NHTSA Complaint #11320338 — 2006 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

I WAS DRIVING IN S 35 MPH ZONE AND IT CHANGED TO 45 MPH. I WAS IN 2 OR 3RD GEAR AND HAS JUST STARTED UP A SLIGHT INCLINE AND I WAS INCREASING SPEED WHEN THE CAR MADE A SUDDEN JERK AND LOUD ALMOST A BANG. I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH AND IT STAYED ON THE FLOOR. I THOUGH THAT THE CLUTCH HAD CAME APART AND I PULLED THE PEDAL UP TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. THE ENGINE AT THAT POINT WAS RUNNING VERY ROUGH AND WOULD NOT HOLD SPEED OR ACCELERATE. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND GOT MY WIFE TO PICK ME UP. I THEN GOT MY PICKUP AND TRAILER AND TOOK THE CAR TO CLASSIC CHEVROLET. THEY FOUND WHERE THE VALVE HAD DROPPED INTO THE CYLINDER AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE PISTON AND ROD. I LOOKED AT THE ENGINE WHILE TORE DOWN AND NOTICED WHAT APPEARED TO ME TO BE A CRACK IN THE CYLINDER WALL AND POINTED IT OUT, THE FORMAN SAID THE HAD CHECKED IT AND DIDN'T FEEL THAT IT WAS A CRACK. THEY ADVISED ME TO GET A NEW HEAD AND HAVE THE OTHER HEAD WORKED ON AS WELL AS A PISTON, ETC. I DID THAT AND HAD THE CAR REPAIRED. WHEN THE CAR JERKED IT ALSO AFFECTED THE PRESSURE PLATE SO I HAD THAT REPLACED. AFTER I GOT THE CAR BACK I NOTICED IT WAS SMOKING WHITE VAPOR WHENEVER I STARTED IT. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE TESTED IT AND SURE ENOUGH IT WAS A CRACK IN THE CYLINDER. I THEN HAD THE MOTOR REPLACED AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS VERY FAIR AND CREDITED THE EARLIER WORK AGAINST THE MOTOR. WHEN THE MOTOR LET LOOSE, THE CAR LOCKED THE BACK WHEELS AND THE CAR BEHIND ME HAD TO MAKE A RATHER QUICK STOP AND DODGE ME SO AS NOT TO HAVE A WRECK.