1995 Chevrolet Lumina Apv

CAR WAS WORKING FINE ON 10/15, WENT OUT TO START CAR ON 10/16, AND IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD, TOWING COMPANY UNABLE TO JUMP START VEHICLE, WOULD CRANK BUT NOT TURN OVER. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO MECHANIC, WHO FOUND COOLANT HOSE CONNECTOR, HAD CRACKED AND WAS SPRAYING THE ALTERNATOR WITH COOLANT, CAUSING IT TO SHORT OUT, AND SEND SPIKES OF ELECTRICITY THROUGH MY SYSTEM. THUS FAR HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION MODULE, CAM SENSOR, AND MULTIPLE BURNT FUSIBLE LINK WIRES. STILL HAVING "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT ON, AND MECHANIC FEELS WILL ALSO HAVE TO REPLACE THE COMPUTER, DUE TO QUAD DRIVER CODES PRESENT WHEN CHECKED BY HIS COMPUTER. I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT THE LOCAL DEALER, NOT ONLY HAD THIS COOLANT HOSE CONNECTOR, IN STOCK, BUT ALSO THAT THE PART, WHICH WAS MADE OF PLASTIC ORIGINALLY, IS NOW MADE OF A HEAVY METAL. I AM CURIOUS IF THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER REPORTS OF THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. HAS SO FAR COST ME $700 TO REPLACE THESE FAILED PARTS, AND WILL PROBABLY BE ANOTHER $300 TO $400 FOR THE COMPUTER I AM TOLD.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE FAILED SEVERAL INTERMITANT TIMES. FIRST TIME IN 1998 AT 70 MILES PER HOUR IN A RAIN STORM, WIPERS STOPPED, TOOK CAR OFF CRUISE THEN THE RESUMED. SEVERAL INTERMITENT TIMES AFTERWARD. DEALER WANTED $400 + TO "FIX" MOTER. I WAS SCEPTICAL BECUASE THIS IS NOT THE ONLY GM CAR I HAVE DRIVEN WITH WIPER TROUBLE. LAST BIG INCIDENT WAS LAST FALL 1999 WHEN THE WIPERS STOPPED ON THE INTERSTATE WITH MY PREGNANT WIFE AND CHILD IN CAR -200 MILES FROM HOME. I COULD NOT GET THEM TO RESUME. CHECKED FUSE ETC. WAITED OUT STORM UNDER BRIDGE, PROCEDED TO TRUCK STOP AND BOUGHT RAIN-X TO CONTINUE JOURNEY. WHEN I GOT TO DESTINATION I PULLED THE WIPER MOTOR AND IT CHECKED OUT FINE AND THE SWITCH-OK. INTERMITENT TROUBLES ARE HARD TO GET FIXED! I TOOK WIPER MOTOR APART, CLEANED BRUSHES, AND NOTICED SOME BUILD-UP ON THE COMMUNICATOR DISC, AND CONTACTS FOR THE PARKING MECHANISM. CLEANED THIS WITH LIGHT ABRASIVE -REASEMBLED AND HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM SINCE, ALTHOUGH WITH THE WIPER'S HISTORY I NOW USE RAIN-X ALL THE TIME. I AM AFRAID TO TRAVEL IN SNOW WITH KIDS IN VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE TO SELL IT BUT WITH THE WIPER SYSTEM TROUBLES, AND THE COOLING SYSTEM THAT KEEPS LEAKING -NEW RADIATOR, WATER PUMP, AND HEAD GASKET -MECHANICS SAY PINK COOLANT IS CORROSIVE. I CAN'T SELL IT TO ANOTHER, AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP THROWING MONEY AT THIS VAN. THANK YOU.VINCENT WALTER. *AK