DEX-COOL Coolant in 1999 Buick Century - caused need to flush cooling system twice so far

# 9 for August 25, 2003

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on August 24, 2003:

From:

RE: DEX-COOL Coolant in 1999 Buick Century - caused need to flush cooling system twice so far I own a Buick Century 1999 with 101,000 miles. About a month ago, July 2003, I started experiencing spikes in the temperature gage. I opened the radiator cap and to my total surprise found a very thick reddish gooey blocking the neck of the radiator. It was so thick that it was also blocking the overflow hose. I took the car to the dealer where I bought the car in Torrance, CA (Peninsula Pontiac/GMC/Buick).

They told me they had never heard of this problem and had no idea what could have caused it. They kept the car for 2 days doing a flush of the cooling system and in the process replacing the intake manifold gasket and the water pump.

Total related costs $ 1,153.87. Now 16 days and 852 miles later I opened the radiator cap again and I could see the gooey building up again. Went back to the dealer, again kept the car for 2 days and this time they agreed to do the flush without charge.

Total costs to date including renting a car: $ 1,300.00. The dealer will not acknowledge any problems with the coolant or give me any direction as to how to take care of this car now that we all know that the 150,000 miles guideline from the manual is irrelevant and possibly incorrect. I wrote a letter to the dealer and Buick Customer Relations Center. I will see what happens.

Comment On This

I had same problem with 2003 with 118k on it. Thermostat will stick, which requires loosening of the exhuast system. When you take your car to get oil chnage do routine maint, make sure that they only use orange dex-cool gm approved coolant. Coolant marked all makes and models is not aproved by GM and they say that is what causes this orange sludge substance. Make sure that they pressure flush both forward/ reverse and that their flush machine has a vacumm attachment to help bleed the coolant system of any air pockets.