1998 Oldsmobile 88

IN EARLY 1998, I PURCHASED A 1998 OLDSMOBILE EIGHTY-EIGHT BRAND NEW FROM RELIABLE OLDSMOBILE DEALERSHIP IN CLEVELAND, OH. ALTHOUGH THE CAR IS A FEW YEARS OLD, THE PROBLEM I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT BEGAN AROUND MAY 1998. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS COMPLAINING ABOUT EXCESSIVE, LOUD NOISES THAT WERE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FIRST TIME I WENT WAS JUNE 1, 1998. EACH TIME THE DEALERSHIP TRIED FIXING OR DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT, BUT THEY NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM. I ENDURED THE NOISE AND THE PROBLEM BECAUSE I DID NOT KNOW OF ANYTHING ELSE TO DO. WHILE TRAVELING FROM GEORGIA TO OHIO LAST SUMMER (2003), THE CAR FINALLY BROKE DOWN. THE DEALERSHIP IN TENNESSEE DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A DEFECTIVE TENSION PULLEY. THIS DEFECTIVE PULLEY ALSO CAUSED AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF RESIDURAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. THIS WAS THE NOISE I WAS HEARING . WHEN I CONTACTED THE GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY (THE OLDSMOBILE DIVISION HAS SHUT DOWN), THEY IGNORED ME EXCEPT FOR TELLING ME THAT MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. I RECOGNIZE THAT IT HAS EXPIRED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM AROSE LONG BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND COULD HAVE BEEN FIXED LONG BEFORE IT EXPIRED BUT FOR THE OLDSMOBILE DEALERSHIP'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I DO NOT THINK IT IS FAIR THAT A DEALERSHIP CAN FAIL (DELIBERATELY OR NOT) TO DIAGNOSE A PROBLEM COVERED BY THE WARRANTY WHILE THE WARRANTY IS IN EFFECT AND THEN SCREAM THAT THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. PARTICULARLY, AFTER ONE OF ITS OWN DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. IF THE DEALERSHIP IN TENNESSEE COULD DIAGNOSE IT, THEN THE ONE IN OHIO SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO SO AS WELL. I WISH TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF THIS REPAIR, WHICH WAS $1944.67. I AM NOT ASKING FOR THE COST OF THE HOTEL ROOM AND THE WAGES I MISSED, BUT IT SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT AS WELL. *AK

TRANSMISSION: UPPER PLATE GASKET WENT, CAUSING GEAR SLIPPAGE AT HIGH SPEEDS WHICH GRADUALLY BECAME WORSE IN THE LOWER GEARS. TRANSMISSION REPLACED UNDER WARRENTY. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A REBUILT UNIT WHICH IS NOW EXHIBITING MUCH OF THE SAME SLIPPAGE AT HIGH SPEEDS (ONLY MINORLY AT THE MOMENT) @ 156,000KM. ENGINE: FIRST ENGINE HAD THE EGR/EXHAUST DESIGN DEFECT THAT CAUSES THE INTAKE MANIFOLD TO MELT AND COOLANT TO POOR INTO THE ENGINE. REPORT FROM THE SHOP WAS THAT ENTIRE BOTTOM END WAS DESTROYED BY THE COOLANT, AND A FULL NEW ENGINE HAD TO BE ORDERED (COMPLETE WITH ACCESSORIES, ETC.). THE NEW ENGINE'S IDLER FOR THE SERPENTINE HAD THE BEARING CEASE, KNOCKING THE BELT OFF. SINCE THE WATERPUMP WAS BELT DRIVEN, THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. THE CAR WAS LEFT TO IDLE IN THE PARKING LOT FOR A TOTAL TIME OF ~ 5-15MIN. (THE TEMPERATURE OUT WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND -40C / -40F.). BRAKES: PERHAPS CRONICALLY UNDERSIZED FOR THIS VEHICLE, ROTORS HAVE WARPED LIKE CLOCKWORK EVERY 30,000KM. THEY ARE CURRENTLY WARPED APPROACHING 160,000KM AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED --- AGAIN --- SHORTLY. THIS IS NOT A CAR THAT SEE'S MUCH HEAVY USE. GROCERIES ON WEEKENDS, ~ 15-20KM MAX. TOTAL DAILY TRIP DURING WORKDAYS. IT HAS YET TO ACCOMPLISH AN EXTENDED ROAD TRIP (I.E., NORTH BAY -> OTTAWA OR NORTH BAY -> TORONTO, 4 HOURS (~400KM) AND 3 HOURS (~300KM) RESPECTIVELY) WITHOUT THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT BEING LIT. ADDITIONAL RECOLLECTION: FRONT FOG LIGHTS CONSTANTLY FILLING WITH CONDENSATION AS WELL, HAVE BEEN REPLACED 4-5 TIMES WHILE UNDER WARRENTY. NO SOLUTION WAS FOUND AND NOW THEY'RE JUST NOT USED.

GM HAS A PLASTIC PLENUM/MANIFOLD ON THEIR CARS THAT BECOME DEFECTIVE AFTER 60 TO 70 THOUSAND MILES. DUE TO THE HEAT THAT THE MANIFOLD IS EXPOSED TO, THE PART WILL THAN LEAK. WHEN THIS PART WAS MADE FROM ALUMINUM IT WOULD NOT CAUSE THESE PROBLEMS. I HAVE REPLACE THIS PART 2 TIMES IN 2 1/2 YEARS. GM WILL NOT HELP WITH THE BILLS BECAUSE I HAVE OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES. BUT THE PART ONLY HAS 65 THOUSAND MILES ON IT. I HAVE GONE TO 2 AUTO REPAIR SHOPS AND ALL I TELL THEM IS I AM LOSING COOLANT AND THEY KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THEY SAID THEY REPLACE THESE OFTEN. THEY REPLACE THESE SO OFTEN THAT NOW THERE IS A AFTER MARKET THAT THIS PART CAN BE PURCHASED FROM. MY HUSBAND IS A MECHANIC AND KNOWS WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON OUR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, AND THAT IS HOW THIS WAS FOUND. IF PEOPLE DON'T CATCH THIS COOLANT LOSS IN TIME THEY COULD BLOW THEIR ENGINE. IF PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM HOW CAN THEY WATCH FOR IT? *LA

WHILE MERGING INTO INTERSTATE RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WITH NO WARNING ENGINE FAILED CAUSING LOST OF BRAKING AND STEERING EFFECTIVENESS. NO WARNING WAS RECEIVED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND UPPER INTAKE WAS FOUND CRACKED ALLOWING COOLANT TO ENTER COMBUSTION CHAMBER. ONE WEEK AND $800.00 LATER CAR WAS "REPAIRED" VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE FUEL DELIVERY PROBLEMS. HARD STARTING, RANDOM STALLING. DEALER ADVISED ME THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 3800 SERIES II ENGINE REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE OR TYPE OF USE AND MAINTENANCE. CONSIDERING THE SUDDEN LOST OF ALL POWER THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS BRAKING AND STEERING EFFECTIVENESS IS REDUCED AS IS ELECTRICAL POWER FOR ACCESSORIES SUCH AS HEADLAMPS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS. *JB