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Pontiac Trans Sport Engine And Engine Cooling Safety Report | Aug 06, 2003
Reported on Aug 06, 2003
| TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ON VACATION WITH WIFE AND THREE KIDS. 71000 MILES ON VERY WELL MAINTAINED VAN. WE BOUGHT IT WITH 8,000 MILES ON IT. NO WARNINGS, NO NOISES, NO SMOKE, NO OVERHEATING. ENGINE JUST QUIT RUNNING AND WE COASTED TO A STOP ON VERY BUSY INTERSTATE. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. DEALER PROMISED AT LEAST 50% WARRANTY THEN RETRACTED OFFER TWO DAYS LATER PENDING TEAR DOWN AND DIAGNOSIS. DIAGNOSIS SPUN CRANK BEARINGS/ BENT RODS DUE TO COOLANT IN OIL. COST $2050 AFTER 50% WARRANTY. TWO WEEKS LATER, TOLD CAMSHAFT WAS BROKEN IN HALF AND THAT OUR ENGINE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. I ASKED WHY THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT BEFORE. SVC MGR SAID THEY JUST PULLED THE ENGINE OUT THAT DAY. THIS WAS NOT TRUE SINCE MY WIFE AND I SPOKE WITH THE TECHNICIAN THREE DAYS PRIOR AND HE WAS ALL BUT READY TO REINSTALL OUR ENGINE. THE BARE BLOCK WAS ON AN ENGINE STAND WHEN WE SPOKE WITH HIM. SVC MGR THEN SAID WARRANTY WAS IN QUESTION. I HAD MEETING WITH MGMT ABOUT BAIT & SWITCH TACTICS. SVC MGR THEN SAID PONTIAC WOULD INSTALL BRAND NEW CRATE ENGINE FOR THE $2050 WE WERE QUOTED TWO WEEKS PRIOR. NO ONE FROM THE SVC DEPT EVER CALLED US ABOUT DELAYS OR WHEN OUR VAN WAS DONE. TOOK 34 DAYS TO COMPLETE REPAIRS. AFTER GETTING IT BACK, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE AXLE RETAINING NUTS ON BOTH SIDES WERE ONLY FINGER TIGHT/READY TO FALL OFF. WENT BACK AND HAVE THEM TORQUED TO SPECS. THEY WONDER WHY GO TO A LOCAL SHOP FOR ROUTINE SERVICE RATHER THAN THE DEALER. THIS WAS THE MOST ABSURD FIASCO I HAVE EVER SEEN. WE ARE SEEKING RESTITUTION. GM SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THESE ENGINES FOR INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURES AS THIS WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE ROOT CAUSE. | |
| Make: | Pontiac |
| Model: | Trans Sport |
| Manufactured by: | General Motors LLC |
| Year: | 1998 |
| Was a crash reported? | N |
| Was an injury reported? | 0 person(s) were injured. |
| Was a death reported? | 0 person(s) died. |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | PORTAGE MI |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | 1GMDX03E3WD |
| Mileage: | 71000 miles. |
| Speed: | 72 MPH |
| Number of cylinders: | 6 |
| Vehicle type: | FWD |
| Vehicle fuel: | GAS Fuel injection. |
| Was a police report filed? | N |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | COLE-GILMORE PORTAGE MI 49002 |
| Previous Report:Electrical System | Next Report:Service Brakes, Hydraulic Antilock |