Consumer Safety Complaints

COOLER LINES LEAKING. NLM

Incident date: Apr 11, 2000

FREON WAS LEAKING FROM AIR CONDITIONER. LEAK WAS COMING FROM UNDER DASHBOARD. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC, AND THEY HAD TO GO UNDER THE DASHBOARD, THEY FIXED THE LEAK. ONE MONTH BEFORE, HAD TO PUT A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION. THEN DRIVESHAFT BELT BROKE. CONSUMER HAS HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. *AK LEFT DOOR SWITCH FAILED. HEATER CORE, EVAPORATOR, CONDENSER, O- RINGS AND SEALS AL... Read more

IN COOLER BROKE RESULTED IN REPLACING THE RADIATOR AND AIR CONDITIONING UNIT, INNER COOLER RUPTURE. ENGINE TO LARGE FOR THE FRAME, RESULTING IN VIBRATING SO SEVERE THAT THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SHAKES, CAUSING THE HOSE WHICH CONNECTS THE ENGINE, RADIATOR AND INNER COOLER TO SPRING A LEAK, RESULTED IN REPLACEMENT OF THE INNER COOLER,RADIATOR AND AIR CONDITIONING UNIT. BRAKES CAN EASILY BE RELEASED

Incident date: Nov 24, 1999

HEAT IS POOR AND WINDOWS STEAMED UP WHEN DRIVING, COULD NOT DUPLICATE CONCERNS

Incident date: Apr 25, 2000

WHILE DRIVING LOCALLY, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. CALLED DEALER WHO TOLD CONSUMER TO BRING THE CAR IN. WAS ABOUT 4 MILES FROM HOME AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE REGISTERED HOT. STOPPED IMMEDIATELY, CALLED AAA AND HAD IT TOWED. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THE NUMBER ONE ENGINE CYLINDER DROPPED INTO THE PISTON BECAUSE IT MOVED, ALLOWING ANTI-FREEZE TO GET INTO THE ENGINE. *AK

Incident date: Dec 31, 1998

VEHICLE SERVICED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATING, REPLACEMENT OF THE OIL AND IGNITION CABLE THAT HAD SHORTED OUT DID NOT RECTIFY PROBLEMS WITH THE INTERMITTENT ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. *MJS

TEMPERATURE GUAGE MALFUNCTIONS AND NO HEAT IS AVAILABLE. YH

TEMPERATURE GAUGE FAILED. NLM

Incident date: Apr 12, 2000

NOTICED LOSS OF ANTI-FREEZE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. TEMPERATURE GAUGE DIDN'T GET HOT. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON TO LET CONSUMER KNOW THAT ANTI-FREEZE WAS LOW. DROVE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT ONE MILE AND SMOKED STARTED COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE, SMELLED LIKE IT WAS ON FIRE. EVEN AFTER TURNING VEHICLE OFF SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF EXHAUST. HAD CAR TOWED TO MECHANIC. HE SAID THAT ENGINE HEAD GASK... Read more

CAR WOULD NOT START, ENGINE FROZE UP IN THE GARAGE, THE TEMPATURE IS NEVER 60, PUT DRY GAS IN TANK AND AFTER CAR WARMED UP IT CRANKED. ALSO THE HORN IS HARD TO LOCATE IN AN EMERGENCY EVENT.

Incident date: Feb 25, 2000

CHANGED COOLANT, MECHANIC SAID VERY LITTLE COOLANT OR OIL. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN, ENGINE COULD HAVE FROZEN OR CAUGHT ON FIRE.

Incident date: Jan 25, 2000

ENGINE WOULD NOT START

Incident date: Mar 3, 2000

FLEX PIPE BROKEN, FUEL SYSTEM VERY POOR AND IGNITION SYSTEM ALSO.

Incident date: Nov 30, 1999

I'M AN OLDER WOMAN AND DO NOT DRIVE MY CAR FAST AND KEEP IN IN GOOD CONDITION. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX 45 MPH WHITE PLUMES OF SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE CAR AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE MOVED ALL THE WAY TO HOT. I THEN STARTED TO SMELL A FOUL SMELL. . IT COST OVER $1000.00 TO REPLACE THE GASKETS. *AK

Incident date: Mar 22, 2000

SENSOR FAILED AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE DID NOT INDICATE THAT THE ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING. THE ENGINE SEIZED UP AND WAS SOLD FOR SALVAGE VALUE OR $1,500. THERE IS DOCUMENTED OIL CHANGES EVERY THREE THOUSAND MILES WITH SIMULTANEOUS COOLANT CHECKS. *AK

