NHTSA Complaint #10652703 — 2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE

I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE IN SEP 2013, APPROX NOV 2013 I BEGAN HAVING A HORRIBLE STRONG ODOR COMING FROM MY VEHICLE. WE SEARCHED TO SEE IF AN ANIMAL WAS IN IT. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS MY SON'S FEET & MADE HIM CHANGE SOCKS. IT GOT WORSE & WAS REALLY STRONG WHEN DEFROST, HEAT & VENT WERE ON. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP & THEY LOOKED AT IT, OF COURSE THAT DAY THEY COULDN'T GET THE SMELL TO OCCUR ALTHOUGH IT DID ON THE WAY THERE. I WENT A COUPLE MORE WEEKS & IT GOT WORSE. FINALLY, I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR OIL MAINTENANCE & ADVISED AGAIN THAT THE SMELL WAS HORRIBLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE TIME SAID IT WAS A COMMON CHEVROLET PROBLEM. THERE IS A LEDGE UNDER THE HOOD, UNDER THE WINDOW & CONDENSATION FROM DEFROST OR RAIN, ETC. SITS & DOESN'T DRAIN CAUSING THE WATER TO MILDEW & BECOME STAGNANT. HE TOLD ME TO LEAVE THE CAR RUNNING WITH MY VENT ON HIGH (& NOT SIT IN THE CAR), SPRAY LYSOL AND LET IT RUN FOR ABOUT 5 MIN, IT KILLS THE BACTERIA. I HAD TO DO THIS EVERY NIGHT FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS DURING THE COLD WINTER MONTHS. I TOOK IT BACK & TOLD THEM IT WAS RIDICULOUS I WASN'T GOING TO CONTINUE DOING THIS FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN I TOOK IT BACK SOMEONE ELSE WAS THERE & SD THE DEALERSHIP HAD REC'D NOTICE THAT THERE WAS A PART THAT COULD BE PUT ON IT, SO THEY SENT ME ON MY WAY WAITING FOR A LOANER VEHICLE THEN THEY WOULD FIX IT. THEY FINALLY "PUT THE PART ON" I WAS ADVISED BY ANOTHER DEALER IT WASN'T A PART THEY JUST HAD TO FLIP A SWITCH THE PART WAS ON THE VEHICLE. THE NEXT DAY I GOT IN MY CAR & BLOWERS WERE RUNNING. I CALLED & WAS ADVISED THAT WAS WHAT THE PART DID, SO NOW THE SMELL WAS LIKE ROTTEN MAPLE SYRUP. DURING THE DRY SUMMER MONTHS THE SMELL WAS NOT THERE, BUT NOW THAT FALL/WINTER IS COMING THE SMELL IS BACK & I HAVE A CALL IN TO GET THIS AND OTHER MAJOR ISSUED FIXED AGAIN. THIS CAN'T BE HEALTHY ESPECIALLY FOR MY BOYS WHO HAVE SEVERE ALLERGIES TO MOLD. *TR