People who owned or leased General Motors vehicles damaged by Dex-Cool have until October 27 to file a complaint which could lead to a limited reimbursement for repairs under the terms of a nationwide class-action settlement, according to San Francisco law firm Girard Gibbs.
Hundreds of consumers have written ConsumerAffairs.Com to report expensive repairs in GM vehicles which they claimed was caused by the Dex-Cool used in the engine cooling system.
An Arkansas Chevrolet Blazer owner reported that Dex-Cool "corroded and destroyed the heater core and other parts" of his daughter's 1998 Blazer. "Despite the vehicle having only about 30,000 miles, I have been to multiple GM dealers who all denied there was any association with their coolant," he wrote.
A Pontiac Montana owner told us he replaced the head gasket and the radiator along with other expensive repairs "all prior to 100,000 miles, due to Dex-Cool." The cooling system, he wrote is "completely jelled" and needs to be flushed.
A Tennessee woman reported her GMC Yukon leaked Dex-Cool, "causing all sorts of damage."
Consumers who bought or leased certain 1995-2004 model year GM vehicles with 3.1-liter, 3.4 liter, 3.8-liter, or 4.3-liter engines are eligible for the reimbursement for Dex-Cool related engine repairs that occurred within seven years or 150,000 miles, whichever is earlier, of original vehicle purchase, according to the law firm.
The repairs that are covered under the terms of the settlement include intake manifold gasket replacements, cooling system flushes and heater core repairs.
While consumers will not be fully compensated for their Dex-Cool related expenses, people who file their complaints by the October 27 deadline will be eligible for up to $400 for each repair that occurred during the first 5 years of ownership, up to $100 per repair in the sixth year and up to $50 per repair in the seventh year, according to Girard Gibbs.
In some limited circumstances, consumers could be eligible for as much as $800 to cover more expensive repairs that were the result of internal coolant leaks in the engine, according to the law firm.
To be eligible for compensation under the settlement, repairs must have been made no later than May 30, 2008.
Dex-Cool is an orange-colored coolant that that was used by GM in cars and trucks beginning in 1995. Dex-Cool has generated more than a dozen lawsuits in state and federal courts. All of the lawsuits claim that GM vehicles with Dex-Cool developed problems ranging from coolant leaks to radiator and engine failure.
People who want to file a claim in the class-action lawsuit should contact Girard Gibbs, LLC in San Francisco at (415) 981-4800.
