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General Motors' Plastic Intake Manifold

Really clever of GM to make the intake manifold out of plastic, wasn't it? Plastic doesn't stand up well to the heat in that part of the engine compartment and all kinds of bad things happen as a result. The problem affects a number of engines and models, including those below. Buicks have more than their share of this problem.

Joel of Edison NJ (2/9/04):
I own a 1998 Olds Cutlass. At 40,000 miles the intake manifold gasket went bad. Now I have my 2001 Blazer and at 40,000 miles -- guess what? The intake manifold went bad. GM says they don't have a problem -- only worn-out parts. But they replace the gasket with one made with a different material.

Ken of Andover NJ (2/1/04):
I purchased an Olds Alero for my son to commute back and forth from NJ to Maine to attend college. It was purchased in April of 2003 with 31,000 miles on it. The car was brought in for a check-up because there was a miss in the engine when started. I was told that the intake manifold gasket was leaking and that the engine was ingesting anti-freeze and, thus, causing the misfire in the cylinder number 2. I am told the repair is between $800 to $900. I have to make this repair or the engine will be damaged and the replacement engine will cost $2500.

Unfortunately, I need this repair done now so that the car can be driven back to Maine. I would love to know how I can get reimbursed for this outlay and be assured from GMC that the problem will not recur.

Samuel of Eustis FL (1/29/04):
My daughter and I own a 1999 Oldsmobile Alero. A coolant leak has developed around the intake manifold. I have learned that there are many other cases of this happening with the early model Alero V6. Usually the factory warranty has expired. We do not have an extended warrenty on this vehicle but this problem is so prevelant that Oldsmobile should take care of the problem. It will cost $600 to $800 to repair this defect. We cannot afford this repair.

Steven of Warminster PA (1/27/04):
The plastic intake manifold in my 1996 Pontiac Bonneville leaked coolant into my engine requiring $800 in repairs. The vehicle has only 62,000 miles on it. The cause of the coolant leak is a known and acknowledged design issue, associated with the plastic manifold by GM, yet they are not willing to accept responsibility or accountability for the large number of failures associated with this design flaw.

Lisa of Walton KY (1/23/04):
I purchased a 2000 Chevy Venture, used, in 2002. In January of 2004 the intake manifold gasket was leaking water into the oil. The service center at Tom Gill GM was aware that this is a problem with the gasket on this particular 3.4L motor. Researching the problem on the internet, there are thousands of people who have experienced this same problem, some under warranty and some not. To make a long story short, goodwill assistance was declined by the dealership and the regional office. The service person at Tom Gill explained that if we had brought our van to the dealership for regular maintenance (we take it to an independent mechanic and have all service documented), they could have been watching for this problem and may have caught it sooner. I fail to see why the consumer should bear the cost of repair, in this case $917.74, when it is a known problem. The gasket has been redesigned since the manufacture of these vehicles.

Claudette of Sabattus ME (1/19/04):
1998 Pontiac Bonneville, 80,000 with a plastic manifold. My husband and I just returned from a trip South. My car had been in the driveway during this cold snap we had in Maine. When he started up my car, the maniford shattered and caused an engine fire. Our mechanic showed us the melted gas line and told us he was seconds from the gas tank blowing up. He also told us that he sees this problem in GM cars with plastic manifolds. They either crack in the summer heat or in extreme cold, causing a backfire and an explosion.

I'm hoping that my insurance will cover the close to $2,000 damage to my car. It's not the money that bothers me it's the fact that this is happening. It happened to us and it happened to others. GM needs to recall that part or warn owners of this defect before someone is injured in a car explosion! Does someone have to die before this problem is corrected?

Kirk of Valdosta GA (1/7/04):
I called Pontiac customer support to report a problem I experienced with my Pontiac Montana leaking DEXCOOL antifreeze from my intake manifold. I stated the vehicle was only 3 1/2 years old and referenced a technical service bulletin put out by GM that had redesigned the gasket and increased the torque requirements for the retaining bolts. I asked Dave (Pontiac Rep) if GM was going to reimburse me for the $735 needed to repair my van since it is obviously a design flaw and the dexcool antifreeze is under scrutiny by experts for causing this problem. Dave opened a case number for me and said he'd call me back with more details on 5 Jan 04. He never phoned and I've left voice mail messages and spoken to another Pontiac rep for the last three days.

Gene of Canfield OH (12/30/03):
Manifold intake seal failure common in GM autos like my 1998 Olds Achieva with less than 60,000 miles. Over $600 in repairs so far.

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