER WARMED A LITTLE. ON FEBRUARY 2, I STOPPED TO GET THE CARE WASHED AND WHILE I WAS DRYING IT OFF NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR, WITH A STRONG ANTIFREEZE ODOR. I DROVE THE CAR DIRECTLY TO THE NEAREST MECHANIC, ONE THAT I USE EXCLUSIVELY FOR AFTER-WARRANTY REPAIRS IN MY TOWN. I WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD WHAT SEEMED TO BE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON INITIAL EXAMINATION, BUT THEY WOULD LET ME KNOW FOR SURE AFTER THEY WERE ABLE TO CHECK IT FURTHER. INDEED IT WAS WHAT THEY THOUGHT, AND IT COST ME $970 TO REPAIR. I ASKED THEM WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED SUCH A THING IN A 2005 CHEVY EQUINOX THAT WASN'T EVEN 4 YEARS OLD. I WAS TOLD THAT CHEVROLET USES DEX-COOL ORANGE COOLANT IN THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS BEEN KNOWN TO CAUSE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. IT HAS ONLY BEEN NOW,MONTHS LATER, THAT I HAVE LEARNED GM AGREED TO SETTLE A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT TIED TO THE ENGINE COOLANT IN VEHICLES BEGINNING IN 1995. I HAVE OBTAINED A COPY OF THE PAPERWORK FOR THE CLASS-ACTION SUIT AND AM AWARE THAT THE YEARS INVOLVED ARE 1995 TO 2003 FOR THE GROUP A VEHICLES WITH 3.1 LITER OR 3.4 LITER V6 ENGINES MANUFACTURED BEFORE 4/10/2003. I WAS NOT FORTUNATE TO BELONG WITHIN THIS GROUP OF CARS WHO COULD BE COMPENSATED, AND MISSED THE FILING DEADLINE OF OCTOBER 27, 2008. HOWEVER, I AM EXTREMELY UPSET THAT GM CONTINUED TO USE THIS COOLANT IN A BRAND NEW MODEL IN 2005 KNOWING THERE HAD BEEN SERIOUS PROBLEMS FOR THE SAME TYPE ENGINE FOR YEARS OF USING IT. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY WAY I CAN RECOUP THE COST OT REPAIRING MY CAR DURING A TIME WHEN I STILL OWED ALMOST 1 1/2 YEARS PAYMENTS BEFORE IT WAS PAID OFF. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SALESMAN TOLD ME IF I HAD OWNED A 2007 MODEL IT WOULD STILL HAVE BEEN UNDER WARRANTY. THAT WAS A HEARTWARMING THING TO HEAR. *TR