1996 CHEVROLET BERETTA Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

MY 1996 CHEVROLET BERETTA HAS HAD CHRONIC LEAKING PROBLEMS AROUND THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD. FIRST IT WAS FROM VARIOUS BOLTS, THEN FROM THE MAIN GASKET EVEN THOUGH THE CAR ONLY HAS 75K MILES ON IT. I CALLED CAR SHOPS IN THE AREA AND EVERYONE I SPOKE TO SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GM 3.1L ENGINES. IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT THERE IS A FAULTY GASKET IN THESE CARS THAT COSTS ABOUT $600-800 TO REPLACE, BUT THERE IS NO RECALL. *AK

Mileage: 76,000

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. *JB

3 HEAD GASKET FAILURES ON THIS VEHICLE. 1ST REPAIR WAS UNDER WARRANTY ON 12/16/98 AT 27392 MILES. 2ND REPAIR WAS AFTER WARRANTY PERIOD, PAID BY MYSELF, ON 2/01 AT 62253 MILES. BOTH REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED AT VALLEY CHEVROLET SERVICE CENTER, 221 CONYNGHAM AVE, WILKES-BARRE, PA 18702. HEAD GASKET IS NOW LEAKING AGAIN AT 77000 MILES AND THE 1 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE LAST REPAIR EXPIRED IN FEBRUARY OF 2002, 3 MONTHS AGO. I CONTACTED CHEVROLET CORPORATION, AND HAVE A COPY OF THEIR EMAIL RESPONSE STATING THEY WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS REPAIR. THEY STATED THAT COVERED PROBLEMS OCCUR "EARLY" IN THE VEHICLES USAGE, (THE FIRST REPAIR WAS UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY PERIOD) AND THAT THIS VEHICLE IS TOO OLD AND HAS TOO MANY MILES FOR THEM TO TAKE RESPONSIBLITY AT THIS TIME.*AK

OIL SHOULD BE CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES, I HAVE TO ADD OIL EVERY 1000 - 1500 MILES, NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE, IT SHOULD NOT LEAK AFTER SEAL WAS REPLACED. *AK

SERPENTINE BELT FAILED. NLM

CAVALIERS/SUNFIRES AND S-10 PICKUPS ARE COVERED BY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 100,000 MILES FOR THIS COMMON FAILURE. I AM TOLD THAT THE BERETTA IS NOT *AK

CONSUMER HAS MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. BRAKES & ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 17,495 MILES. DEALER SAID IT WAS NORMAL WEAR. ON OCTOBER 5TH, THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR A LUBE JOB, AND DEALER NEVER DETECTED THAT HEAD GASKET & FREEZE PLUG WERE LEAKING. CONSUMER TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC TO BE CHECKED. VEHICLE HAS NOW 19,000 MILES.*AK

VEHICLE HAS INTERMITENT LOSS OF POWER WHICH CAN OCCUR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED FIVE TIMES; YET, THE PROBLEM IS RECURRING. THE ENGINE MAKES A TICKING NOISE, AND POWER DROPS TO ABOUT 35 MPH. DEALER REPLACED FUEL FILTER, FUEL PUMP, FUEL GUAGE, O2 SENSOR. THIS TIME, THE DEALER INSISTS THAT IT MUST BE A CLOGGED CATALYTIC CONVERTER. IT IS DANGEROUS TO LOSE VEHICLE POWER ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, AND IT IS AGGRAVATING TO BE TOLD BY A DEALER THAT THE "PROBLEM" HAS BEEN "FIXED" FOR THE FIFTH TIME."

ENGINE HEAD GASKET FALIURE. ENGINE DAMAGE SEVERE. DEALER AND GM CONTACTED WITH NO RESULTS.*AK

VEHICLE IDLED AT ABOUT 3000 RPM FOR NO REASON. NO ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND NO FAULTY CODES WERE DETECTED. CONSUMER HAD AIR CONTROL VALVE REPLACED, BUT IT DID NOT FIX THE DEFECT. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

VEHICLE IDLED AT ABOUT 3000 RPM FOR NO REASON. NO ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, AND NO FAULTY CODES WERE DETECTED. CONSUMER HAD AIR CONTROL VALVE REPLACED, BUT IT DID NOT FIX THE DEFECT. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

LOSS OF OIL (TWO QUARTS) EVERY 1000 MILES OF WEAR. THERE ARE NO SIGN OF LEAKAGES. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. *AK

LOSS OF ANTI-FREEZE DUE TO DEFECTIVE ENGINE INTAKE GASKET, AND EGR GASKET. *AK

LOSS OF ANTI-FREEZE DUE TO DEFECTIVE ENGINE INTAKE GASKET, AND EGR GASKET. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

ENGINE POWER LOSS AND TICKING NOISE CONTINUALLY, SERVICE BULLETIN REPAIR OF THE PISTONS DID NOT RECTIFY PROBLEMS.

ENGINE BLOCK MAKES LOUD NOISE. YH

INTERMITTENT STALLING; DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE. *AK

INTERMITTENT STALLING. *AK

CONSUMER HAS BEEN HAVING ENGINE TROUBLE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. PASSENGER'S SEATS ROCKS FORWARD AND BACK. MANUFACTURER PROVIDED NO SATISFACTION. *AK

ENGINE FAILED.