NHTSA Complaint #10352561 — 2005 CHEVROLET AVEO

DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON 8/26/2010, THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING JUST SPLIT IN HAVE ON MY 2005 CHEVY AVEO LS. THE ANTIFREEZE SPILLED OUT AND I NEEDED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING IS MADE OF CHEAP PVC PIPE LIKE MATERIAL AND IS IN TWO PIECES THAT APPEAR TO BE GLUED TOGETHER. A VERY LOW GRADE RISKY DESIGN IN MY OPINION. THE REPLACEMENT PART IS ONLY AVAILABLE FROM A GM DEALER AT A COST OF $98 PLUS TAX. THE REPLACEMENT PART IS MADE OF STURDY ALUMINUM. IT APPEARS TO BE A BETTER DESIGN AND STRUCTURALLY SOUND. MY COMPLAINT IS, GM OBVIOUSLY KNEW THIS PART WAS SUBSTANDARD. EVIDENCE OF THAT IS THE REENGINEERED REPLACEMENT PART. GM SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THE CHEVY AVEO'S AND REPLACED THE CHEAP/DEFECTIVE THERMOSTAT HOUSING INSTEAD OF NOT INFORMING OWNERS OF THE DEFECT, AND ALLOWING THE PART TO FAIL ON THE OPEN ROAD. FURTHER, THE COST OF $98 PLUS TAX FOR THE UPGRADED THERMOSTAT HOUSING SHOULD NOT PASSED ON TO THE OWNER/CUSTOMER. GM SHOULD REFUND THAT COST AND/OR RECALL THE VEHICLES FOR FREE REPLACEMENT. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU BREAK DOWN ON A INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, IN A SMALL COMPACT CHEVY AVEO, WITH SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF BLOGS ONLINE OF CHEVY AVEO OWNERS THIS SAME PART HAS FAILED ON (AFTER MINE FAILED). IT'S APPALLING THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE, AND THAT THE NHTSA HAS NOT FORCED GM TO RECALL THE VEHICLES WITH THIS CHEAP/FAULTY THERMOSTAT HOUSING. IT'S NOT ONLY A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT NO ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN THIS HAPPENS, SO A PERSON CAN CONTINUE DRIVING AND CAUSE FURTHER SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE CAR IF THE ENGINE BLOCK SEIZES UP, ETC. *TR