NHTSA Complaint #10261982 — 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA

WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING BUT IN A STOPPED POSITION, IE., AT A STOP LIGHT, THE HEATER BLOWS COLD AIR - ON ANY OF THE DIAL OPTIONS, I.E, FEET, FACE, COMBINATION, ETC. WHEN DRIVING, IT THEN HEATS, BLOWS WARM AIR. WHEN I HAD MY CAR INTO THE DEALER LAST YEAR (MAHOWALDS MOTORS IN NEW PRAGUE WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR) FOR THE NORMAL SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE, THEY WERE TOLD ABOUT THIS. THE SERVICE MANAGER PULLED UP A BULLETIN FROM MARCH OF 2008 AND IT STATED THAT THIS MAKE/MODEL CAR WOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IT TOLD THE DEALERSHIP HOW TO FIX IT (NO PARTS INVOLVED - JUST TAKING OFF SOME HOSES AS THERE WAS AIR BUBBLES OR BLOCKAGE THAT WAS CAUSING THIS - AND THEY WANTED SOME WHERE AROUND $186.00 TO DO THIS.). I ASKED WHY THIS WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE WHEN THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS, THAT THIS MAKE OF CAR WAS GOING TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM, AND I WAS TOLD THAT AS LONG AS WE DIDN'T BRING IT UP, THEY WERE NOT FIXING IT AS IT WAS NOT A "RECALL", JUST A BULLETIN LETTING THEM KNOW IT WILL HAPPEN. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS PROCESS WHEN A DEALERSHIP OR A HUGE COMPANY LIKE CHEVROLET KNOWS THERE IS A FLAW BUT SITS BACK AND KEEPS THEIR MOUTH SHUT ABOUT IT AND THEN WHEN CONFRONTED THE CUSTOMER IS TOLD IT WILL TAKE $186.00 TO FIX. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT BECAUSE THERE WERE NO 'PARTS' INVOLVED IN THIS REPAIR, THAT THIS WAS THE REASON IT COST THIS MUCH.....IT ALMOST MAKES IT SOUND LIKE, IF THERE DO NOT HAVE ANY PARTS COST TO FALL BACK ON, THEN THEY BOOST UP THE LABOR CHARGES. BOTTOM LINE IS, THE BULLETIN CAME OUT IN MARCH OF 2008, AND MY CAR WAS IN EVERY 3000 MILES FOR THE OIL CHANGE, THIS 'ERROR' REPAIR SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND NOT 'HIDDEN' IN THE BACKROOM. THIS IS MY COMPLAINT. I HAVE TALKED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THIS DEALERSHIP (WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW), A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND HE SAID HE CAN'T AND WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT....I ASKED HIM TO CALL THE KEY COMPANY ON THIS AND HE SAID THAT ISN'T PART OF HIS JOB. WHERE DOES CUSTOMER SERVICE END THAT IT ISN'T 'PART OF HIS JOB. *TR