NHTSA Complaint #708125 — 1990 PONTIAC FIREBIRD

PURCHASSED CAR 9/98 FROM ACCENT AUTO ANOTHER CHANCE FINANCE, RETURNED TO DEALER WITH OVERHEATING PROBLEMS NEXT DAY. THEY SAID IT WAS A MINOR PROBLEM & SAID IT WAS FIXED. CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT, WAS BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER AT LEAST 1 TIME A MONTH. TOOK IT TO OTHER MECHANICS AND HAD MANY ITEMS FIXED BECAUSE OF OVERHEATING. FOUND OUT THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT THE RIGHT ENGINE FOR THE CAR. CONTINUED TO HAVE HEATING PROBLEMS. THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD REPAIR THE PROBLEM AGAIN, THEY DID NOT. THE CAR STARTED BACKFIRING AND DIED. THE DEALER TOWED THE CAR, SAID THEY WOULD PUT ANOTHER ENGINE IN. THIS TOOK 3/4WKS, I PICKED IT UP GOT TO WORK AND THE ENGINE DID THE SAME BACKFIRE & HEATING AS BEFORE. THEY TOWED IT AGAIN AND SAID THEY WOULD PUT ANOTHER ENGINE IN. I TOOK IT FOR TEST DRIVE WITH THE DEALER, IT STARTED DOING THE SAME THING, THE DEALER DROVE IT BACK TO THE LOT AS FIRE STARTED COMING OUT OF ENGINE. I WAS VERY UPSET AT THE DEALERS NON-COMPLIENCE TO FIX THE PROBLEM PROPERLY. I HAD NO USE OF THE CAR FOR 3 MONTHS. NO LONER CAR TILL LAST 3 DAYS BEFORE GETTING CAR AGAIN. TODAY IS THE SECOND DAY I HAVE HAD THE CAR BACK AND IT IS STARTING THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN PICKED UP CAR WAS TOLD THAT I MADE THE PROBLEM BY OUTTING IN A RADIO! THEY SAID IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR AND MADE ME PAY FOR FIXING THAT PROBLEM AND TOWING COSTS. DEALER WOULD NOT GIVE ME ANY PAPER WORK ON REPAIRS THAT WERE MADE IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS. ALSO WILL NOT GIVE ME COPY OF ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE CAR. I AM WORRIED THAT ENGINE WILL CATCH FIRE AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I CONTINUE TO MAKE PAYMENTS AND PAY INSURANCE ON THIS CAR. I FEEL THE CAR IS DANGERIOUS AND DEALER WILL NOT MAKE PROPER REPAIR OR GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK. I DO THINK THAT THE ENGINE WAS NEVER REPLACED OR THEY WOULD GIVE ME RECEIPTS. I KNOW THIS CAR IS AND HAS A ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT HAS TO DO W/ENGINE AND ACCENT AUTO KNOWS THAT. . MY LIFE IS IN DANGER DRIVING TO AND FROM WORK. *AK