NHTSA Complaint #10410612 — 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA

2006 IMPALA SS, 5.3L V8. EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION; 1 QT EVERY 1,200 - 1,500 MILES. PROBLEM STARTED BEFORE CAR REACHED MANUFACTURER 3 YEAR 36000 MILE WARRANTY. DEALER REPLACED VALVE COVERS TO REPAIR WHAT WERE BELIEVED TO BE FAULTY PCV VALVES INTEGRATED INTO VALVE COVERS. OIL CONSUMPTION CONTINUES. DEALER NOW WANTS TO CLEAN UPPER PART OF ENGINE TO OPEN OIL FLOW PORTS, STILL INDICATING OIL IS ACCUMULATING UNDER VALVE COVERS AND BEING PULLED BACK INTO ENGINE THRU PCV VALVE. DEALER HAS NEVER PERFORMED COMPRESSION TEST TO DETERMINE IF PROBLEM IS REALLY RELATED TO COMBUSTION CHAMBER PROBLEMS, SUCH AS BAD PISTON RINGS. DEALER HAS REPORTED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON SILVERADO PICKUP TRUCKS WITH THE SAME 5.3L V8 ENGINE BLOCK. CAR NOW HAS 51000 MILES AND PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED. CAR WILL BE GOING BACK TO DEALER WITH A DEMAND FOR A COMPRESSION CHECK. *KB