NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
277 reportsMileage unknown · Dec 2, 2002
Fuel System, Gasoline
INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURES ARE A KNOWN PROBLEM AT GM, AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, AT A SPEED OF APX. 65 MPH, ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY, IN THE CENTER LANE WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STOP, AND LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKING THEN OCCU…
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INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURES ARE A KNOWN PROBLEM AT GM, AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, AT A SPEED OF APX. 65 MPH, ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY, IN THE CENTER LANE WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STOP, AND LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKING THEN OCCURRES. AS SHE PROCEEDED TO TRY TO GET THE CAR OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, SEVERAL CARS SKIDDED TO STOP AS THE CAR SLOWLY MADE IT'S WAY OFF OF THE HIGHWAY. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT GENERAL MOTORS IS AWARE OF THESE INTAKE MANIFOLDS FAILING, AND THAT IT IS A KNOWN DESIGN DEFECT. THEY SEE A LOT OF 3.8 ENGINES WITH THIS PROBLEM, AND ARE DOING NOTHING ABOUT FIXING IT FOR THE CONSUMER. MY REPAIR COST ME A LITTLE OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS. A LOT OF TIMES, THE ENTIRE ENGINE HAS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT IS DAMAGED BY THE CATASTROPHIC EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE WHEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLDS FAIL. WE ARE VERY LUCKY THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF OF THE HIGHWAY, DESPITE THE FACT THAT SEVERAL CARS LOCKED UP THEIR BRAKES TO AVOID COLLISION WITH THIS DISABLED VEHICLE. WE PURCHASED THE CAR NEW, AND MAINTAIN IT MORE THAN IS REQUIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THIS INTAKE MANIFOLD DEFECT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED A LONG TIME AGO, AS I HAVE TRACED OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES HAVING THIS PROBLEM SINCE 1996, AND POSSIBLY BEFORE. IF NOTHING IS DONE, THEN SURELY DEATHS WILL OCCUR DUE TO THE SERIES OF CATASTROPHIC EVENTS THAT WILL OCCUR DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD, INCLUDING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, STEERING AND BRAKING. DT
NHTSA ODI #770305
41,000 miles · Nov 26, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE ENGINE INTAKE PLASTIC MANIFOLD CRACKED, WHICH CAUSED ANTIFREEZE TO RUN INTO THE ENGINE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. TS. *JG *JB
NHTSA ODI #8023398
Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING COOLANT FLUID ARE BEING PUMP INTO THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS
NHTSA ODI #8021553
Mileage unknown · Oct 21, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THE DASHBOARD. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD MELTED CAUSING OIL TO MIX IN WITH ANTIFREEZE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. TS *YH
NHTSA ODI #8021304
100,000 miles · Oct 15, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE. THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS THE PLASTIC INTAKE HAD CRACKED, WHICH DUMPED THE ENGINE COOLANT INTO THE CHUNDERS AND LOCKED THE ENGINE. MR SCC *JB
NHTSA ODI #8020802
Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE A WIERD NOISE, VEHICLE STARTED TO LOOSE POWER AND ENGINE DIED. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM
NHTSA ODI #8019609
Mileage unknown · Sep 9, 2002
Fuel System, Gasoline
FUEL LINE BROKE, AND STARTED LEAKING ,COULD HAVE STARTED FIRE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #766885
Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. PULLED OVER AND NOTICED WATER LEAKING FROM RADIATOR. UPPER PLENUUM PLASTIC MELTED, ALLOWING WATER TO GET INTO ENGINE, AND ENGINE LOCKED UP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8017465
Mileage unknown · Aug 21, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED OUT. HAD VEHICLE TOWED. THIS WAS A RESULT OF COOLANT FUEL LEAKING.DEALER CONTACTED.*AK
NHTSA ODI #8016899
60,000 miles · Aug 18, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling
ENGINE LOST COOLANT - INFORMED BY DEALER THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD WARPED ALLOWING COOLANT TO MIX WITH FUEL AND AIR. DEALER SAID THAT THIS PART WAS A PLASTIC COMPOSITE PART THAT FAILED OFTEN. FAILURE COULD CAUSE ENGINE LOSS OR FIRE. INTAKE MANIFOLDS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO WARP UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. *AK *PH *NLM **DIMSII …
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ENGINE LOST COOLANT - INFORMED BY DEALER THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD WARPED ALLOWING COOLANT TO MIX WITH FUEL AND AIR. DEALER SAID THAT THIS PART WAS A PLASTIC COMPOSITE PART THAT FAILED OFTEN. FAILURE COULD CAUSE ENGINE LOSS OR FIRE. INTAKE MANIFOLDS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO WARP UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. *AK *PH *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**765826
NHTSA ODI #10007342
NHTSA investigations
2EA02030 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 9, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
PE02050 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Jun 13, 2002 · Closed Oct 22, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.