NHTSA Complaint #718429 — 1996 CHEVROLET K1500

THIS FAILURE MAY NOT BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY DEFECT BUT IT IS SUCH A MAJOR FAILURE I BELIEVE IT WARRANTS AN INVESTIGATION. THE ENGINE IN THIS TRUCK HAS FAILED WITH ONLY 68,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER DUE TO A SOMETHING THAT OCCURRED DURING THE ASSEMBLY OF THIS ENGINE AT THE FACTORY. GM HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM (TSB # 99-06-01-003) AND CLEARLY THE FAULT IS WITH THE MANUFACTURERS LACK OF QUALITY CONTROL DURING THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS. THE TRUCK IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY BUT WHEN A PROBLEM THIS MAJOR OCCURS AND IT IS CLEARLY THE MANUFACTURERS FAULT IT SEEMS THAT THEY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR AN ENGINE FAILURE AT ONLY 68,000 MILES. ALSO, THIS APPEARS TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE BECAUSE THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP WHO DIAGNOSED THIS PROBLEM TOLD ME THAT HE HAD HEARD THIS ENGINE HAS HAD A HISTORY OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE SINCE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL OTHER MECHANICS AND ATLEAST TWO OF THEM TOLD ME THE SAME THING; THAT THEY HAVE SEEN SEVERAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. AND THE MOST OBVIOUS PIECE OF EVEIDENCE THAT THERE IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IS GM'S OWN TSB WHERE THEY THEMSELVES DESCRIBE A CLEAR MISTAKE ON THEIR PART DURING THE ASSEMBLY OF THESE ENGINES. I UNDERSTAND THAT COMPANIES SUCH AS GM CAN'T BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL DEFECTS AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD BUT SOMETHING THIS MAJOR IS INEXCUSABLE AND SHOULD BE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. I HAVE ALREADY SPENT CLOSE TO $2000 ON OTHER UNRELATED REPAIRS TO THIS TRUCK SINCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND NOW THE DEALERSHIP WANTS ANOTHER $3000 TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT ONLY EXISTS BECAUSE OF A MANUFACTURING FLAW. THIS IS NOT RIGHT AND GM SHOULD BE MADE TO CORRECT THESE ENGINES WHETHER THEY ARE STILL UNDER WARRANTY OR NOT! THE TRUCK JUST TURNED 4 YEARS OLD AND IT SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY COMPLETELY USELESS TO ME AND IT ISN'T EVEN PAID FOR YET. PLEASE ADVISE....*AK