1999 Oldsmobile Alero

I OWN A 1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO WITH A V-6 3.4 LITER ENGINE, AND IT USES DEX-COOL. OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS MY LOW COOLANT LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON AND AS INSTRUCTED IN MY OWNER'S MANUAL I HAVE BEEN REPLACING THE DEX-COOL/WATER MIXTURE IN THE OVERFLOW TANK. JUST RECENTLY MY ABS LIGHT AND LOW TRACK LIGHT HAS COME ON, AND OVER THE WEEKEND I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY WHEN MY FAN BELT PREMATURELY BROKE AND STRANDED ME ALONG SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. *JB

1999 OLDSMOBILE ALERO/VIN #[XXX] SUMMER I LOST THE AIR CONDITIONING IN MY CAR. IN NOV, I DEPLOYED WITH THE AF TO THE MIDDLE EAST. UPON RETURN I WAS DISAPPOINTED SINCE I HAD COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN THE AC DIDN'T WORK IN MY CAR. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR A RECHARGE AND FREON. AFTER THAT, IT WORKED FOR LESS THAN 2 DAYS AND STARTED BLOWING HOT AIR AGAIN. I RETURNED TO THE REPAIR SHOP, THIS TIME THEY PUT IT ON ALL THE GAUGES AND SAW IT WOULDN'T HOLD A CHARGE. THEY TOOK THE CAR FOR A QUICK RIDE, AND RAN THE AC FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. WHEN WE STOPPED, THERE WAS A REALLY BAD SMELL. THEY SPRAYED EVERYTHING WITH A BLUE SPRAY AND SAW BUBBLES ON THE HOSE LINE. THEY LOOKED CLOSER AND NOTICED THE SIDE AND UNDERSIDE OF THE HOSE WAS BURNED THROUGH BOTH THE COVERING AND THE HOSE ITSELF, AND MAINTAIN IT WAS CAUSED BY THE HOSE BEING A LITTLE TOO LONG AND BEING ABLE TO REST UP AGAINST THE ENGINE. AM I REALLY THE ONLY OWNER OF A 1999 ALERO THAT HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM? I CAN'T BELIEVE I SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS HOSE (WHICH IS A PRETTY EXTENSIVE JOB). THIS IS THE SECOND SUMMER I'VE BEEN WITHOUT AC, AND THEY HAVE BEEN PRETTY HOT AND UNPLEASANT SUMMERS, (ALTHOUGH NOT QUITE AS BAD AS THE MIDDLE EAST). I'VE ALREADY INVESTED $79.95 TO HAVE THE AC CHECKED OUT, CHARGED, FREON ADDED. RIGHT NOW I'M I VERY DISSATISFIED OLDSMOBILE OWNER. I'VE CHECKED THE DEFECT INVESTIGATIONS AND RECALLS, AND FOUND NO OTHER MENTION OF THIS DESIGN DEFECT, BUT I STILL MAINTAIN THAT THIS COULDN'T BE A ONE OF A KIND. WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST I DO FROM HERE? I DON'T FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE HOSE REPLACED, SINCE I DID NOTHING TO CAUSE THE HOSE TO BURN/MELT. ONE TIE WRAP WOULD HAVE BEEN A SIMPLE, INEXPENSIVE SOLUTION, BUT NOW IT'S WAY BEYOND THAT POINT. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS. THE SUMMER ISN'T COOLING OFF, AND I CAN'T BUY ANY CHOCOLATE CANDY BARS TO CALM ME DOWN BECAUSE THEY ALL MELT FASTER THAN I CAN EAT THEM. THANKS, AND I'M ANXIOUS TO HEAR BACK FROM YOU.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

