Dex-cool Lawsuit

[3.4Alero]

Originally posted by Grant
Hey...found out about this on line and was contacted by a law firm today about this. The firm has begun a class action lawsuit for requiring the use of Dex-Cool to maintain warranty.
If you have experienced any coolant system repairs, they would like to hear from you!

Contact:

Melissa De Bartolomeo
Girard Gibbs & De Bartolomeo
866-981-4800
mdb@girardgibbs.com

I personally always thought the recommend change interval of 6 years/100K life was way too long. I do my vehicles every two years.

[flalero]

Originally posted by 3.4Alero@Nov 18 2003, 07:12 PM
The firm has begun a class action lawsuit for requiring the use of Dex-Cool to maintain warranty.
Yeah, but have you ever tried to run regular coolant. It just doesn't work. Dex-cool may not last as long as it is supposed to, but you do have to use it. If you don't, well, it's like not even using coolant at all. Trust me, I tried using regular coolant in a Sunfire after it blew a hose and dumped all of its coolant. It just overheated like it didn't even have any coolant in it.

[3.4Alero]

Did you flush your entire system thoroughly? Dex-Cool + Ethylene Glycol (green antifreeze) = a gelled mess. If ANY Dex-Cool was left in your system, it would have gelled on contact with the ethylene glycol and fugged everything up.

[flalero]

If you are asking me the question, no I did not flush the system. It was in a girlfriend's car and it was an emergency fix. Plus I wasn't thinking at the time, it just didn't click at the time that a Sunfire is a GM. Just forget in the thick of things.

[matty61184]

Doesn't GM recommend you flush the coolant every 5 years or 100,000 miles? My Alero is a 99' but only has 34K on it. Would it be a good idea to get a coolant flush anyways?

[dadirtybulldog]

i completely flush my radiater and all out every year.... dex-cool isn't that expensive so i keep nice, clean coolant in my car... i say flush it.

[dbailey]

:blink: I just noticed some of that light brownish sludge/goo on the bottom of my radiator cap. Wonder what that is? Relative to the lawsuit problem?

[bigd6983]

no dbailey you probably have the lower intake manifold leak. and i hope you have a warranty still otherwise its going to get expensive.

[dbailey]

;) Thanks for the feedback. I do recall a mechanic saying the mainfold is leaking. I have the Wynn's Extended Warranty so I'll take it to Pontiac since there aren't any Olds dealers around here and see what they say. Hope it is covered!

[smokinAMD]

Dex-cool is pink / orangeish isn't it?

[FormulaNERD]

yea, it's about as neon orange as regular antifreeze is neon green :P

[sheldo79]

I ve flushed, drain, emptied my system and it ran hot for the longest time then i did the thermo the water pump everything u can and i put the dex cool back it still went hot so i gave up i dont like it ill probaly drain it and put the good ol green back in and see what happens o mine is a '99w/ 77400mi (but i love my car so its worth it)lol

[Grant]

I just flushed my '01 with 17K miles. Fluid was light pink...not the regular Dexcool orange color. Car definitely runs cooler now and temp guage doesn't go over mid point as much as it used to.

To the poster that had the brown sludge on the bottom of the cap...it can be either the manifold gasket leak OR a dexcool issue. For legal/warranty purposes, I would get a certified mechanic (or several opinions) on cause of sludge.

[bigd6983]

whoa whoa sheldo......dont be putting that green stuff in there, its meant to have the dex cool, and im sure a mixing of the two is probably not a good thing.....

[99ALERO]

i dont think this lawsuit is true cause i never heard anything from it and it was never in teh paper or on the news. SO whats the deal yo? LOL

[3.4Alero]

Here ya go:
http://www.imcool.com/articles/antifreeze-...cle-Excerpt.pdf (http://www.imcool.com/articles/antifreeze-coolant/CPM-52-DEXArticle-Excerpt.pdf)

[jabartram]

Here is an article on the mixing issueParagraph 7 (http://www.imcool.com/articles/antifreeze-coolant/dexcool-macs2001.htm)

[EatonBlower]

Zerex is far superior to DexCool when is comes to sludge. Its clear and comes standard in Ford, Chrysler, and Toyota vehicles. Not to mention on the package when it compares itself to competitors they refer to a picture of orangish-brown sludge (dexcool) as there competitors. If you flush your system just about any coolant/antifreeze will do just make sure its good for aluminum.

[Eh_nigma]

After 22000 KM (one year) I flushed out the dex-cool... but by flushed out, I mean, yeah, all of it was completely washed out. 78000 has rolled by a few weeks ago, been using the green stuff since, and I've never had a problem with overheating. On highways the needle is a few mm below the mid point, even in summer heat traffic jams in downtown Calgary it barely ever passed the midway point.

[FrankNY]

It's just a matter of getting the DEX-COOL completely out before putting in the green anti-freeze/coolant. Drain the radiator, fill with water, run car (with heater on high fan, to clean fluid in heater core), repeat drain radiator fill with water run car. Keep doing this until what drains is ONLY water. Now you know it's all out of the block.

[alero440]

Ok I have a question. I have the 3400 with 71300. I bought it used from the GM dealer I work for and last summer I noticed the temp guage creeping above the half way point with I was stuck in traffic and honestly I got worried most times. It turned cold and I didn't think of it until now. Here it is almost summer and I don't want it to happen again. Is this a normal thing for that to do or is it because of a coolant issue? PLease let me know!!

[Pestario13]

I switched my system over to the green stuff and haven't had a problem since. I changed it when for some dumb ass reason the water pump got a hole in the side of it. That was 3 years ago and not a problem with over heating once, and I drove 1200 miles damn near non stop.

[99ALERO]

I just did a complete system flush and used the Prestone Extended life coolant,(orange stuff). Never had a problem with Dex-cool.

[Cliff8928]

No problems with dex-cool here either... In multiple engines (not all in cars/trucks either)

[dt_freak1]

Question. Does this also apply to Intake Manifold Gaskets cuz my car's Intake Manifold Gasket went out at 60K miles and got replaced under extended warranty. also my parent's 02 Montana with the 3400 V6 at 34K lost their Intake Manifold Gasket and it got replaced by the local Chevy\GM Dealership Gratis via their Warranty which goes to 75K miles. if so will this whole thing apply to US?

[gre0481]

Originally posted by dbailey@May 15 2004, 09:26 AM
:blink: I just noticed some of that light brownish sludge/goo on the bottom of my radiator cap. Wonder what that is? Relative to the lawsuit problem?
Quoted post



WHen you notice that brownish goo/sludge, it's time for a flush.

Under normal conditions, they say your coolant will last 100000 miles.

Your coolant is coagulating, it happens with older, or used up coolant.

The problem starts when it coagulates. FLush the system, replace the dex cool, it'll be fine .
When it coagulates, you'll lose flow, and I've heard of some systems starting to rust out.
wouln't hurt to check your coolant every so often. preventive maintenance