NHTSA Complaint #10312292 — 2004 CHEVROLET AVEO

WHILE ON MY WAY HOME, I NOTICED THAT MY VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING FROM THE HOOD AND WITHOUT WARNING THE "CHECK" DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. I NOTICED THAT MY CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND I COASTED IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AT THIS POINT MY VEHICLE CUT OFF AND WOULDN'T START. ONCE, MY VEHICLE WAS TRANSPORTED HOME, I HAD MY MECHANIC TO COME OUT AND INSPECT MY VEHICLE. MY MECHANIC LOOKED UNDER MY HOOD AND SAW THAT MY VEHICLE HAD LOST ALOT OF ANTIFREEZE/COOLANT. HE LOOKED TO SEE WHAT CAUSE THIS AND REALIZED THAT THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING UNIT HAD BUSTED-ACTUALLY IT WAS SPLIT IN HALF. MY MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT THE BUSTED THERMOSTAT HOUSING HAD CAUSED THE LEAKAGE OF THE ANTIFREEZE/COOLANT. MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER HAVING THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING REPLACED, MY MECHANIC TRIED TO START THE CAR, BUT IT WOULDN'T TURN OVER. I HAD MY VEHICLE JUMPED, AND EVEN THE BATTERY INSPECTED BUT IT WOULDN'T START. IN ADDITION, THE STARTER, TIMING BELT WERE INSPECTED AS WELL AND WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT I ONLY HAVE 53,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE. MY MECHANIC DID A THOROUGH CHECK OF MY VEHICLE AND REALIZED THAT SOME WATER HAD LEAKED INTO MY OIL AND THAT ANTIFREEZE/COOLANT HAD SPILLED INTO AN ENGINE VALVE. FROM MY OWN RESEARCH, I'VE FOUND THAT CHEVY HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS FROM THE 2004 CHEVY AVEOS-THERMOSTAT HOUSING UNITS FROM OTHER CUSTOMERS. IN ADDITION, ORIGINALLY THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING WAS PLASTIC, BUT CHEVY CHANGED IT TO AN ALUMINUM ONE BECAUSE THE "PLASTIC THERMOSTAT HOUSING" THAT ORIGINALLY CAME WITH THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY FAULTY. IT IS VERY DISHONEST AND A SHAME THAT GM/CHEVY NEVER NOTIFIED ME THAT I NEEDED TO BRING MY 2004 CHEVY AVEO IN TO GET THE PLASTIC THERMOSTAT HOUSING REPLACED WITH THE NEW ALUMINUM ONE. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN 2005. IT WAS CHEVY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO NOTIFY ME OF THIS SITUATION. ALSO, FROM WHAT I'VE GATHERED, THE PLASTIC THERMOSTAT HOUSING WAS UNSAFE. *TR