Dexcool - GM - Equinox

[WickerBill]

Many of you know I own a Chevy Equinox -- mainly because I have to buy GM because my father in law owns a plasma cutter and has threatened to use it on anything else. (He works for GM, I get the discount, etc.).

I have 24k miles on it. As of Friday, I have oil in my coolant and coolant in my oil. Overheating, yadda. Obviously I'm still under warranty, but a very brief search of the web tells me this is a Dexcool problem, there may or may not be a class-action lawsuit, I will have this problem every 25k miles, and on and on.

Not sure what to believe, other than I need to get my truck/car thing fixed and it won't cost me anything... this time. Does anyone have experience with the whole "Dexcool ate my engine" issue?

[WickerBill]

Oh, and another thing -- I expect you to restrain yourself (I'm looking at the usual suspects) if all you have to say is "that's what you get for buying American LOLRZZ" or anything remotely similar.

[Joelski]

Show dadums the problem, ask him for the solution and for a reason why you shouldn't buy a Ford.

:)

[ChampcarShark]

I have friends who own newer model gm products with no problems.

Guess it is just the equinox

[WickerBill]

I think it's more the 3.4L v6 in general than the Nox specifically.... but I could be wrong. Thing's been flawless for two years until this, so I'm not gonna complain too much as long as they fix this and it doesn't come back. But I read so much about how Dexcool is the bane of engines, and it makes me nervous...

[SteveH]

Am aware of these issues, you should be if you own GM. Have a 04 Pontiac w/ 57,000 miles. A few months ago sludge was found in the coolant overflow during an oil change. The lube place wanted to do a radiator flush and replace it with a different kind of coolant. Instead I had the dealer check it out. No problem, just some sludge in the overflow probably from being topped off with water. Don't mix other types of coolants w/ Dex-cool. Ever.

Before the Pontiac, had a 96 Buick w/ 147,000 miles. No issues. Wife's 94 Buick had some issues several years ago (coolant in oil and vice versa) when the intake manifold warped (it was plastic). But that was easily fixed, although it was expensive.

I'm of an opinion that GM does have a problem w/ Dex-cool even though its not effected me directly.

Good luck.

[Joelski]

Why can't you completely flush the system with water/flush solution and replace it with standard coolant and distilled water? Does the DexCool stuff eat gaskets/seals? Sounds like a simple fix.

[WickerBill]

Yes, you can completely replace the coolant with the "green kind", but if you have coolant problems after that, GM won't fix it (under warranty).

From what I can tell, if anything is introduced into the system with the dexcool, it gums up badly. It chews up gaskets pretty bad in some cases (like mine). There's a class-action lawsuit about GM putting dexcool in the same engine with plastic gaskets, which the dexcool feasts on.


So it's a sludgemonster, doesn't play well with anything else, including some of GM's parts. Other than that, great coolant.

[Joelski]

So it's a sludgemonster, doesn't play well with anything else, including some of GM's parts. Other than that, great coolant.

That stuff has always had those properties. I can't understand why GM would use it... Sounds like the only solution is a campaign to get GM to issue a TSB sanctioning the change to the green stuff.

[SteveH]

Why can't you completely flush the system with water/flush solution and replace it with standard coolant and distilled water? Does the DexCool stuff eat gaskets/seals? Sounds like a simple fix.

Have read that the seals are designed to work w/ Dex-cool and cold breakdown if anything else is used.

[Joelski]

Have read that the seals are designed to work w/ Dex-cool and cold breakdown if anything else is used.

That's just plain stupid.

[SteveH]

http://www.imcool.com/articles/antifreeze-coolant/CPM-52-DEXArticle-Excerpt.pdf

[B3RACER1a]

Coolant in oil and oil in coolant means a bad head gasket. I guess its possible that the coolant is aggresive enough to get through the gasket. Those are different systems and the engine block is the closest they get to each other.

Hopefully you wont have any internal damage, but if you have overheating its possible that the nail is in the coffin on that motor. Coolant will roast a bearing in no time.

Wish you the best.

Warranty. :thumbup:

[oddlycalm]

I'd be surprised if you had any difficulty getting your situation sorted out WickerBill. This is a well known issue and there are class action lawsuits (settlements to follow) in the works. If you have bearing damage they owe you a new motor.

There are somewhere around 40 million vehicles with Dexcool in them and as I understand it the only ones with problems are the ones with certain polymer gaskets. There will no doubt be a pissing contest between GM and Texaco over whether it's a misapplication or a product dedect, and who pays what percentage, but you nobody with a problem is going to care where the settlement money came from.

oc

[Gangrel]

Show dadums the problem, ask him for the solution and for a reason why you shouldn't buy a Ford.

:)

Ford? What exactly are you trying to accomplish? :D

[indyfan31]

Does any other manufacturer use Dexcool? My brother just bought a Toyota truck and it looks like the previous owner just changed the fluid with that orange stuff.

[Joelski]

Ford? What exactly are you trying to accomplish? :D

Just suggesting a vehicle that is reliable.

[Cam]

Just suggesting a vehicle that is reliable.

Fix Or Repair Daily?

/Mazda owner.

used to own Fix It Again Tony. :D

[ferrarigod]

Fix Or Repair Daily?


Found On Road Dead

[Joelski]

Thanks for the flashback to second grade. :gomer:

[G.]

Does Saturn use the same stuff?

[WickerBill]

Yeah that's what I've been wondering... evidentally if I throw enough of a tantrum they might swap out my vehicle, and I would ask for the Vue which has a Honda V6 and Honda gearbox in it.

Most likely though, they would say that isn't "like for like" and deny me.

[Rogue Leader]

Does Saturn use the same stuff?

Almost any new GM Car from like 1998 or so on uses it. Ive had multiple vehicles including a my old 99 Trans Am, my sister's Cavalier and Camaro, and my 2000 Corvette now with no problems whatssoever. I also ran dexcool in my rebuilt engine in my 87 Grand National, and my 89 Turbo Trans Am (I dont have eitehr car any longer) but ran into no issues with either of thise either.

What causes problemns with dexcool is using straight tap water in the mix (depending where you live) stuff in the water may cause issues, additionally if you mix any regular bio coolant in, or if there are leaks in the system near the overflow (where it is more likley to suck in air and not nessicarily spray out). I'm not even completely sure about the last part. But you should always mix bottled distilled water with it and not straight vtap water. That said, you dont have to change the stuff for 5 years which makes life very easy!

[G.]

Anything new on this? I've been looking at the Saturn Outlook. It uses Death-Cool.

[rabbit]

Found On Road Dead
My dad, a 30-plus year retiree from Ford, always preferred First On Race Day.

[WickerBill]

Anything new on this? I've been looking at the Saturn Outlook. It uses Death-Cool.

Outlook is pretty nice, feature-wise. Hope it turns out to be a nice car -- I like a couple of things Saturn is putting out and hope they're not "typical GM".

First off, you're a little safer as the Outlook doesn't use the cursed 3.4L V6; they have a newer 3.6L DOHC which doesn't seem to have the inherent issues of the ancient 3.4.

On my Equinox, after the repair, all is well... for the time being. Considering getting a Vibe (since it's really a Toyota) and enjoying some better gas mileage and fewer worries. Not sure yet; I really, really love the Equinox... when it's not in the shop.