1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED TWICE. FIRST REPAIRED AT MONROE SERVICE ON 11-18-2005 AT 76655 MILES THE COST WAS $731.16. SECOND REPAIR WAS AT GOODYEAR GEMINI ON 12-21-2006 AT 82274MILES. THE COST WAS $642.40. BOTH FACILITIES WERE ASE CERTIFIED. I HAVE BEEN AN ASSISTANT STORE MANAGER IN THE PAST FOR BOTH PROCARE AND GOODYEAR, AND RARELY SAW A FAILURE OF AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, EXCEPT IN EARLY FORIEGN ENGINES WITH ALUMINUM BLOCKS OR ALUMINUM HEADS OR BOTH. I JUST HAD A FRONT BRAKE OVERHAUL AT MIDAS, AND THE TECH NICIAN ASKED IF I HAD HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEINTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, WHICH SET ME OFF ON THIS SEARCH. I TALKED TO THE MANAGERS AT BOTH MONROE AND GOODYEAR ,AND BOTH SAID THEY HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THESE GASKETS THAT THEY HAVE HAD TO REPAIR. DID A GOOGLE SEARCH AND FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT, AND SAW THAT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OUT OF CANADA WAS BEING FILED. I COULD PROVIDE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION OF BOTH REPAIRS. TALKED TO GM ABOUT IT, AND AS I EXPECTED, SAID THAT I DIDN'T BRING IT TO A GM FACILITY FOR REPAIR, AND THAT IT HAD EXCESSIVE MILEAGE. I DID NOT CONSIDER 76665 OR 82274 AS EXCESSIVE MILEAGE FOR THE YEAR OF THE CAR OR THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS DEFECT CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK OUT ONTO HOT EXTERIOR OF THE ENGINE? *AK

Mileage: 82,274

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET- 3100 V6 ENGINE ON GM PRODUCT. *JB

Mileage: 129,000

DT:THE CONTACT STATED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKED OIL AND ANTIFREEZE DUE TO THE TYPE OF PLASTIC THAT WAS MANUFACTURED FOR THIS GASKET. THE GASKET HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ASSIST IN THE COST. *AK UPDATED 11/30/2005 - ALTHOUGH THE DEALER VERIFIED THE PROBLEM AS REQUESTED BY THE MANUFACTURER THEY REFUSED REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR. *NM

Mileage: 41,000

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SHUT DOWN IN TRAFFIC, AND LEAKED ANTIFREEZE CONTINUOUSLY. *AK

Mileage: 59,850

ENGINE OVERHEATED. CONSUMER MADE IT HOME, AND AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE.*AK

Mileage: 101,000

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING THROUGH THE ENGINE. SUDDENLY, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED . VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT SERPENTINE BELT BROKE. *AK

Mileage: 60,000

I HAVE A 97 AND 99 OLDSMOBILE CUTLAS WITH V6-191 3.1L VIN M SFI ENGINES. THEY BOTH LEAK COOLANT FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AT THE REAR OF THE ENGINE. I AM TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AND IS CAUSED BY THE DEX COOL ANTI-FREEZE INSTALLED BY THE MFG. THE COST EST. FROM THE OLDS DEALER IS $850.00 TO REPLACE THE GASKET. THESE CARS EACH HAVE 50,000 MI. IF THIS IS IN FACT A COMMON PROBLEM I SHOULD GET SOME RELIEF FROM THE MANUFACTURE. *LA

Mileage: 52,400

SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 1997, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, ONCE WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT FAILED, AN $800 REPAIR. THE MOTOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MALFUNCTIONED, A $400 REPAIR. TODAY, WHILE DRIVING HOME THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, I WAS WITHIN A MILE OF HOME, SO I JUST KEPT GOING. AS I WAS TURNING INTO MY DRIVEWAY, ALL OF THE CONTROLS ON THE DASHBOARD FAILED, SPEED LIMIT, GAS GAUGE, ETC. I ALSO APPARENTLY HAD NO LIGHTS BECAUSE THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST RAN INTO ME WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS DIDN'T WORK.*AK

Mileage: 137,000

ENGINE REAR NUT BOLTS BROKEN, ENGINE MOVES AT THE LEAST BUMP ON PAVEMENT. TICKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL NOT START RIGHT AWAY. COOLANT CONSTANT NEEDED. ENGINE LIGHT/OR BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON.*AK

ABS LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY, BRAKING DISTANCE IS NORMAL. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER 15-20 TIMES. REPLACED BRAKE PADS/ ALTERNATOR/ BATTERY/ WIRING HARNESS, AND PUT IN SENSOR. DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM, VEHICLE AT DEALER AT THIS TIME. *AK SERPENTINE AND TENSIONER BELT BROKEN. SECURITY LIGHT BLINKS DUE TO BAD THEFT LOCK SENSOR ASSEMBLY . BLOWER SPEEDS INOPERATIVE. A/C CONTROL INOPERATIVE. LEFT FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE FALLS TO FLOOR. POWER WINDOW INOPERABLE DUE TO ELECTRICAL SWITCH FAILURE. *YH

DEALER REPLACED LOWER INTAKE GASKET DUE TO AN OIL LEAK. *SLC

DEALER REPLACED LOWER INTAKE GASKET DUE TO AN OIL LEAK. *SLC

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT HAS COME ON 4 TIMES, INDICATING SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE 4 TIMES BECAUSE WATER BUILDS UP IN THE AIR PUMP. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE AIR PUMP/ INTAKE MANIFOLD AND CLEANED INJECTORS. STILL HAS PROBLEMS. *AK

OIL SENSOR FAILED. YH

WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE SHUT DOWN, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.*AK

ENGINE STALLED ON FREEWAY.