Faults:
The driver side door handle broke twice. It is poorly designed, and a common problem for this car.
The blinkers are malfunctioning. The right blinker must be manually blinked, or it just stays on. Another common problem with this car.
I was told the brake rotors were worn out almost every time I had my brake pads replaced. They are flimsy and wear quickly.
At 100,000 miles, the catalytic converter went out.
At 105,000 miles, I had a valve leak in the engine that was very costly to fix.
At 110,000 miles, the thermostat malfunctioned and it blew a head gasket.
At 115,000 miles, I had to replace the spark plugs, which unfortunately are very difficult to access, and consequently expensive to replace.
The car has had the service engine light on since, but after so many costly repairs, I have decided to simply run the car until it dies. It has been running for about 6 months.
General Comments:
Despite all the problems, I really enjoy this vehicle.
It is very roomy and comfortable, easily fitting 4 adults.
The ride is very smooth.
The V6 gives a lot of power that many newer cars are lacking.
This car gets excellent gas mileage.
30th Jul 2005, 13:34
Sadly, a lot of these problems could have been fixed easily and cheaply with more knowledge and timely maintenance. The plugs should have been replaced much earlier than 110,000. Did you change the coolant, the oil, the tranny fluid regularly? The brake rotors should have been replaced with a better aftermarket alternative, the thermostat is a cheap item that should have failed in the open position. Of course you would have to pull over immediately and shut off the engine when overheating to prevent head gasket failure. Learn to take a look at your gauges and lights while driving... it could save many expensive repairs. I have had those door handles on 3 different GM cars and have never had a problem, none went less than 150,000 miles.