Incident date: Apr 1, 2000

THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE BETWEEN NORMAL AND HOT. ONE SECOND, YOU LOOK AT THE GAUGE, IT IS NORMAL, ONE SECOND LATER IT IS HOT. WHEN YOU START THE CAR COLD, THE ANTIFREEZE DOES NOT CIRCULATE, IT GOES INTO THE RESERVOIR BOTTLE, AND THEN COMES OUT ONTO THE GROUND. I HAVE CHANGED THE WATER PUMP, THE RADIATOR CAP, AND THE THERMOSTAT THREE TIMES.IT DOES HAVE A DRIVERSIDE AIRBAG, BUT IT... Read more

Incident date: Apr 1, 2000

THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE BETWEEN NORMAL AND HOT. ONE SECOND, YOU LOOK AT THE GAUGE, IT IS NORMAL, ONE SECOND LATER IT IS HOT. WHEN YOU START THE CAR COLD, THE ANTIFREEZE DOES NOT CIRCULATE, IT GOES INTO THE RESERVOIR BOTTLE, AND THEN COMES OUT ONTO THE GROUND. I HAVE CHANGED THE WATER PUMP, THE RADIATOR CAP, AND THE THERMOSTAT THREE TIMES.IT DOES HAVE A DRIVERSIDE AIRBAG, BUT IT... Read more

WHILE AIR CONDITIONING WAS ON CONSUMER NOTICED FUMES INSIDE OF VEHICLE. TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES. AIR SCOOP TO COOL ENGINE SCRAPES GROUND, ALSO LETS FUMES AND HEAT FROM ENGINE IN CAR. *AK *ML

Incident date: Jan 3, 2000

VEHICLE EXHIBIT LEAKING OIL PAN GASKET. DEALER REPLACED PAN GASKET, TIMING COVER GASKET LEAKING, REPLACED TIMING COVER GASKET. *TT

Incident date: Mar 1, 2000

GAUGE GOES TO HOT AFTER 5 MINUTES OF DRIVING. WHITE SMOKE POURS FROM TAIL PIPE. LOW ON WATER. DIFFICULTY STARTING. ROUGH IDLE WHEN STOPPING. REPLACED BATTERY AND STARTER. STILL HAVE OCCASIONAL PROBLEMS STARTING. ( ASO, BRAKES HAVE SQUEALED WHEN WE BOUGHT IT. )

Incident date: Dec 6, 1999

COOLANT KEPT TURNING BROWN- REPEATEDLY FLUSHED SYSTEM. IT RAN HOT ON 12-06-1999 AND TEMPERATURE GUAGE DID NOT SHOW IT WAS RUNNIG HOT.IT BLEW A HEAD GASKET.I HAD TO OVERHAUL MOTOR OUT OF OWN POCKET FOR $1214.00. I STILL HAVE RECEIPTS. *AK

Incident date: Apr 5, 2000

DRIVING AT 25MPH THE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING AND THE TEMP INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. PULLED DIRECTLY INTO SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. PERSONALLY VISITED MY DEALER(100 MILES FROM BREAKDOWN) AND THEY THOUGHT IT WAS COVERED( BECAUSE OF A RECALL ON 3.8 ENGINES FROM FORD. HE HAD A BRAND NEW CLAIM ON A MUSTANG ON HIS DESK AND SAID THEY WERE HAVING SO MANY PROBLEMS THAT THE PARTS ... Read more

Incident date: Sep 7, 1999

TEMPERATURE GAUGE NEVER ONCE READ ABOVE NORMAL, WAS TRAVELING, HEARD A NOISE IN ENGINE, SLOWED DOWN AND VECHICLE SHUT DOWN. I BELIEVE THERMOSTAT MAY BE DEFECTIVE, THERE WAS ALSO DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDER HEAD. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE IT WAS FULL OF COOLANT AND OIL WAS FULL AND HAD JUST BEEN CHANGED. I HAVE ALWAY HAD ALL MAINTANANCE DO... Read more

Incident date: Mar 30, 2000

ENGINE STARTED MAKING NOISE AT ACCELERATION AND WHEN CAR WAS WARM IT WOULD CUTO OFF WHILE MAKING A TURN OR COMING TO A STOP, RESTARTS IN 1 HOUR. DUE TO DRIVING IN SEPT. FROM A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, CAUSING STRESS TO ENGINE DUE TO NO COOLANT CIRCULATING THROUGH ENGINE.

