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As GM Objects To Recalling Another 1.8 Million Trucks, One (Ex) Customer Says "Enough"

Tyler Durden's picture




 

After recalling over 28.5 million cars this year already, one would have thought GM has 'kitchen-sink'ed it - but no. As NY Times reports, even after receiving over 1000 complaints via NHTSA since 2010, GM has yet to recall almost 1.8 million full-size pickups and sport utility vehicles from the 1999 to 2003 model years for corrosion-related brake failures. The company claims rusted brake lines were an industrywide problem (as assertion that is not supported by complaints filed with Carcomplaints.com).

So the question is - after all these recalls, who (apart from vacant dealer lots and the government) is buying GMs; because it's not this previous owner:

"I will not be purchasing any further GM vehicles since GM does not stand behind vehicles when a serious malfunction occurs... My children and I could have been fatally injured due to the disintegration of the brake line."

So far over 28.5 million vehicles recalled in 2014...

 

But, as The NY Times reports, there is more they are not telling us...

the automaker has yet to recall almost 1.8 million full-size pickups and sport utility vehicles from the 1999 to 2003 model years for corrosion-related brake failures.

 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been investigating the issue since 2010, and the agency has now received about 1,000 complaints from owners, some of whom report narrowly avoiding crashes.

 

“Hit brakes and a line blew. Almost hit car in front of me,” the owner of a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado wrote in a complaint filed in June.

 

“Like all G.M. trucks in snow country my brake lines rusted through along with my rear backing plates. I don’t know how many people have to be killed from blown brake lines for them to do anything. I guess a lot since they held off 10 years on their current problem.”

 

G.M. has resisted recalling the pickups and S.U.V.s., telling federal regulators that rusted brake lines are a routine maintenance issue. In addition, the automaker says, the vehicles have dual brake lines, so “the affected vehicle would be capable of stopping.”

But GM's defense is simple - "It's not just us" -

In a statement this year about the issue, the company said that rusted brake lines were an industrywide problem.

“Brake line wear on vehicles is a maintenance issue that affects the auto industry, not just General Motors,” the company said. “The trucks in question are long out of factory warranty, and owners’ manuals urge customers to have their brake lines inspected the same way brake pads need replacement for wear.”

General Motors’ assertion that rusting brake lines are an industry issue is not supported by complaints filed with Carcomplaints.com, Mike Wickenden, its owner, wrote in an email. He said the website had received 56 complaints about the 1999-2003 Silverado, compared with five for the Dodge Ram, two for the Ford F-Series and none for the Toyota Tundra.

It appears the owners have had enough...

Some owners of much newer G.M. models have also filed complaints, although in far smaller numbers, including one owner of a 2012 GMC Sierra. “At 81,000 miles the rear steel brake line from the frame to the rear end rusted out and burst,” the owner complained to regulators early in 2012.

Many owners are also unhappy that G.M. will not help with repair bills, which can exceed $2,000. They included a Silverado owner in Maryland, whose letter to the automaker was included in the agency’s investigatory files.

“I declined to take your offer for a voucher toward a new vehicle because I will not be purchasing any further General Motors vehicles since G.M. does not stand behind vehicles when a serious malfunction occurs,” the owner wrote the automaker in July 2012. “My children and I could have been fatally injured due to the disintegration of the brake line.”

*  *  *

This recall would take GM over the Maginot Line of 30 million vehicles recalled - good for overtime we assume? not so good for margins...

 

So as we asked rhetorically before - aside from the government (whose orders surged in June), vacant dealer lots (as channel stuffing 2.0 begins all over again), or the subprimest of the subprime quality borrowers (as incentives surge and GM is more than willing to chase the rabbit of credit risk in the medium term in exchange for short-term gain) - who is buying GMs?

 

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Mon, 07/07/2014 - 22:43 | 4934192 daveO
daveO's picture

Thanks to 40+ years of unrestrained central banking.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:06 | 4933914 Big Corked Boots
Big Corked Boots's picture

FWIW, same thing happened in my 2004 truck. It's a Ford F250, 90,000 miles. No recalls, just the dealer saying "yeah, it happens" and a big bill from them.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 22:42 | 4934186 daveO
daveO's picture

Corrosive brake fluid, or moisture, could be a problem. I've never had a metal brake line problem on numerous cars with 200K+ miles on them. I do my own brake jobs and replace the fluids by letting it all drain out the bleeder. Who knows what the manufacturers(or dealers) put in. I have had pitting in master cylinders.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:12 | 4933948 dadcss
dadcss's picture

My 97 Ford Ranger had every single brake line rust through. Now before you say nothing last forever, I owned 3 early 90’s Toyotas for my kids to drive. Those brake lines still look like new. My point is, the  big three are infamous for nickel and diming the quality right out of a vehicle.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 22:25 | 4934151 Haloween1
Haloween1's picture

I worked for a motorhome company in the '90's.  Management hired a purchasing guy from GM and his cronies, to make the product more competitive.  They went to work right away nickel and diming the suppliers and cutting the quality out of the product by sourcing in lower quality components.  15 years later the motorhome company is bankrupt and long gone.

 

 

 

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 05:26 | 4934651 Central Ohio
Central Ohio's picture

Thats's sad.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 07:17 | 4934731 Wahooo
Wahooo's picture

Mission accomplished.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:12 | 4933950 yellowsub
yellowsub's picture

But they still have money to endorse MUFC.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:13 | 4933955 falconflight
falconflight's picture

Who cares, I think it's morbidly funny.  After the US gov't turned bankruptcy law on its head for GM, pumped billions of TaxPayer's earnings into and yet,  the pathetic Merikan public continued buying  an American version of a Soviet Zhiguli.  GM hasn't built a US based production facility in about 10 years, all the while GM was partnering up w/ the fascist pigs in the regime, and GM was building plants in China.  I will never, ever buy a GM or Chrysler vehicle.  Too bad Merikans are barely better, if that, than any lock step herd in any modern authoritarian state.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:17 | 4933972 surf0766
surf0766's picture

A communist car company run by idiots.  Dear leader must be proud

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:20 | 4933981 brodix
brodix's picture

Just set this to my sister. The brakes on her 2007 1 ton GMC went out a few weeks ago, with a horse in the trailer, going downhill. Fortunately the transmission held.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:25 | 4934004 falconflight
falconflight's picture

I owned a 98 and 2003 manual tranny VW Jetta TDI.  Very few problems encountered, and 45 to 50 mpg.  Too bad the US gov't fucked that up too with BJ Clinton's ultra low sulfur executive order that went into effect the day after he slithered from office.  Stooopid Americans still think diesel  engines spew rich roiling plumes of black smoke.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 22:36 | 4934170 daveO
daveO's picture

I agree, but mechanics always refused to work on diesels, or charged a lot more. My granddad bought a used 1983 Escort Diesel (130K miles) with a Volkswagon motor that got 55 mpg around town. Now, the ridiculous Toyota hybrid doesn't do any better. TPTB have really 'stupified' the country.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:33 | 4934026 cynicalskeptic
cynicalskeptic's picture

I've had brake lines rust out on GM cars and Chryslers... pretty common issue with US cars all around.

Funny but I NEVER had a brake line rust through on the innumerable 1960's cars I drove to death (100,000 plus miles in lousy NE winters).   If you;re rebuilding an older car you always go with stainless brrake lines and silicone brake fluid - marginal initial cost with far fewer problems late.  Go with a stainless exhaust system too....

The technology exists to make a long lasting minimal maintenance car - after all you  never hear about valve jobs now with hardened seats or even tring jobs.  But I swear they engineer cars to JUST last through their warranty period - often just longer than the typical lease term.  They WANT you to lease a new car every 3 years and HATE it if you keep a car for a decade or more and run it into the ground.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:34 | 4934028 p00k1e
p00k1e's picture

Let’s get this straight.  Do the people who retired after building these defective vehicle still receive pensions?

Of course, nobody is really at fault.  

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:35 | 4934033 Fiat Envy
Fiat Envy's picture

GM has to pay their "employees" insane benefits.  Their cars have to be priced competitively.  So quality has to suffer.  

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:37 | 4934040 orangegeek
orangegeek's picture

remove the GM union, see what happens

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 09:42 | 4935042 COSMOS
COSMOS's picture

Cars would still be crap, cheap quality parts cause management wants a bonus, and the engineers design what their boses tell them.  So removing the union and nothing happens, except bonuses get bigger.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:38 | 4934042 falconflight
falconflight's picture

I wonder where I could find some think tank org whose figured out just how much of the price is regulation inflated.  I would bet it's in the thousands of dollars.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:42 | 4934052 Dead Man Walking
Dead Man Walking's picture

I have a 2002 suburban and had a catastrophic brake failure in 2011-the front brake lines were completely rusted-you'd have to see it to believe how bad they were. Had them fixed, then this year, the rear lines failed, though they didn't look as bad.  Very expensive to replace.  It's cheap chinese steel, and it's not only the brake lines, but the entire suspension, drive shaft and rear differential "pumpkin".  This is my 3rd suburban and will fix it and keep long term. The others were great, and I have never, ever had to replace brake lines on any car i've ever owned.  If I could afford to buy a new vehicle it'd be a ford pickup due to higher % made in america content.  The silverado is only something like 40% made in usa.  I think the ford f150 is much higher % usa.

 

It's a shame, I've always loved my Suburban, but the rust is ridiculous.  Even the upper/lower control arms, ball joints, frame, everything is rusty. ps-I live in NJ and never go off road, and wash/wax it religiously, fwiw.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 22:28 | 4934158 daveO
daveO's picture

GM's have always been rusty. There are almost no Chevy's from the early 70's thru the 80's still around. There are tons of Fords still around. I have a '79 Pontiac that rusted despite never being near salty roads.  

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:46 | 4934063 Dead Man Walking
Dead Man Walking's picture

for what it's worth, many Hummer parts are interchangeable with Chevy Tahoe parts.  As ISIS now has vintage hummers, Hopefully ISIS brakes will fail and they'll all die in car accidents.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 07:15 | 4934726 Wahooo
Wahooo's picture

The Saudis aren't stupid. You can bet those brake lines have been replaced with the good stuff.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:55 | 4934080 Iriestx
Iriestx's picture

You bought a car that was made by a company owned by the federal government and built by union labor (which might as well be a government job at this point) and you're surprised it's a piece of shit?  

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 21:59 | 4934087 FredFlintstone
FredFlintstone's picture

Kinda like a Trabant, eh?

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 22:22 | 4934144 Freddie
Freddie's picture

British Leyland was almost as bad as Trabant.  CZech Skodas were better than both of them.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 00:04 | 4934371 Northern Lights
Northern Lights's picture

Trabant was a death trap. I was told they were pretty much made out of plastic and if you drove it past 40 mph and got into an accident, 80% of the time it resulted in death because the chances were high that you'd get impaled by a shard of plastic when the car crumpled. Actually, it didn't crumple. More like it split like kindling.  I was in the former Czechoslovakia back in 1986 visiting my family.  I was 12 years old at the time. Both my uncles owned the box-like Skoda. Terrible car, but better than nothing. They used to burn through oil like they did gas. Used to stuggle on uphill climbs belching blue smoke out the back. I believe if you owned one, it was pretty much like buying a house. It'd take you 20 years to save for one. My uncles wouldn't drive them during the winter.  They'd rust out.

My dad bought a new 1996 GM Sierra 1500 single cab. It's the only vehicle my family has ever owned that had the brake lines rot out.  One year, the line under the truck went bad and was replaced.  One year later, another connecting line inside the engine bay going from the brake-solenoid went out.  It's a combination of crappy steel and all that salt brine they dump on the roads these days that's causing these problems.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 22:01 | 4934091 williambanzai7
williambanzai7's picture

Who is buying GMs: Mad Hedge Fund Trader?

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 22:37 | 4934171 Wilcox1
Wilcox1's picture

That brake line blew on my Girlfriends Silverado about 5 years ago when she was pulling a horse trailer with 2 big throughbreds on it.  Could of been ugly.  Of course we got the "regular maintence" line of crap.  When we replaced the lines with decent ones it was obvious they used the cheapest steel you could get away with.  Its a great truck, but why would they take a chance on the brake lines?

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 06:01 | 4934667 enloe creek
enloe creek's picture

yep that is true the brakelines at the auto store will not rust but most new vihicles don't use the better alloy the original owners usually sell the car before they go so second owners get the bill and I have replaced alot of GM brake lines usually they run along the frame on the driver side and leak right there under where the driver door is.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 07:13 | 4934723 Wahooo
Wahooo's picture

That's a good point about original "owners". The leases last 2 years, so that's become the calculated engineered life of the vehicle. Why spend good money on brake lines that last 20 years when you can buy the cheap shit from China? After two years, the car goes onto the used car lot or auction block and it's buyer beware.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 22:58 | 4934233 pakled
pakled's picture

I have never, ever, ever, in my entire life, had to replace a rusted out brake line on a vehicle. Not ever. And I've often lived in ocean climates with salt air spray.

 

Not ever.

On the other hand I did buy a brand new GM vehicle in 2006. It turned out to be a lemon (car would not start). The dealer threw up its hands, but GM would not buy the car back under the lemon law. Only after I hired a lemon law attorney, did GM then, in short order, acknowledge the lemoness of the car and buy it back.

 

Not ever. And I really like the Volt. But, no.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 23:13 | 4934277 kchrisc
kchrisc's picture

I agree that GM is crap. I would tell my agonies, but many others above have already covered them in spades.

However, I must relate my "dead brakes" story.

I was living in Germany and driving my 8-year old Ford Taunus on the Autobahn at over 100 MPH (not KPH). As I got close to my exit, I moved over to the right lane and then tapped the brake at the customary distance from the exit. My foot went to the floor, and I damn near shit myself.

Luckily there was little traffic and so I let her coast. I found that I could get some breaking if I pumped the breaks, so I continued exiting and limped home.

Turns out it was a chaffed breakline that had blown. Wasn't Ford's fault, as the clip that was supposed to hold the line away from the axel had been removed long before I had purchased the car.

That car later broke down at the check-point between West Berlin and East Germany, and then ultimately in East Germany. Yes, that East Germany. Another story for another day.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 09:45 | 4935053 COSMOS
COSMOS's picture

How about downshifting and using your emergency brake which is manual via cables and has nothing to do with brake fluid.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 23:15 | 4934279 user2011
user2011's picture

Does Las Vegas offer any odds or GM recall in the next month ?     I will bet all my worth into GM will have more recalls to follow.

 

 

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 23:19 | 4934290 Grouchy Marx
Grouchy Marx's picture

It would be very interesting to know, if statistics were available, how many of the design problems that GM faces are due to the H1B visa, newly minted foreign engineers they have hired. They are after all, much less expensive than American engineers with lots of experience.

Mon, 07/07/2014 - 23:44 | 4934342 Louie the Dog
Louie the Dog's picture

Bought a Chevy Vega new in 1975. The dealer was nice enough to include a gallon of gas so I had to stop on the way home to fill my shiny new car up.  Guy at the pump next to me said to plan on replacing the engine at 30,000. I laughed.

30,000 miles later I cried. 

Fuck GM. 

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 09:47 | 4935061 COSMOS
COSMOS's picture

LOL, still those vegas looked cute.  I think the 6 cylinders engines were the best, you must of had a four banger, no? Or was a 6 never an option on the vega.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 10:27 | 4935201 Louie the Dog
Louie the Dog's picture

4 cyl aluminim block. Not an experiment that panned out well.

I think there was a 6 cyl called the Vega Cosworth, a limited edition car made for a couple years. 

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 00:20 | 4934399 ExploitedCitizen
ExploitedCitizen's picture

GM is an assbackwards company run by MBA assfuckers.

The union bolt-on-parts guys get $40/hour+ crazy benefits.

The management makes $200k+ each, overstuffed MBA's.

The engineers are outsourced and they only hire temps, and pay them $22/hour.  They got rid of all their long term talent 20 years ago.

Am I the only one who thinks engineers, the guys who design your car, deserve to be paid top dollar and treated better than the pot smoking linesmen?

I went to school for Mechanical Engineering, and instead took a government job because it paid twice what GM and the other companies were paying engineers, and I get treated well.  On principle I refuse to work for any of these god awful companies, that treat the very ones who are the backbone of the company like shit.  Toyota is numero-uno because they have talented engineers that design awesome products.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 05:52 | 4934663 enloe creek
enloe creek's picture

nope not accurate sorry. new hires max at 22 older 28 good health insurance and the pot doesn't seem to be just auto workers it probably doesn't even matter since most people don't do pot as much as perc's at work

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 02:16 | 4934529 Jeepers Creepers
Jeepers Creepers's picture

I can't believe there's people that think brake lines are just a normal wear item that wears out like pads.  Especially on something made in the 2000s. 

 

GM makes shit cars and they'll continue to make shit as long as the UAW calls the shots.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 03:34 | 4934589 crakinshot
crakinshot's picture

... Its metal... in areas where high amout of salt is used on the roads due to ice and snow... Yes, after 10 years it is reasonable that they can rust.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 07:26 | 4934741 IndianaJohn
IndianaJohn's picture

Stainless steel brake lines are reasonable. Excuses are not.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 08:25 | 4934850 Tonesvette
Tonesvette's picture

And I can't believe someone drinving a vehicle through 15 winters of salted roads would think their brake lines may not be rotted out ...

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 03:33 | 4934587 crakinshot
crakinshot's picture

*duplicate*

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 03:32 | 4934588 crakinshot
crakinshot's picture

To be fair, in the UK the brake lines are checked each year during MOT. You cannot drive without the MOT and they will not pass it with any hint of corrosion to the break line. Is there not the same check in the US?

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 07:54 | 4934772 Herodotus
Herodotus's picture

No.  Most US states do not have mandatory vehicle inspection requirements.

Some have had it for a long time; I think Pennsylvania is one.

 

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 09:48 | 4935066 COSMOS
COSMOS's picture

LOL, of course not, lawyers have to make a living around here.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 04:11 | 4934602 zipit
zipit's picture

GM customer IQ indicator: "fatally injured."

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 04:22 | 4934609 are we there yet
are we there yet's picture

GM's unions own GM after its bailout by the taxpayer. Unions serve themselves not the consumer. It is the same for the government. We have ever larger parasites on the shrinking middle class.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 05:46 | 4934660 enloe creek
enloe creek's picture

union has not had a raise since 2006 lost benefits went to two toer wages, new hires get no pension ever just a 401 but you feel they own GM a nice truck is $35000 and no one hired in the last 5 yrs can afford one . but if we just get rid of unions the middle class will be so much better

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 05:09 | 4934626 FreeNewEnergy
FreeNewEnergy's picture

In March, 2009, I bought a 1993 Chevy G20 van for $1000. Drove it two years without issues. Replaced battery in 2011, starter in 2012. Since then, about $300 in repairs (minor, regular wear stuff). Still runs well, only 132,000 miles, gets 12-15 MPG, but, I don't drive much (maybe 3K/year), the vehicle is awesome for just about any kind of chore, hauling, etc. and it will likely last another few years even though I live in upstate NY.

I'd buy another GM vehicle.... if it was built before 1996. Cash only. People who lease are muppets.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 05:29 | 4934652 Central Ohio
Central Ohio's picture

Here in Ohio the DOT started using brine in the winter months on the ice.  So it creates a vapor/spray that attaches to the vehicles.  

On days when the sun comes out after the brine has dried the highway will actually have a brine dust cloud around it until the next rain.

Suprised the environmentalists aren't around.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 07:04 | 4934704 medium giraffe
medium giraffe's picture

"GM does not stand behind vehicles when a serious malfunction occurs..."

Best not to stand anywhere near them tbh. Especially if they're switched on.  I lost the belt on a new-ish Vauxhall Vectra doing a reasonable speed, engine pretty much self destructed.  Also had to replace my underwear.  Never again. Ever.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 07:49 | 4934767 deerhunter
deerhunter's picture

Brining the roads with salt create natural salt lick attractions for deer and other critters who need salt to survive.  It will be interesting to see the car deer wreck stats in a few years.  I have driven Toyota Corollas since 1992.  Four different ones and sold three to my daughters as they grew up.  One of those has since been sold to someone else and has 223k miles on it now.  That is a 1996 Corolla.  All 4 of those Corollas aside from brakes and routine maintainence had only one other service issue.  On one Corolla I needed some type of air conditioning service with part that cost 400 dollars.  My wife drives a 2005 Camry with 118K and my 2006 Corolla has 98K miles.  I love them and won't own anything else. 

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 08:05 | 4934781 IndianaJohn
IndianaJohn's picture

I have replaced many brake lines (GM) on otherwise usable cars. Failed brake lines are the worst and the most preventable safety hazard. $20 per car spent by GM on quality brake lines would install lines that would outlast the car. 

Also, I have not seen a common replacement brake line bought at any auto parts store, rust out. Even after 10 years in daily use, no visible corrosion.

 

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 08:21 | 4934837 Tonesvette
Tonesvette's picture

What's the world coming to ?   Out of 200,000 vehicles on the road that are over ten years old 56 had brake lines go ?   No kidding !   What's next ?   Are people going to begin complaining their fuel filter needed to be replaced ?   It's a frickin' vehicle run through ten years of salty winters .. OF COURSE THE BRAKE LINES ARE ROTTING OUT !   That's why they've had duel systems since the early 60's.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 08:22 | 4934841 mochoajr
mochoajr's picture

I own a 2004 4Runner with 225,000 miles, best vehicle I've ever owned. Might give Ford a chance but never GM.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 08:55 | 4934921 world_debt_slave
world_debt_slave's picture

for what's it's worth, my folks had a '71 Chevy Impala, as a teen-ager, I abused it, even got it up to 120mph. My first beater was a 1971 Chevy C-10, no problems. Joined the US Navy, bought a used 1984 Chevy Cavilier Z24, got out of the Navy and traded it in on a new 1991 Nissan 4x2 pick-up, ran it for 10 years, oil changes and a fan belt. Gave the Nissan to my little brother and bought a used 1998 Chevy Astro mini-cargo van in 2003 with 225k on it. I still drive the Astro today to work and back, also got me from Cali to the mid-west when I moved a couple of years ago. Now has 245k on it.

Been looking at new cars but damn if I'm going to pay $20k for a vehicle, and those are the cheap ones! Even used vehicles are overpriced!

And I won't be buying another GM, period!

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 09:50 | 4935072 skam
skam's picture

I bought a 1993 S-10 and traded it in for a family car when my daughter was born.  We got a '97 Mercury "Mystaque".  Terrible car.  I started commuting to work and my wife needed a vehicle so we got a 2000 Blazer.  Three years later, when the Mystaque shit the bed, we got a 2003 Malibu.  The Blazer experienced a premature transmission failure which, of course, happened outside of warranty.  The Malibu suffered an intake manifold failure due to a poor seal on the radiator cap.  This allowed air to react with the coolant which turned the coolant into an acid which ate the head gasket and destroyed the engine.  At ~60k miles.  I never touched the coolant because the manual stated something to the effect of "you shouldn't need to do anything with your coolant for 100,000 miles".  I did basic stuff like check the reservoir and top it off with GM approved coolant (Dex-Cool) but I never touched the radiator cap...everything was done at the reservoir.   Around the same time I began to hear a gurgling sound behind the dash of the Blazer.  Not looking to replace another engine, I took the Blazer to a mechanic.  I was informed by the mechanic that this was because the head gasket was failing.  Due to....Dex-Cool coolant turning into acid!

Both of these vehicles suffered brake line failures.  The Blazer was traded in for a Toyota Highlander and the Malibu's brakes actually failed last Wednesday and it sits in my driveway waiting to be towed to a mechanic for repair.  I will never ever ever buy another GM.  My coworker wants to buy a new Camaro and I keep telling him not to do it.

 

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 10:22 | 4935188 Incubus
Incubus's picture

I have a ford that runs with no problems and it's a piecer.

 

I can abuse that car and it keeps running.

 

Can't say as much for GM cars I've owned. 

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 10:34 | 4935230 Pee Wee
Pee Wee's picture

Gubbermint motors is the textbook example of Fascism's grip in the USA.

GM gets a free pass; taxpayers get it in the ass.

Tue, 07/08/2014 - 20:58 | 4937823 mastersnark
mastersnark's picture

Suburbans used to be able to take a direct RPG hit and keep driving (watch the documentary "Clear and Present Danger" about Han Solo's drug smuggling on Endor)

Wonder what changed?

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