I took my car a 1992 Pontiac to AOK Auto Center, 236 Forrest Rd, West Haven, Ct.06516, to have a simple coolant leak in the hose/pipe from the heater core to the radiator repaired on the passenger side of my car in late/mid December of 2004.

The temperature gauge, and all other gauges in my car worked normally before any work by the above mentioned was done. The owner 'test' drove my car [I should have went with him] for about 2 > 3 minutes, returning with steam coming from a hose I had personally 'patched' month's ago with no hint of a problem since, on the drivers side of the car.

He and one of his 'mechanic's' showed me where the leak was 'alledgely' coming from, [they left the Obvious problem I took the car there for altogether and created another, that led to even more problems not there before their work].

All I saw was a little dried coolant below the hose on some type of fitting that screwed into the engine block. He was the expert, so I said nothing, and asked about the leak on the passengers side of the car again that was still leaking, but he [the owner] kept drawing my attention to the 'mysteriously' appeared 'leak' he had uncovered.

I reluctantly agreed ['trust me he said'] to his assessment, needing my car running properly again for many different reasons. I picked my car up, paid the owner's $517+ bill and drove off [I should have test drove it first], and immediately noticed steam/smoke coming from where he had done his work [there was also a smell].

The temperature gauge wasn't working now, and I noticed coolant still leaking from the same spot I took it to him to be fixed originally. The steam and accompanying smell I assumed was harmless residue left from his work after it stopped [wrong again/it's now back worse than ever]. On pointing to the same problem I originally had, he then used a simple pressure gauge to show me exactly where the leak was on the passenger side of my car.

He gave me a $50 estimate to fix the problem I already paid him over $500 dollars to fix. I refused his offer and contacted my state motor vehicle dept. who are trying to help in this matter. My problems still linger and worsen with time, along with my health. Being a state emissions garage, he'll wiggle out of this somehow if I don't get outside help. Can someone help or contact me, as I need legal advice/representation indirectly related to this ongoing incident.

I have no confidence in any court system I've had the misfortune of being involved in to this point [ssa, too for that matter]. The editors comments are right on the money about certain governments!