NHTSA Complaint #751291 — 1995 CHEVROLET LUMINA

VEHICLE STARTED OVERHEATING. REPLACED THEMOSTAT AND WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THE HEAD GASKETS WERE FAILING. TOOK VEHICLE TO CHEVROLET WHO RAN DIAGNOSTICS AND INFORMED ME THAT HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING. DEALER TOLD ME THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE IS COMMON IN THE 3.1 BUT FAILURE OF HEAD GASKETS ARE NOT AS COMMON. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH HEAD GASKETS AT A TOTAL COST OF OVER $900. I ASKED THE DEALER IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS AND HE REPLIED NO. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL PEOPLE SINCE THE TIME OF MY REPAIRS AND THEY TO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR VEHICLES....OVERHEATING WITH ASSOCIATED HEAD GASKET FAILURE. AT THIS POINT I AM VERY DISPLEASE WITH GENERAL MOTORS INABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THAT A PROBLEM DOES EXIST WITH HEAD GASKET AND INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE ON THE 3.1 ENGINE. I HAVE FOUND THAT LOCAL MECHANICS ARE WILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM EXISTS WHILE THE GM MECHANICS WILL NOT. *AK