The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereNHTSA·15V201000·Announced 2015-04-06

GM Recalls 2004 Buick, Chevrolet, and Pontiac Vehicles for Engine Oil Leak

General Motors is recalling specific 2004 Buick, Chevrolet, and Pontiac vehicles because a leaking valve cover gasket may cause engine oil to drip onto the exhaust manifold, increasing the risk of a fire.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).

The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect (engine oil leak) that creates a risk of fire, which aligns with the rubric criteria for a Severe (4) rating involving significant injury or property-damage reports or structural defects.

Plain-English summary

General Motors LLC is recalling certain model year 2004 Buick Regal, Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet Monte Carlo, and Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. The recall was initially notified to the agency on April 2, 2015, and expanded on May 18, 2015, to include an additional 49,751 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. The affected vehicles were manufactured between April 2003 and June 2004, depending on the specific model.

In the affected vehicles, the valve cover gasket may leak. This leaking engine oil can drip onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold, which increases the risk of a fire. No specific number of total affected units is provided in the source text, other than the 49,751 Grand Prix vehicles added during the expansion.

GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the plastic cover and plastic oil fill tube extension and replace the front valve cover and gasket. These repairs will be done free of charge. The recall began on April 24, 2015. Owners may contact Buick, Pontiac, or Chevrolet customer service for more information, or contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
CHEVROLET, BUICK, PONTIAC IMPALA, REGAL, MONTE CARLO, GRAND PRIX
Brand
CHEVROLET
Manufacturer
General Motors LLC
Category
Vehicle — Engine and Cooling
Hazard
Affected units
330,742

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (4)

  • IMPALA
  • REGAL
  • MONTE CARLO
  • GRAND PRIX

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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