Incident date: Dec 23, 1996

CONSUMER HAS HAD CONTINUAL ENGINE PROBLEMS, 8 REPAIR ATTEMPTS, HOWEVER VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MAKE NOISE AND LEAKS, NOW VEHICLE NEEDS COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT AND WARRANTY DENIED. YH

Incident date: Sep 1, 1999

VEHICLE RAN HOT, NOTICE NO COOLANT IN THE RADIATOR ON SEVERAL TIMES, ALL DUE TO BLOWN GASKET,

Incident date: Oct 1, 1991

FRONT CAM OIL LEAK REPAIR 2 TIMES BAD FRONT SPRING REPLACE OVERHEATING, REPLACED THERMOSTAT AND WATER PUMP, TO NO AVAIL, COOLANT SENSOR INSTALLED PROBLEM SOLVED. MODEL ROADMASTER

Incident date: Sep 13, 1999

COOLANT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED EVER 3-5 DAYS, REBUILT TRANSMISSION, ENGINE SURGING BADLY, DUE TO BLOWN HEAD GASKET, SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS VEHICLE, REPLACE HEAD GASKET AND HEAD BOLTS, REVISED HEAD GASKETS AND BOLTS PROVIDE IMPROVED SEALING AND HIGHER CLAMPING FORCE.

Incident date: Mar 1, 2000

APPROX. 30 MILES AN HOUR WHEN HEARD AN EXPLOSION, ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND IGNITED UNDER THE HOOD, RESULTING IN COMPLETELY BURNED.

Fire

TEMP GAUGE STAYS TO RIGHT OF "L" ON GAUGE & CAR SMELLS HOT, DEALER SAYS EVERYTHING IS "NORMAL". FROM PAST EXPERIENCE I KNOW IT'S NOT "NORMAL" FOR A 4CYL. TO RUN HOT. WHAT CAN I DO IF DEALER SAYS THERE'S NOTHING WRONG?*AK

Incident date: Feb 7, 2000

WHILE TRAVELING DOWN HIGHWAY, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND HEATING LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER MOVED CLOSE TO THE LANE. THEN HEARD A LOUD POP, AND WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT FROM EVERYWHERE , CONSUMER WAS COMPLETELY BLINDED. BUT, FELT SAFE ENOUGH TO MOVE TO SHOULDER AND WAIT FOR HELP. *AK

EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE GAUGE SENSOR FAILED. NLM

Incident date: Oct 1, 1999

TEMPERATURE AND GAS GAUGE WERE FIXED ON MANY OCCASIONS BY THE DEALER BUT NEVER FULLY FIXED. WORK ONLY WHEN PUSHED ON THE DASH COVER. THERE IS A SERVICE BULL ON THIS BUT PROBLEM, BUT IT DIDN'T HELP FIX IT. *AK

Incident date: Mar 21, 2000

1993 MERCURY SABLE (58,500 MILEAGE) HEAD GASKET FAILURE: A FEW DAYS AGO, THE TEMPERATURE GUAGE BEGAN FLUCTUATING FROM COLD TO HOT; AND WOULD THEN RETURN TO MID-RANGE ONLY TO GO BACK TO "HOT" -- THIS CYCLE CONTINUALLY REPATED ITSELF. WHILE IT WAS IN THE "HOT" RANGE, A WHIRRING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COULD BARELY BE DETECTED. HEATER WOULD NOT HEAT UP WHILE ENGINE WAS IN IDLE AND WOULD BEGIN HEAT OUTP... Read more

Incident date: Mar 20, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND TEMPERATURE LIGHT CAME ON. THEN SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO NEAREST VW DEALER. DEALER SAID THAT BOTH ELECTRIC FANS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A KINK IN THE WIRE OF ONE OF THE FANS THAT CAUSED IT TO FAIL. BOTH FANS BASICALLY MELTED AND BLEW APART. *AK *ML

Incident date: Dec 20, 1999

WHILE DRIVING IN NORMAL TRAFFIC THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT UP, CONSUMER HAD TO STOP 10 TIMES FOR WATER. THE HEAD GASKET BLEW SOON AFTER. OTHER FORD MODELS HAVE HAD THEIR ENGINES RECALLED, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED. CONSUMER ALSO COMPLAINS THAT THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE IS NOT EFFECTIVE, IT DOESN'T GIVE THE OWNER SUFFICIENT INFORMATION REGARDING THE LEVEL OF P... Read more

Incident date: Mar 17, 1998

WHILE DRIVING TEMPERATURE SENSOR CAME ON/OFF, AND VEHICLE CUT OFF. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS TIMING CHAIN. THEN, ANOTHER MECHANIC SAID IT WAS HEAD GASKET. *AK

Incident date: Dec 18, 1999

OIL IN MY ENGINE POURED OUT AND ENGINE LOCKED UP WOULD NOT KEEP OIL IN IT. HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES TWICE I ONE YEAR BECAUSE OF BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE THEN FINALLY IT GOT SO BAD HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS ON FRONT END, MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE FOR THE OUTSIDE JUST HAPPEN TO START GOING CRAZY ONE DAY AS I WAS DRIVING ALONG ON A TRIP TO THE BEACH AND HAS BEEN IN CORRECT EVER SINCE. AND BY THE WAY I AM STILL... Read more

