2000 Pontiac Bonneville engine and engine cooling problems

“THIS 2000 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 3.8L WITH APPROXIMATELY 195K MILES WAS OPERATING NORMALLY OVER THE LAST 72 HOURS. IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 300 MILES BETWEEN 12/16 AND 12/18 @ 12:50 PM THE DATE OF THE FIRE.THAT COLD MORNING (8 DEGREES F) IT WAS DRIVEN 10 MILES RT @ 9AM, 20 MILES RT BETWEEN 10:30 AND NOON, AND THEN SAT FOR APPROXIMATELY 1/2 HOUR BEFORE IT WAS DRIVEN 5 MILES TO A LOCAL STORE BY MY SON. WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE STORE/GAS STATION HE PARKED NEAR THE PUMPS AND WHEN HE SHUT OFF ENGINE TO GO INTO STORE, SMELLED BURNING SMOKE FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND WAS GREETED BY ACTIVE FLAMES COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THE FIRE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY EXTINGUISHED AND THE BURNED PART OF THE ENGINE WAS THE TOP AND FRONT LEFT QUARTER (FACING THE VEHICLE). THE ANTI-FREEZE RESERVOIR WAS MELTED THROUGH. *TR”

“I SMELLED A BURNING ODOR IN MY BONNEVILLE SSEI. THE LOCAL GM DEALER, ON THE INCIDENT DATE IN THIS FORM, TOLD ME THE CAUSE WAS OIL DRIPPING ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND THAT IT WAS A FIRE HAZARD. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND AN EXISTING NHTSA ACTION NUMBER (EA07008) FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM I AM HAVING FOR THE EXACT 3800 SERIES II V6 L67 GM ENGINE. THERE WERE 2 RECALLS FOR CARS WITH THIS ENGINE, BUT MY PONTIAC MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED (EVEN THOUGH IT HAS THE EXACT SAME ENGINE). THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECALLS ARE 08V118000 & 09V116000. I ESCALATED THIS PROBLEM WITHIN GM AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE GM DEALER FOR ANOTHER INSPECTION. THE GM DEALER VERIFIED THAT MY ENGINE IS THE SAME AS THE RECALLED ENGINE AND THAT I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. GM REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE MY VEHICLE'S VIN WASN'T SPECIFICALLY INCLUDED IN THE RECALLS. I STRONGLY BELIEVE MY VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE EARLIER RECALLS AND NOW SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR A NEW RECALL TO ELIMINATE THIS SAFETY HAZARD.”

“FIRE IGNITED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE PARKED IN A MALL PARKING LOT ABOUT 5 TO 10 MINUTES AFTER LEAVING VEHICLE COMPLETELY DESTROYING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE.”

“I HAVE A 2000 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE W/ A 3.8 V6 3800 SERIES LL ENGINE. I HAVE NOTICED OIL COMING FROM THE INTAKE DRIPPING DOWN ONTO THE MANIFOLD. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE SUPER CHARGED 3800 SERIES LL FOR THE REGAL AND GRAND PRIX. I WOULD LIKE TO NO WHY THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS MODEL. SAME PROBLEM, JUST NOT SUPER CHARGED. WHAT HAPPENS IF IT CATCHES FIRE LIKE SOME OF THE OTHERS HAVE? THEN WILL THERE BE A RECALL? I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO IT IS ALL ON ME. *DT”

“I'VE RUN INTO A DEX-COOL PROBLEM WITH MY PONTIAC 2000. THE CAR HAS 65.000 MI AND THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET IS STARTING TO LEAK, EVENTUALLY DESTROYING THE ENGINE. WHAT KIND OF RECOURSE DO I HAVE AFTER THE DEX-COOL CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT IS CLOSED? THE POSTMARK AND ONLINE SUBMISSION DEADLINE TO SUBMIT A CLAIM STATEMENT WAS OCTOBER 27, 2008. I DID NOT HAD ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CLASS ACTION SUIT AND DEADLINE. SINCE THIS IS CLEARLY AN OEM DEFECT INVOLVING THOUSANDS OF CARS AND DRIVERS GM SHOULD HAVE REACTED RESPONSIBLY AND ISSUED A RECALL. *TR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE. AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND AN OIL LEAK WAS DISCOVERED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE PROVIDED BECAUSE THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000.”