THE COOLANT STARTED LEAKING INTO THE OIL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, PENCE OLDSMOBILE, APRIL 24, 2003, DUE TO ENGINE TICKING. ADVISED OIL APPEARED TO HAVE NOT BEEN CHANGED IN 1 YR. I ADVISED THE SERVICE OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 3 MONTHS LESS THAN 3000 MILES. OIL WAS "GUNKY" AND THICK LIKE VASELINE. VEHICLE ALSO LOOSING COOLANT. OIL WAS CHANGED AND ENGINE TO CLEAN OF GUNK ON 04/24/03. 07/5/03, COOLANT TANK LOW 15 MILES LATER COOLANT TANK REFILLED AGAIN.. 07/06/03, VEHICLE PARKED. 07/7/03, BEFORE LEAVING FOR WORK, COOLANT REFILLED AGAIN. NO LEAKAGE ON GROUND. AFTER ABOUT TRAVELING ABOUT 8 MILES, WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT THE VEHILCE STARTED TO TREMBLE & MAKE SOUNDS. DROVE APPROX 1 MILE TO EMPLOYERS PARKING LOT AND CALLED TOW TRUCK TO TOW IT TO. DEALER SERVICE DEPT INFORMED ME OIL PUMP O-RING, INTAKE GASKET, VALVA COVER GASKET AND PCV VALVE NEEDED REPLACING AND THERE COULD POSSIBLEY BE INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE.. THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP ON 07/11/03 BETWEEN 5:30-6PM, DRIVEN 20 MILES AND PARKED UNTIL 07/12/03 UNTIL 5:30PM..VEHILCE DRIVEN ANOTHER 20 MILES AND COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. COOLANT REFILLED. SUN 07/13/03, VEHICLE DRIVEN 10 MILES AND COOLANT LIGHT ON AGAIN. COOLANT WAS REFILLED VEHICLE PARKED UNTIL 07/14/03. VEHICLE DRIVEN BACK TO DEALER ON 07/14/03, AND LEFT WITH SERVICE DEPT.. I HAD JUST PAID $757.80 FOR REPAIRS AND 24 HRS LATER THE VEHICLE WAS DOING THE SAME THING. APPROX 1HR AFTER I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY CALLED TO INFORM ME THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS NOW GONE AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. COMPLAINT MADE TO OLDMOBILE CUSTOMER SERVICE BUT NO ACTION TAKEN. THE VEHILCE HAD 63000 MILES AND SERVICE AS REQUIRED. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTORER.. WHEN THE COOLANT WAS LOW, PRIOR TO WATER PUMP PROBLEM OF 07/12/03, THE COOLANT WAS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. *AK

WE PURCHASED THIS CAR IN JULY 2002 FROM CLASSIC CHEVROLET IN OWASSO, OK. WE ALSO PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. IN DECEMBER THE CAR WAS HIT FROM THE REAR BY A HIT AND RUN DRIVER. IN JANUARY THE ENGINE BEGAN TO KNOCK. I CALLED THE WARRANTY PLACE AND GOT PERMISSION TO TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC, HE SAID IT WAS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, REPLACED IT WHEN IT STILL KNOCKED HE SAID IT WOULD TAKE AWHILE FOR ALL THE WATER TO GET OUT OF THE ENGINE. WE TOOK IT BACK, AND GOT A RUN AROUND FOR 4 WEEKS, FINALLY CALLED THE WARRANTY PLACE TOLD THEM HE WASN'T GETTING IT FIXED AND REQUESTED PERMISSION TO TAKE IT TO A DIFFERENT SHOP. GRANTED THEN WHEN THEY FOUND OUT IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE THEY REFUSED TO PAY FOR IT, SAID THEY WOULD ONLY CONTRIBUTE A SUM OF MONEY TOWARD FIXING IT. I CALLED GMAC BECAUSE THEY FINANCED THE WARRANTY, ONE PERSON TOLD ME THAT GM SHOULD HONOR THE WARRANTY AND SO I HAVE A CALL IN TO A DEALER IN PITTSBURGH, KS. WE NO LONGER HAVE A GM DEALER IN OUR TOWN. MY POINT IS THAT SOMEONE NEEDS TO MAKE THIS RIGHT AND PUT A NEW ENGINE IN MY CAR AT NO MORE EXPENSE TO ME. WHEN I TALK TO GM I WILL BE LETTING THEM KNOW THAT I FOUND YOUR SITE AND CHECKED IT OUT, AND LODGED A COMPLAINT. I AM UNSURE OF THE EXACT DATE OF THE INCIDENT AND SINCE IT IS 4:15AM AM UNABLE TO CALL AND GET IT. *NLM