2001 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA Complaints

SUBJECT: GROSS MECHANIC ERROR , POSSIBLE FIRE / EXPLOSIVE SITUATION WHILE IN PALM BAY FL, I HAD MY FUEL FILTER CHANGED AT TIRE KINGDOM FOR ABOUT $90. THEIR MECHANIC INSTALLED A FUEL FILTER THAT RATTLED / DEFECTIVE AND HE DESTROYER THE FUEL LINE IT MOUNTED TO. THE TIRE KINGDOM MECHANIC, THREW OUT THE PLASTIC FUEL FILTER BRACKET AND BRAKE LINE HOLDER BECAUSE IT WAS TOO RUSTY. I WAS TOLD THIS A WEEK LATER BY THE MANAGER. I LOST ABOUT TWO TANKS OF FUEL GETTING TO ATLANTA, GA. I STOPPED FOR LUNCH AND NOTICED A 4 FOOT CIRCLE OF FUEL UNDER MY BRAVADA. I LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT A HACK JOB TIRE KINGDOM DID. MY VEHICLE COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BLEW UP!! THERE SHOULD BE FINES FOR SUCH A GROSS INCOMPETENCE AND CAUSING A DANGEROUS CONDITION. IF THE FUEL WOULD HAVE SPRAYED ON THE EXHAUST PIPE THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. TO GET ME HOME A LOCAL GARAGE, IN ATLANTA GEORGIA, FIXED IT TEMPORARILY SO I COULD MAKE IT HOME, WITH TIE TRAPS, NEW FILTER, REPAIRED FUEL LINE AND O-RING. I AM OUT ABOUT $446. I HAVE CONTACTED THE TBC CEO & SENIOR STAFF AT TCB CORP AND EXEC'S AT TIRE KINGDOM, OVER THE LAST 7 WEEKS BY E-MAIL & MAIL AND CERTIFIED MAIL. TIRE KINGDOM MANAGER BY PHONE & MAIL. I DO HAVE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS, PICTURES AND BILLS! I WAS NOT GIVEN THE DISCARDED BRACKET ASSY.. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE MY BRAVADA IN THE LAST 7 WEEKS FOR FEAR IT COULD BLOW UP. I NEED TO HAVE MY BRAVADA PUT BACK TO IT'S ORIGINAL STATE WITH THE PROPER FUEL FILTER AND BRAKE LINE BRACKET ASSY. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO SPRAY / LEAK TWO FULL TANKS OF GASOLINE ACROSS TWO STATES. YOU CANNOT JUST THROW AWAY PARTS BECAUSE THE MECHANIC THINK THEY ARE TOO RUSTY. PLASTIC BRACKETS DO NOT RUST. I WAS UNEXCEPTIONALLY AND INEXCUSABLE. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE POSTED 55MPH SPEED LIMIT WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THERE WAS NO POWER AS IF THE IGNITION FOR THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY TURNED OFF. WITH THERE BEING NO POWER TO THE VEHICLE, I COULD ONLY ALLOW THE MOMENTUM OF THE VEHICLE ROLL TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AWAY FROM TRAFFIC. I HAD NO USE OF TURN SIGNALS OR HAZARD SIGNALS. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO GET OVER SAFELY, I LOOKED AT THE DASHBOARD AND COLD ONLY SEE THE BATTERY INDICATOR LIGHT ON, NO OTHER LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. I TURNED THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION, REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, REINSERTED THE KEY AND TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. AT FIRST, NONE OF THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS WOULD COME ON WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, I HAD TO REPEATEDLY TURN THE KEY BACK AND FORTH AND THEN THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ALL CAME ON, I WAS THEN ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AS NORMAL AND LET THE VEHICLE SIT FOR A MOMENT. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE LOCATION OFF OF THE HIGHWAY AND BACK HOME. THIS WAS A VERY SCARY MOMENT SIMPLY FOR THE FACT THIS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT A VERY HIGH SPEED AND DURING TRAFFIC TIME. I ALSO HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. I AM VERY CONCERNED AND WOULD LIKE TO GET A POSSIBLE SOLUTION. *TR

MY 2001 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA HAD A SPONTANEOUS BRAKE FAILURE. THE LEFT REAR BRAKE LINE WAS FOUND TO BE EXTREMELY CORRODED. THE BRAKE FLUID ESCAPED AND THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. FORTUNATELY, I HAD STOPPED AT A STORE ON MY WAY TO WORK, UPON LEAVING, I STARTED THE ENGINE, PRESSED ON THE BRAKE TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE, AND THE PEDAL COLLAPSED TO THE FLOOR. UPON EXAMINATION, THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID ALL OVER THE GROUND AND DRIPPING FROM THE SUSPENSION. THE TOWING CHARGE WAS $55.00 AND THE REPAIR TO REPLACE THE CORRODED BRAKE LINE WAS APPROXIMATELY $200.00 I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION THE SECTION OF CORRODED BRAKE LINE. I HOPE THAT SOMEONE TAKES MY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE SERIOUSLY. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR

1. OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA WITH SMARTRAK AT 48,000 MILES AND GOOD CONDITION DEVELOPED DRIVETRAIN BINDING / LOCKING UP OVER SEVERAL MONTHS. 2. THE PROBLEM STARTED AS A MINOR BINDING WHEN BACKING OUT OR IN TIGHT FORWARD TURNS. NOW DRIVETRAIN ACTUALLY LOCKS UP IN TIGHT TURNING POSITION. HAVE TO PLAY WITH FORWARD/BACKWARD GEARS AND WHEEL DIRECTION TO ALLOW MOVEMENT. THIS HAS BECOME A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM IF MERGING ONTO OR BACKING INTO A TRAFFIC LANE. 3. INITIAL SERVICE AT GM DEALER WAS TO FLUSH AND FILL TRANSFER CASE FLUID, $140. INSTRUCTED TO DRIVE FOR A WHILE TO OBTAIN IMPROVEMENT. AFTER THREE WEEKS, CONDITION HAS GOTTEN WORSE. AM DEBATING NEXT STEP AND SERVICE PROVIDER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. WHEN THE CONTACT WOULD ACTIVATE THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT WOULD NOT WORK. HE WOULD HEAR A CLICKING SOUND FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND HE CHANGED THE RELAY, BUT THE ISSUE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V364000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 97,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 96,000.

THE AUTOMOBILE OVER HEATED BECAUSE THE THERMOSTAT IN THE ENGINE BLOC RUSTED THROUGH AND WATER BOILED OUT. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC OR SUPERVISOR, RAYMOND ROPER, MANY COMPONENTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD MY CAR MAINTAINED AT A GMC SERVICE AS LONG AS I HAD THE CAR. ALTHOUGH I HAD NOT HAD IT SERVICED FOR TWO YEARS OR 17 THOUSAND MILES, I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT THE COOLING SYSTEM WOULD SUFFER A COMPLETE RUST THROUGH. EVERY COMPONENT IN THE COOLING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT COST $2000.00 TO REPAIR IT. ALSO SEASIDE BUICK MAINTENANCE HAD ONLY CHANGED MY OIL EACH TIME I BROUGHT IT IN TO THEM. SEASIDE BEGAN MAINTAINING MY CAR AT ABOUT 28,000 MILE BEFORE THAT IT WAS WELL MAINTAINED BY HOLLIER OLDSMOBILE IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA. CAR WAS NOT DRIVEN FROM FLORIDA TO CALIFORNIA. BUT IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A LONG TRIP, IT COULD HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT SHOULD EVER HAPPEN AND I SUSPECT SOMETHING IS AMISS. THERE IS NOTHING BUT ANTIFREEZE IN THE CAR SO WHAT CAN CAUSE RUST. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WITH A DEER. THE FOLLOWING WEEK HE HEARD A SQUEAKING, CLUNKING, AND HUMMING NOISE WHILE DRIVING OVER 40 MPH. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS FAILURE WITH THE UPPER BALL JOINTS. GENERAL MOTORS STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR FREE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 60,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, THE ENTIRE LOWER CONTROL ARM BROKE AND CAUSED THE PASSENGER SIDE TO DROP TO THE GROUND. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF THE FAILED LOWER CONTROL ARM. HE DID NOT HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE CV AXLE AND LOWER CONTROL ARM WERE REPLACED. HE FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 60,000. UPDATED 01/23/08. *LJ UPDATED *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP SEEMS TO BE FAILING. THE REPAIR WAS COVERED TWICE UNDER WARRANTY. DURING SPRINGTIME, THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT AND THE CONTACT WOULD SMELL ANTIFREEZE. THE FUEL PUMP FAILED LAST YEAR AND THE DEALER STATED THAT IT IS ONLY UNDER WARRANTY FOR 12,000 MILES. OTHER MECHANICS STATED THAT A WATER PUMP SHOULD LAST ALMOST THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES. SHE HAS NOT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR HER STATE'S LEMON LAW, HOWEVER SHE WILL CALL FOR VERIFICATION. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, AND # OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 103,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 63,000 MILES. THIS WAS DUE TO BUILD UP OF GUNK CAUSED BY DEX COOL. *NM