NHTSA Complaint #10367276 — 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA

THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING UNIT IN THE 2000 IMPALA, BUT THIS IS THE LATEST; ON JULY 14 ,2010 I TOOK THE 2000 IMPALA INTO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING FLUID. ASK THE SERVICE DEPT. MANAGER TO FIX IT. HE THEN DIAGNOSED THE CAR AS OIL SENSOR SWITCH LEAKAGE. AND HE COULD NOT MAKE REPAIRS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PART, BUT THE DIAGNOSE COST WAS $75.00 , SO I PAID AND DROVE OFF WITH A LEAKING 2000 CHEVY IMPALA . LATER,I NOTICE THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER WROTE THE SERVICE ORDER UP AS THE CUSTOMER SAID THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL. NOT TRUE, I SAID FLUID. THE LEAK GOT WORSE. I REPLACED THE OIL SENSOR BUT THE LEAKAGE DID NOT STOP. THEREFORE, I PARK THE CAR FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. ONE DAY I RAISED THE HOOD, TOOK A SMALL FLASHLIGHT AND TRACED THE LEAK TO TWO SEVER LINES. THE HARD RUBBER FLAP THAT IS MOUNTED TO THE CAR BODY TO KEEP DEBRIS OUT OF ENGINE RUBS AGAINST TWO FRAME MOUNTED LINES UNTIL IT CUT THROUGH BOTH LINES. FLUIDS LEAKS OUT AND CAUSED THE POWER STEERING UNIT TOFAIL. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT, SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR SAFETY REASON. DEALERSHIP WANTS $135.00 TO LOOK AT THE CAR AGAIN, I TOOK PICTURES. HERE IS MY PARTIAL COMPLAINT, CAN EMAIL PICTURES AS WELL. *TR