NHTSA Complaint #10262618 — 2004 CHEVROLET AVEO

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND SMELT BURNING FLUID AND THOUGHT IT WAS ANOTHER CAR ON THE ROAD. AFTER THE CAR WASN'T CLOSE TO ME ANYMORE I SMELT THE SAME ODOR. I LOOKED DOWN AT MY THERMOSTAT TO SEE MY CAR WAS IN THE RED, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON OR ANYTHING. I PULLED OVER AND NOTICED IMMEDIATELY THAT MY THERMOSTAT HOUSING(WHICH IS PLASTIC AND A POOR DESIGN) HAD CRACKED IN HALF RIGHT ALONG THE SEAM.I HAVE READ THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS LEAD TO VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT WARPS THE HEADS RIGHT AWAY AND IT CAN BE EASILY PREVENTED BY A BETTER QUALITY PART AND / OR DESIGN.THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM IF I HAD BEEN GOING DOWN A HILL, FAR FROM A PARKING SPOT, ON THE FREEWAY ETC. DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *TR