Complaint 428417

Complaint Summary

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Owner Narrative

I AM FILING A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE LACK OF PROPER TESTING OF ALUMINUM AUTOMOTIVE PARTS THAT EFFECT FORD, GM, CHRYSLER, AND TRICK FLOW PRODUCTS. THIS IS OCCURRING AT ZEUS ALUMINUM PRODUCTS (USA) LOCATED AT RR 6 BOX 20, LATROBE, PA 15650. ACCORDING TO ISO STANDARDS ITEMS ARE TO BE TESTED TO INSURE THAT THE ALUMINUM CASTINGS CONFIRM TO PROPER STANDARDS AND WILL NOT FAIL. THIS COMPANY HAS DELIBERATELY BYPASSED THESE MANDATORY TEST AND IN OTHER CASES FALSIFIED THETEST RESULTS TO KEEP FROM SCRAPING THESE CASTINGS TO LOWER THE SCRAP LEVELS AND INCREASE PROFITABILITY. ONE EXAMPLE WAS WHEN THE PLANT MANAGER MR. JOHN KARAS STAMPED CASTINGS THAT RECIEVED NO PREASURE TESTING AS IF THEY COMPLETED THE PROCESS. I PERSONELLY WITNESSED THIS AND TOLD HIM HE COULD NOT STAMP THEM AS IF THEY PASSED THE PREASURE TEST IF THIS TEST WAS NEVER PREFORMED. HE STATED THAT HE COULD NOT LEAVE THEM LAYING AROUND AND THAT THEY MIGHT PASS ANYWAY SO HE DID NOT FEEL THE NEED TO TEST THESE CASTINGS. THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT OCCURRS ON A CONSTANT BASIS. SINCE THIS COMPANY HANDLES ITEMS FROM ALMOST ALL OF THE US CAR MANUFACTORS INCLUDING AFTER MARKET COMPANIES THE POSSIBILITY OF THESE CASTINGS FAILING IS POSSIBILY HIGH AND EFFECTS ALMOST ALL US VIECHLES MADE IN THE US.*AK

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.