NHTSA Complaint #11161466 — 2000 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, THE BOLTS BREAK OFF AT THE HEAD OF THE BOLT WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION OR NOT. SOMETIMES THE BOLTS BREAK OFF FLUSH WITH THE MANIFOLD AND SOMETIMES THEY BREAK OFF FLUSH WITH THE HEAD. I PERSONALLY HAVE HAD 6 OUT OF THE 12 BOLTS ON MY ENGINE BREAK OFF. THE FIX IS TO DRILL OUT THE REMAINING PIECE OF BOLT (THREADED PART) AND THEN USE A BOLT EXTRACTOR TO REMOVE THE REMAINING PIECE OF BOLT THAT IS STILL SEIZED IN THE HEAD. WELL, THE MOST COMMON BOLT TO BREAK OFF OUT OF THE 12 MANIFOLD BOLTS IS THE ONE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVERS POSITION. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS THE HARDEST BOLT TO REMOVE BECAUSE OF IT'S LOCATION. MOST SHOPS I'VE BEEN TO SAY THAT THE TICKING SOUND THAT YOU HEAR ONCE THIS BOLT BREAKS OFF IS A LOOSE LIFTER. THAT IS INCORRECT! THE TICKING SOUND IS ACTUALLY AN EXHAUST LEAK STEMMING FROM, MOST LIKELY, THE BROKEN BOLT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER. THE SOUND GOES AWAY ONCE THE ENGINE WARMS UP BECAUSE OF THE METAL EXPANDING WITH THE TEMPERATURE INCREASE. I HAD 3 MECHANICS UNDER THE HOOD OF MY TRUCK FOR ALMOST 9 HOURS TRYING TO REMOVE THE 6 BOLTS THAT HAD BROKEN ON MY ENGINE. THEY HAD BROKEN EVERY DRILL BIT IN THEIR SHOP (THE SHOP IS A 14 LIFT, 16 BAY SHOP) THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE USED TO DRILL A HOLE FOR THE EXTRACTOR JUST TRYING TO GET A HOLE FOR THE EXTRACTOR TO FIT IN AND THEN THE BOLT EXTRACTOR BROKE OFF IN THE LAST BOLT WHICH HAPPENED TO BE THE ONE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER. THEY HAD THE CROSS MEMBER REMOVED AND WERE PREPARING TO DROP MY ENGINE WHEN I TOLD THEM TO JUST STOP THERE. I COULDN'T AFFORD ANY MORE OF A FIX SINCE I WAS $1,800 DEEP INTO THIS ONE DAY AT THE SHOP AS IT WAS. THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM THAT THERE ARE AFTERMARKET CONTRAPTIONS TO BOLT ON AND CINCH THE MANIFOLD DOWN WITH ANOTHER BOLT. THAT ISN'T THE RIGHT THING TO DO. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND I SHOULD GET REIMBURSED!