MY CAR DIED......can I sue GM for not recalling the UIM?

[persuazion]

Well my car is sitting in a walmart parkinglot tonight..lonely and cold. No coolant in the resevoir even though it was topped off the day before....on my way to work engine lost all power and sputtered and high pitch clicking sound started.It made it to the lot then I turned it off and heard a horrible gurgling noise...and sure enough,it wont start up.It is turning over but thats it.What have I done and what can I do? Why would GM not do a recall on a part they KNOW is supposed to be metal? I have a 99 with only 55,000 miles on it.I changed the oil when I was supposed to...I took care of it like I was supposed to.Should I even attempt to dump money into it not knowing if sumthing else is screwed up and just waiting to break down also.SHould I just sell it for parts and go about my never buying another GM product car shopping? Car trouble sucks....

[Scrapper]

gurgling don't sound good on that moter imagine you got blown head gasket and or cracked head. got to hot and lost it's compresion. buy a ford rager they hold up.

[C man]

I strongly doubt you have a head gasket problem. You have to overheat these more than a couple of times to warp a head gasket. I have seen someone ruin one of these engines because they didn't replace a radiator.
More than likely you haven't hydrolocked the engine if it still turns over. 55k seems early even for the plenum problem. I suspect mine happened around 80k and was replaced in 2003...or really thats when the plenum was manufactured. I bought it in 2006 with 108k and currently have 146k with no issues yet. The aftermarket ones are improved. Mine is still a GM but is holding up well. Am I scared yes. Thats why a check the coolant level almost every week.
Will GM ever fess up. NO they would go past bankrupt. There are just to many 3800 plenums to replace. But I wouldn't give up on the car or GM yet. My mom has put 40k on a G6 4cly model in slightly over a year's time. No issues.
Scrapper1, why do you misspell in your post so much...no offense, but to spell "motor" like "moter"

[Scrapper]

well do your time in the army and get your scull cracked you might screw up spelling also. but point is u n w i m.

[C man]

My bad...you want hear any more spelling comments from me, I had just wonderd this when I read thur your post before.

[maxwedge]

Cool it guys! Number two there is a pending class action suite related to the 3.1 lim gaskets and the 3.8 UIM as well, it will be decided in the courts as of 11/25/08.

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by maxwedge

Cool it guys! Number two there is a pending class action suite related to the 3.1 lim gaskets and the 3.8 UIM as well, it will be decided in the courts as of 11/25/08.

Add to that the "resolution" (for lack of a better term) of the 3.4 gaskets class action suit, one would hope GM has enough money left to pay as they are this close to bankruptcy .http://www.independent.co.uk/news/bu...s-1001509.html

[polarzak]

Originally Posted by maxwedge

Cool it guys! Number two there is a pending class action suite related to the 3.1 lim gaskets and the 3.8 UIM as well, it will be decided in the courts as of 11/25/08.

Unfortunately I got rid of my bills and the lousy car (96 olds.88). Good luck to those who seek to be reimbursed for this lousy piece of engine technology.

[BNaylor]

Since this is a '99 I would not speculate as to the cause until a tear down is performed which should be done as soon as possible. Start by removing the UIM. The '99 up GM cars with SII 3800 normally do not have UIM plenum issues since GM installed a revised one in 1999 and up and a modified EGR stovepipe on the lower intake manifold. Lower intake manifold gaskets are more common to include the UIM gasket.

On the GM class action lawsuit the deadline to join with proof of repairs was around May 31, 2008, otherwise you are SOL.

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by polarzak

Unfortunately I got rid of my bills and the lousy car (96 olds.88). Good luck to those who seek to be reimbursed for this lousy piece of engine technology.

I'm not as familiar with the other class action suits being brought against GM other than the one that recently closed (10/27/08), but if it still is open, my advice would be to read through all the fine print of the suit as they usually outline what is required to participate. I , too, no longer owned the eligible vehicle in the class action suit( the one that recently closed), but the language set forth said all you needed to do was be an owner or leasee during the time frame the suit covered. They then outline what proof of ownership was acceptable such as a copy of a title or registration, proof of insurance, etc. I called my insurance agent and they sent a statement that I had insurance coverage on said vehicle from 1998 to 2006, which satisfied that requirement.( I sold the vehicle so I no longer had any title or registration documents.)
I also contacted the guy who did the work back in 2001 and he gave me a copy of the invoice for the work, which was another requirement to participate. If you can go back and get copies from all the parties involved, and meet the criteria, as long as the open period for joining the suit is still valid, then you should give it a shot.

[BNaylor]

I wouldn't speculate on the lawsuits either.

