NHTSA Complaint #10306362 — 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU

I HAVE A 2001 CHEVY MALIBU WITH THE 3.1L V6 ENGINE THAT HAS 4 DEFECTIVE PISTONS IN IT (GM DOCUMENT ID# 773655) ALSO INSTALLED IN 2001 BUICK, CHEVY, PONTIAC AND SOME OLDS MODELS. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW WITH 4 MILES ON IT, IT HAD A SLIGHT "TICK" WHEN STARTED COLD AT THAT TIME, WHICH THE DEALER EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS "INJECTOR NOISE", NOT TO BE CONCERNED. THE NOISE GOT JUST A LITTLE WORSE UNTIL IT GOT UP TO 37,000 MILES (JUST OUT OF WARRANTY), THEN IT BECAME VERY NOISY AND DIDN'T GO AWAY WHEN WARMED UP. I HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS NOISE EVERY TIME I HAD THE DEALER CHANGE THE OIL. THEN I FOUND A COMPLAINT ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THESE ENGINES AND THE FIX. THAT IS WHEN HE FINALLY PRODUCED THE BULLETIN EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM, AND INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS TOO LATE, WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. I CONTACTED CHEVROLET (REQUEST#71-79653429) AND THEY TOLD ME ABOUT THE SAME THING-WARRANTY IS GONE, SORRY YOU DIDN'T KNOW TO GET IT REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. WE ARE 72 YEARS OLD AND BOUGHT THIS CAR TO LAST US THE REST OF OUR LIVES, AND IT JUST MAY NOT MAKE IT. WE DO NOT DRIVE A LOT, 46,500 MILES IN OVER NINE YEARS, BUT THIS THING IS GETTING NOISIER BY THE MONTH. CAN ANYTHING BE DONE TO HELP US OLD FOLKS? *TR