NHTSA Complaint #10712712 — 2004 CHEVROLET AVEO

IN MID-FEBRUARY AFTER ONE OF OUR MANY BLIZZARDS, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER SEDAN HOME. THERE WAS A PILE OF SNOW ON OUR STREET THAT HAD HARDENED OVER. I GUESS SHE MISCALCULATED ITS HEIGHT (AND HARDNESS) AND WHEN SHE WENT OVER IT, THE CAR LURCHED UP AND SHE HEARD A LOUD GRINDING SOUND AGAINST THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THE ENGINE STARTED SHAKING IMMEDIATELY AND WITHIN SECONDS DIED. SHE CALLED ME OUT AND I TOOK A LOOK AT THE CAR. IT WAS DEAD. I WALKED OVER TO THE ICE AND IT WAS ROCK HARD, SO I TRIED TO TAKE A SHOVEL TO IT AND IMMEDIATELY EMAILED MY NEIGHBORS TO BE CAREFUL OF IT. I AM NOT MECHANICALLY-INCLINED, SO WHEN I GOOGLED WHAT MIGHT'VE HAPPENED, I SAW SEVERAL COMMENTS THAT IT COULD BE AS MINOR AS A DAMAGED OIL PAN THAT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN. FIGURING IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING MINOR, I CALLED AAA (HAD TO WAIT A FEW DAYS SINCE THEIR LINES WERE DOWN) AND HAD THE CAR TOWED DOWN THE STREET TO A SERVICE STATION. I WAS NOT EXPECTING THE ASSESSMENT FROM THE MECHANIC: APPARENTLY DURING THE COLLISION, THE TIMING BELT SLIPPED AND CAUSED THE PISTONS TO BEND. THIS WOULD COST SEVERAL THOUSAND TO FIX. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS CAR HAS AN "INTERFERENCE" DESIGN WHICH IS PRONE TO EXTENSIVE DAMAGE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. MANY AVEO OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ONLINE. THE WORST PART ABOUT ALL OF THIS IS THAT EVEN THOUGH IT HAPPENED DURING A COLLISION, OUR INSURANCE CHALKED THIS UP TO "WEAR AND TEAR" AND WE WERE FORCED TO JUNK THE CAR. OUR CAR HAD LESS THAN 60K MILES ON IT AND WE KEPT IT IN GOOD CONDITION. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. THIS SHOULD HAVE EITHER BEEN HANDLED THROUGH A MANUFACTURER RECALL OR MY INSURANCE SHOULD HAVE TREATED IT AS THE COLLISION IT WAS AND COVERED IT.