There were many factors including age and mileage. The link below has a good explanation. Also, anyone that tries to sue GM at this point in time with a new lawsuit will probably be barred from doing so. The legal doctrines of res judicata which is claim and issue preclusion and estoppel may apply. The biggest problem is finding a lawyer willing to sue GM and the cost in pursuing this type of litigation.

Dexcool Settlement

['97ventureowner]

Originally Posted by BNaylor

I wouldn't speculate on the lawsuits either.

There were many factors including age and mileage. The link below has a good explanation. Also, anyone that tries to sue GM at this point in time with a new lawsuit will probably be barred from doing so. The legal doctrines of res judicata which is claim and issue preclusion and estoppel may apply. The biggest problem is finding a lawyer willing to sue GM and the cost in pursuing this type of litigation.

Dexcool Settlement

That's what I meant when I said one really needs to read the wording of the class action notice to see, 1) if it is still open to new claimants,and 2) if they have an eligible vehicle. The suit that just closed a few weeks back had outlined certain vehicles that were part of the suit. They were broken down into "groups" based on engine size, model, model year, and covered repairs.
From girardgibbs.com/dexcool.html :

COVERED VEHICLES

Vehicles covered under the settlement are divided into three groups. Each group of vehicles is listed below, followed by the covered repairs, for which cash reimbursement is available under the settlement.

Note: If you own one of the models listed below, but (i) with a different engine size than what is listed, or (ii) the vehicle was manufactured using a lower intake manifold gasket other than a nylon/silicone gasket, or (iii) the vehicle is a Group A vehicle manufactured after April 9, 2003, then you are not covered by the settlement and are not eligible to file a claim.

GROUP A VEHICLES- Model years 1995-2003, equipped with 3.1 or 3.4 liter V6 engine, manufactured before April 10, 2003 with a nylon/silicone lower intake manifold gasket.
Buick Century, Rendezvous, Regal, Skylark
Chevrolet Impala, Lumina, Malibu, Monte Carlo, Venture, Corsica, Beretta, Lumina APV
Oldsmobile Alero, Cutlass (Supreme and Ciera), Silhouette
Pontiac Aztek, Grand Am, Grand Prix, Montana, Trans Sport

Group A Covered Repairs: Replacement of failed nylon/silicone lower intake manifold gasket.

Note: Some of these vehicles may have been offered for sale with an engine other than a 3.1-liter or 3.4 -liter V6 engine. Any of the above models sold with an engine other than a 3.1-liter or 3.4 -liter V6 engine are not included and are not eligible to make a claim.

GROUP B VEHICLES- Model years 1995-2004, equipped with 3.8-liter V6 engine (internal GM engine designation RPO L36).
Buick LeSabre, Park Avenue, Regal, Riviera
Chevrolet Camaro, Impala, Lumina, Monte Carlo
Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight, Intrigue, LSS, Ninety-Eight
Pontiac Bonneville, Firebird, Grand Prix

Group B Covered Repairs: Repairs necessitated by engine coolant sealing issues,including replacement of throttle body gasket, upper intake manifold gasket,lower intake manifold gasket, or intake manifold.

Note: Some of these vehicles may have been offered for sale with an engine other than a 3.8-liter V6 engine RPO L36. Any of the above models sold with an engine other than a 3.8-liter V6 engine RPO L36 are not included and are not eligible to make a claim.

GROUP C VEHICLES- Model years 1995-2000, equipped with 4.3-liter V6 engine.
Chevrolet Blazer, Chevrolet S-10
GMC Envoy, Jimmy, S-15
Oldsmobile Bravada

Group C Covered Repairs: Repairs necessitated by cooling-system sludge, including cooling-system flush, heater core repairs, water pump repairs, or radiator cap replacement. “Sludge” refers to a rust-like material that can form in the cooling system and whose formation is related to use of Dex-Cool.

[BNaylor]

Group C Covered Repairs: Repairs necessitated by cooling-system sludge, including cooling-system flush, heater core repairs, water pump repairs, or radiator cap replacement. “Sludge” refers to a rust-like material that can form in the cooling system and whose formation is related to use of Dex-Cool.

That part is a good laugh. ....

The sludge is caused either by exposure to air, improper Dexcool replacement interval, or oil or combustion by-products in the cooling system. Stuff doesn't look like rust to me.

[auto trainy]

My friend is a GM service mgr and told me a story about how it got solid as concrete,I guess service intervals are important when it comes to Dex Cool.

[Hapynzap]

My 1999 LeSabre UIM went at 135k and even hydro-locked the engine. I replaced it myself and the car runs like a champ now.