1996 Chevrolet Corsica engine and engine cooling problems

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET CORSICA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE TO NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND WAS TAKEN TO SERWE CHEVROLET. THEY REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET AT THE COST OF $500. LESS THAN TWO YEARS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED AGAIN AT THE COST OF $577. DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS SEPARATING YET AGAIN. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED HAVING IT REPLACED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.”

“OUR 96 CORSICA BEGAN TO LOSE POWER OFF AND ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. SOMETIMES IT WOULD STALL. WE HAD THE CAR LOOKED AT AND FOUND AN COOLANT LEAK. COOLANT WAS LEAKING ON THE GROUND AS WELL AS INTO THE HEAD GASKET. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND ENGINE. *TR”

“1996 CHEVROLET CORSICA LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD DEFECT. CONSUMERS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE GASKET FAILURE ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. WHEN HIS FAILED IT CAUSED ENGINE COOLANT TO GET INTO THE OIL PAN. *KB”

“WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR, INCLUDING THE HEATING AND ELECTICAL SYSTEMS(ALTERNATOR, RADIO, ETC.)AND THE TRANSMISSION. THE MAIN ONE AT THIS POINT IS THE PEELING PAINT. THE CAR IS A VERY NICE MEDIUM BLUE, BUT IT LOOKS TERRIBLE DUE TO THE SPOTS OF GRAY WHERE THE PAINT JUST BUBBLED UP AND FLAKED OFF, VERY MUCH LIKE IT GOT A SUNBURN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER IN OCTOBER 2000 FOR SOME WORK ON THE ALIGNMENT AND ASKED TO HAVE RESEARCHED WHETHER THERE WAS A POLICY ON FIXING THE PAINT, WHICH HAD ALREADY BEGUN PEELING OFF. HE TOLD ME HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND TOOK THE VIN NUMBER. ABOUT A WEEK LATER, THE TRANSMISSION BROKE AND I BECAME ABSORBED IN FIXING THAT PROBLEM, SO THE PAINT PROBLEM BECAME SECONDARY. SINCE I NEVER HEARD BACK FROM THAT DEALER, I CONTACTED ANOTHER ONE AND WAS TOLD RIGHT OFF THAT THERE WAS NO POLICY CONCERNING MY CAR, AND SUGGESTED THE PAINT WAS DAMAGED BY RAIN OR BIRD DROPPINGS. THE PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. I HAVE ANOTHER BLUE CHEVY, A 1990 CAVALIER, WHICH HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO THE SAME SUN AND RAIN AS THE CORSICA, AND IT HAS YET TO FLAKE ITS' PAINT. NOW I HEAR THAT GM HAD A 6/5 YEAR POLICY, BUT NOW THAT I HAVE FOUND OUT…”

“MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE PAINT AND THE AIRCONDITIONING. THE PAINT BEGAN TO PEEL RIGHT AFTER I BOUGHT IT AND I WAS NOT AWARE OF A RECALL AND COULDN'T AFFORD TO HAVE IT REPAINTED. IT LOOKS LIKE IT HAS A DISEASE. THE AIR CONDITIONING QUIT LAST SUMMER AND I HAVE A HEART CONDITION. I HAD TO HAVE A BAG OF ICE WITH ME ALL THE TIME TO STAY COOL, BECAUSE, AGAIN I DID NOT HAVE THE FINANCES TO GET IT FIXED. THE POWER LOCKS AND MY HORN JUST QUIT WORKING AND THE FUSE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND, SO I'M REALLY JUST HOPING SOMEONE CAN TELL ME HOW TO CHANGE THAT. I CAN'T FIND IT AND I HAVE A CORSICA AUTO BOOK FROM AUTO ZONE. I APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET MY CAR REPAINTED. I THINK I SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO THE RECALL.”

“THE HEAD GASKET CRACKED/BROKE. I SMELT THE ANITFREEZE AND OPEN THE HOOD TO SEE IT DRIBBLE FROM THE HEAD GASKET. THE CAR DEALER IS FIXING IT FOR ~$800. THE CAR IS STILL YOUNG AT 95K MILES. PREVIOUSLY I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR 3-4 TIME TO CHECK THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE, WHICH NEVER MOVES ABOE THE 1/8TH MARK. SO I NEVER GOT ANY INDICATION THAT THE ENGINE HEATED UP TO LEAD TO THE GASKET FAILURE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR SUCH A LOW MILEAGE. THEY HAD A RECALL FOR 1995 CHEVY/PONTIAC SISTER CARS FOR THE SAME ISSUE, IS WHAT THE DEALER TOLD ME. SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE ALL RELATED.”