NHTSA Complaint #10845748 — 1998 CHEVROLET LUMINA

VEHICLE MAKING BANGING NOISE TOOK TO SHOP TOLD A BURNT VALVE, ( IT WAS DRIVEN IN/OUT OF SHOPS) SECOND SHOP WEEKS OF INVESTIGATING, SAME DIAGNOSIS. LACKED FUNDS TO REPAIR, TOOK HOME. READ ABOUT RECALL CONTACTED MANUFACTURER REFERRED TO LOCAL DEALER. DEALER SAID PARTS WERE BEING ORDERED BASED ON RECALL, BUT TOOK IT IN EARLIER THAN CONTACT. SERVICE PERSON INDICATED THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF RECALL..THEY COULD DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR BUT COST IN THE THOUSANDS. I COULDN'T AFFORD THAT OR CONTINUE GETTING TICKETS (NOT ABLE TO MOVE IT BECAUSE BATTERY NEEDED A FULL CHARGE. I AM A WOMAN KNOW LITTLE ABOUT CARS, DID NOT WANT TO GET STUCK IF IT DEFAULTED. SECOND REPAIR SHOP ADVISED ME THAT I COULD DRIVE IT UNTIL IT JUST STOPPED, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS DEFINITELY NOT IN RECALL SO I DONATED TO KARS FOR KIDS. ON 3/8/16 GOT A CALL FROM SAME LOT TELLING ME MY RECALL PARTS HAD COME IN. PUZZLED & ALARMED TOLD CALLER ABOUT THEIR SERVICE DEPT. SHE SEEMED A PUZZLED SO I EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED. SHE CHECKED &TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO RECORD OF MY APPOINTMENT & SERVICE PERSON HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF ME. PUZZLED AS TO WHAT IS GOING ON? PAID AAA $60.00 FOR TOW PAID $35.00 FOR USED TIRE. TOW GUY SAID I COULD DRIVE CAR DEALER AND SAVE TOW FEE BUT I'M NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING BROKE CAR SO I HAD HIM TOW.MY QUESTION IS HOW DOES A CONSUMER KNOW IF THEIR SPECIFIC CAR FALLS UNDER A RECALL? THE CAR WAS MY LANDLORD'S DYING GIFT TO ME. I DROVE HIM AND HIS WIFE TO CHURCH, TO THE BANK, TO THE DOCTOR, FOR OIL CHANGES, ETC. I NEVER RECALLED TAKING IT FOR A RECALL AND MY LANDLORD WAS IN HIS 90'S I DIDN'T KNOW IF HE HAD OVERLOOKED RECALL SO MY MOTIVATION TO CHECK. TALKED TO MGR. OF DEALERSH 3/8/16 HE SAID HE WOULD INVESTIGATE, SERVICE PERSON WAS EXPERIENCED AND HE WAS SORRY ABOUT MY VEHICLE. NOW I, A SENIOR CITIZEN HAVE NO MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION.