1996 Chevrolet Blazer

DEXCOOL IN RADIATOR COOLING SYSTEM HAD TURNED TO A RUSTY SLUDGE. HAD COOLANT FLUSH DONE AT 60,000 MILES BY THE DEALER. HAD DEALER REINSPECT VEHICLE AS I WAS GOING ON A LONG ROAD. I HAVE COPY OF 27 POINT INSPECTION STATING MY VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION WITH NO NOTED PROBLEMS. 261 MILES LATER I WAS STRANDED IN THE DESERT WITH A PLUGGED AND BLOWN RADIATOR AND HEATER CORE. THE RADIATOR CAP WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE FLUID IN THE OVERFLOW TANK WAS A RUSTY BROWN THICK MESS. THE HOSES GOING INTO THE RADIATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A COATING OF RUST ON THE INSIDE. I HAD A NEW RADIATOR PUT ON, NEW HOSES, AND THE RADIATOR AND ENGINE BLOCK REFLUSHED, NEW COOLANT ADDED AND OVERFLOW TANK WASHED. 1,500 MILES LATER (TO THE CURRENT MILEAGE I AM AT NOW) THE DEXCOOL FLUID IS ALREADY DISCOLORING AND PARTICLES OF RUST ARE STARTING TO REAPPEAR. WHICH TELLS ME THE CORROSION IS DEEP INSIDE THE SYSTEM. GM WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM OF RUSTING AND CORROSION, DEALER WILL TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR WORK OR INSPECTIONS. GM NEVER WARNED THE CONSUMERS THAT THIS HAD TO BE CAREFULLY WATCHED OR MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE WOULD OCCUR. GM HAS A TRAINING VIDEO THAT WAS SENT TO DEALERS THAT SPECIFICALLY DEALS WITH THE DEXCOOL CORROSION PROBLEM. IT IS CALLED GM TRAINING VIDEO UNDERSTANDING RADIATOR CAP AND COOLING SYSTEM CONTAMINATION. THEY ARE CLAIMING THE RADIATOR CAPS MAY HAVE A PROBLEM PROPERLY SEALING THE RADIATOR THUS CAUSING HIGH EVAPORATION AND THUS CONTAMINATING THE COOLING SYSTEM. IF THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS WHY WAS THE CONSUMER NOT INFORMED? HOW CAN GM NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DAMAGE THAT IS BEING DONE TO A LARGE AMOUNT ON THEIR VEHICLES. THEY ALSO CLAIM THAT THE RADIATOR DESIGN ON CERTAIN TYPES OF THEIR VEHICLES MAKE THEM MORE PRONE TO THE CORROSION CONTAMINATION, SUCH AS THE BLAZER, JIMMY, ST PICKUPS, CAMAROS. THAT IS WHY NOT ALL GM PRODUCTS THAT WERE DELIVERED ORIGINALLY WITH DEXCOOL HAS HAD A PROBLEM.

I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE FACT THAT MY 1996 CHEVROLET BLAZER REQUIRED MAJOR REPAIRS TO ITS RADIATOR THAT HAS A STICKER ON IT STATING THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO MAINTENANCE FOR 100,000 MILES. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THEY RECOMMEND I REPLACE THE RADIATOR, FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY. THIS WAS NOTED ON THE RECEIPT. I DECLINED, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE MANUFACTURER NOTES THAT THE RADIATOR SHOULD BE GOOD FOR 100,00 MILES. I THEN NOTICED A SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER REFERENCED ON THE RECEIPT. I THEN RESEARCHED THIS ITEM TO DETERMINE WHY THIS ITEM WAS REFERENCED. IN MY RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT CHEVROLET WAS AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE COOLANT IN THE BLAZER RADIATOR AND ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN TO ITS DEALERS TO INFORM THEM OF WHAT TO DO TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND ALSO TO RECOMMEND REPLACEMENT. I AM APPALLED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD BE AWARE OF SUCH A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE OF ONE OF ITS AUTOMOBILES AND NOT INFORM THE CONSUMER. AND IF THEY FELT CONSUMER INFORMATION WAS NOT WARRANTED, THEY COULD AT LEAST PAY FOR REPAIRS TO THOSE AUTOMOBILE THAT HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE RADIATOR THEY DISCOVERED THEMSELVES, DOES NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. I PAID $ 661.00 APPROX. TO REPAIR MY RADIATOR AND WAS PRESSURED, AND REMINDED ON MY RECEIPT THAT I DID NOT PURCHASE A NEW ONE AS RECOMMENDED. I AM INFURIATED THAT CHEVROLET DID NOT REPAIR MY CAR FREE OF CHARGE. I AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN AND HOPEFULLY RECOUP SOME OF THE MONEY I PAID FOR THE REPAIRS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS AND IF I HAVE ANY RECOURSE. I AM WRITING TO ALL OF THE CONSUMER GROUPS.*AK

RADIATOR AND ENGINE COMPLETELY FLUSHED, CAP AND THERMOSTAT REPLACED DUE TO "MUD" IN SYSTEM.DEALER TOLD ME "MUD" WAS ACTUALLY METAL AND SAND LEFT IN ENGINE BLOCK DURING THE PRODUCTION/MILLING PROCESS. 1 MONTH AFTER FLUSH THE SYSTEM IS CLOGGED AGAIN WITH THIS MUD. DEALER SAYING ANOTHER FLUSH IS NEEDED ALONG WITH POSSIBLE WATER PUMP AND HEATER CORE REPLACEMENT. DEALER AND OTHER LOCAL CAR MAINTENANCE COMPANIES SAID THEY HAVE SEEN THIS MANY TIMES IN THESE BLAZERS. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM GM SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR.

DEXACOOL ENGINE COOLANT TURNED TO "MUD" CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVER HEAT AND RESULTING IN TOTAL REPLACEMENT OF RADIATOR AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION GM IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE DEXACOOL "SERVICE BULLETIN" ISSUED. GM HAS CHARGED A $500 DEDUCTABLE. IT STILL SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE 5YR/100,000 WARRENTY. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS PROVIDED NO HELP. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT MY NEXT STEP SHOULD BE. THANKS