Incident date: Nov 23, 1999

WHILE DRIVING THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE BARRIED AT HOT, THEN ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. PULLED OVER AND WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM TAIL PIPE. THEN VAN WOULD NOT RESTART. A MECHANIC REPLACED THE HEAD AND I DROVE IT FOR APPROX. 400 MILES WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED NOCKING AND THE TRANS. WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 2 GEAR UNTIL IT GOT HOT THEN WOULDN'T SHIFT OUT OF 1ST I BELIEVE THE HEAD GASKET DAMAGED THE ENGINE... Read more

Incident date: Feb 19, 2000

MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS ERRATIC REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT. GAUGE STILL ERRATIC WAS DRIVING IT TO BE REPAIRED THE MOTOR LOCKED UP THE HEAD GASKET IS BLOWN HAD IT TOWED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT. THEY TOLD ME I NEED A NEW MOTOR

Incident date: Dec 18, 1999

PROB.#1-REAR VIEW MIRROR DOES NOT ADJUST FOR LIGHTS FROM REAR TRAFFIC. PROB.#2-TEMPERATURE GAUGE IN OVERHEAD CONSOLE IS VERY SLOW TO UPDATE THE CORRECT OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE. TEMPERATURE GAUGE HANGS UP AT THE INCORRECT DEGREE. HAD SAME PROBLEM WITH 1994 MODEL. *AK

Incident date: Mar 2, 2000

WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE. WHILE ON HIGHWAY, TEMPERATURE GAUGE MOVED BETWEEN COLD AND HOT. I EXITED HIGHWAY AND RETURNED HOME. TEMPERATURE IN NORMAL RANGE. AFTER 1 HOUR STARTED CAR TO TAKE FOR REPAIRS. AFTER QUARTER MILE ON RESIDENTIAL STREET, HEAD GASKET FAILED. WHITE ANTI-FREEZE EXHUAST. CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER.

RADIATOR CONTINUALLY LEAKING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND STALL, NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE FAILURE. *MJS

Incident date: Feb 26, 2000

THE HEATER IN MY 1995 FORD MUSTANG WOULD NOT PRODUCE WARM AIR AND THEN THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR WAS LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT. HOWEVER, HEAT WAS STILL NOT PRODUCED AND THE ODOR OF ANTIFREEZE BECAME APPARENT. MY MECHANIC AT OCEAN STREE AUTO REPAIR IN SOUTH PORTALND, ME, CALLED YANKEE FORD DEALER IN SOUTH PORTLAND, ME AND WAS TOLD THE HEAD GASKET ON THI... Read more

Incident date: Feb 29, 2000

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WENT ON. TEMPERATURE GUAGE WENT TO HOT, BUT NOT IN THE RED ZONE. CHECKED OIL, ADDED HALF A QUART. CHECKED ANTI-FREEZE,ADDED A QUART. PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. SERVICE STATION TESTED ANTI-FREEZE FOR EXHAUST GAS. BLUE DYE TURNED YELLOW (POSITIVE).*AK

Incident date: Oct 30, 1999

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE JUMPED TO OVERHEATED AT WHICH POINT I PULLED OFF THE ROAD. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC MY HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN, WARPING ONE OF THE HEADS IN THE ENGINE. I WAS ALSO INFORMED AT THAT TIME AND HAVE DISCOVERED SUBSEQUENTLY THROUGH RESEARCH THAT ALMOST EVERY NEON WHICH REACHES ALMOST 60,000 MILES BLOWS THE HEAD GASKET. IN GENERAL CHRYSLER VEHICLES SEEM TO... Read more

Incident date: Feb 3, 2000

THE CAR HAS OVERHEATED ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE 1ST INCIDENT WAS ON RTE 95 AT NIGHT WHICH MAKES FOR A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE DEALER CHECKED THE CAR AND CLAIMED NOTHING WAS WRONG. FROM THIS POINT ON WE WATCHED AND REALIZED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT FROM THE MIDDLE POINT UP TO THE TOP OF THE GAUGE FREQUENTLY. WE BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND WERE TOLD THAT GM SAID THA... Read more

Incident date: Feb 15, 2000

TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER SAID COOLANT AND OIL INTERMIXED IN THE CRANKSHAFT WHICH WAS CAUSED BY A FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. *AK *ML

Incident date: Feb 18, 2000

TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT UP TO RED AREA. ENGINE SOUND CHANGED (BECAME LOUDER). THE SAME OVERHEATING PROBLEM OCCURED IN DECEMBER AND THE ACURA SERVICE DEPT. FOUND NOTHING WRONG. CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED, AT ACURA EVERY 3000 MILES SINCE OWNERSHIP. *AK

Incident date: Feb 18, 2000

DUE TO A DEFECTIVE TEMPERATURE SENSOR VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK