NHTSA Complaint #10458698 — 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA

I JUST PURCHASED MY USED VEHICLE FROM A DEALER LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AGO. MY ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND THEN IT STAYED ON. I WENT TO A LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC READING AND IT SAID TO CHECK MY EMMISION SYSTEM. SO, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE CHEVY DEALER IN TOWN AND THEIR DIAGNOSTIC TEST DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A BAD EVAP VENT SOLENOID VALVE. EVEN THOUGH MY CAR IS COVERED BY THE 8 YEAR FEDERAL WARRANTY ON EMISSIONS, I HAD TO PAY FOR THE NEW PART AND THE DIAGNOSTICS CHECK. IN LOOKING UP THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, TO MY SURPRISE IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM! APPARENTLY, THE SOLENOID VALVE IS A POOR LASTING PART WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED MORE THAN ONCE! IT IS A COMMON MAINTENANCE SERVICE THAT SHOULD BE CHECKED EVERY 30,000 MILES. THERE IS NO MENTION OF THIS IN MY OWNER'S MANUAL. IN SPEAKING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS, THEY HAVE ALSO HAD THEIR ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON AND HAD GAS STATION MECHANICS TELL THEM TO IGNORE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AS IT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THE NEWER VEHICLES AND THE NEW EMMISION STANDARDS. WHEN I TOLD CHEVY THAT THEY SHOULD RECALL THE PART, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY DON'T HANDLE THAT AND TO REPORT IT TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. I BELIEVE THE CONSUMER IS NOT GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION ON THIS PROBLEM AND SOMEONE SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEFECTIVE PART.