1997 BUICK LESABRE Complaints

ENGINE COOLANT DESTROYED ENGINE DUE TO THE DEGRADATION OF UPPER INTAKE MAINIFOLD MATERIALS AROUND THE EGR STOVE PIPE. WITHOUT WARNING(NO WARNING LIGHTS WENT ON) WHILE ON THE ROAD COOLANT ENTERED THE PISTONS THROUGH THE DEGRADATED UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD AND CAUSED ENGINE FAILURE. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT AS POWER WAS LOST AND SPEED DRAMATICALLY DROPPED. SEEMS TO BE OBVIOUS ENGINE DESIGN FLAW IN 3800 V-6 ENGINES PRODUCED BY GM IN BUICK LASABRES, RIVERAS, REGALS, OLDSMOBILE 98S, 88S. INTRIGUE, PONTIAC BONNEVILLES, GRAND PRIX, & CHEVROLET LUMINAS, MONTE CARLOS OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS DATING FROM 1995-1998 WHEN THEY CHANGED THE MANIFOLD DESIGN. A SERVICE BULLETIN BY GM #01-06-01-007A IN JULY 18, 2001 INDICATED THE GM IS AWARE OF DEFECT AND HAS SINCE PRODUCED A DIFFERENT MANIFOLD TO REPLACE AND REPAIR PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THESE ENGINES WHEN THEY FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. GM HAS BEEN UNCOOPERATIVE IN THIS MATTER. ALL REPAIRS TO THIS CAR ARE DOCUMENTED WITH BILIINGS, ETC BY CERTIFIED GM SERVICE DEPT. INCLUDING OIL CHANGES AND PREVENTITIVE MAINTENANCE. THIS WAS A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE WITH A SERVICE HISTORY THAT CAN BE DOCUMENTED. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE WHERE DAMAGE OCCURRED.THE GM SERVICE DEPT. THAT REPLACED DAMAGED ENGINE INDICATED THAT THEY HAD 3 OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ENGINE DAMAGED BECAUSE OF COOLANT LEAK THROUGH THE DEGRADATION OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IN THAT ONE MONTH TIME FRAME. THIS IS A SMALL DEALERSHIP AND THEY INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A INDICATOR OF A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS COMPONENT. *AK

COMPONENT: EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE. THE PARK BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT SETTING CORRECTLY & RELEASING PREMATURELY. *JB

AT START UP, THE VEHICLE ENGINE EXPLODED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. *MR WHEN THE HOOD WAS OPENED, RED FLAMES WERE SHOOTING FROM A HOLE THAT BURNED ON A GRAY COVER IN THE ENGINE. *SCC

I HAVE REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL (DASHBOARD) IN MY CAR TWICE WITHIN THE LAST 2 1/2 YEARS. EACH TIME I HAD TO ORDER A REPLACEMENT AND LOST THE USE OF MY CAR FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. *JB

SEVER INNER RUST/ROTTED AREA IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TRUNK BACK SEAT, WHEEL HOUSING. NOT VISIBLE RUST TO THE NAKED EYE, OR NO SURFACE RUST. CAUSED WATER TO LEAK IN AND CAUSE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO SEAT, CARPET, PADDING. LEAKED TO UNDER FRONT PASSENGER SEAT,SHORTING OUT SENSOR AND DEPLOYED AIR BAG WITHOUT IMPACT. G.M. IS UNHELPFUL. THEY RESPONDED WITH "EVEN IF IT WAS A FACTORY DEFECT I HAD EXCEEDED MY 6 YEAR/100,000 MILE WARRANTY. I CANNOT SEE HOW THIS COULD FALL TO THE CONSUMERS RESPONSIBILITY! I AM HOPEFUL THAT YOU MAY HAVE AN ANSWER THAT COULD BE OF SOME HELP. I ALSO AM DUMBFOUNDED THAT AN AIR BAG WILL GO OFF WITH OUT IMPACT. EVERYTHING I HAVE RESEARCHED ON THEM REPORTS ONLY ON CRASHES, EVEN ON THE G.M.WEB PAGE FOR AIR BAGS THERE IS NOTHING THAT SAYS SHORTING OUT OF A SENSOR DUE TO WATER OR ANYTHING ELSE CAN DEPLOY THEM. SO I ASK WHAT IF A CHILD SPILLED A DRINK AND IT WENT UNDER THE SEAT? WHAT IF MY WIFE OR I PURCHASED A GALLON OF MILK OR WATER, SAT IT ON THE BACK FLOOR AND IT LEAKED? SHOULD THERE NOT BE A SENSOR OR SOMETHING TO TELL THE AIR BAG NOT TO DEPLOY DUE TO THE FACT THE AUTO WASN'T IN AN ACCIDENT? THANK YOU, BRIAN AND LISA HEURING. *JB

ERRATIC ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND OCCASIONAL "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT REPORTED SEVERAL WEEKS AGO WHEN VEHICLE WAS IN FOR MINOR REPAIR. INDEPENDENT DELCO GARAGE OWNER INDICATED STORED CODES WERE FOR "O2 SENSOR" - HOWEVER IT APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY AT THAT TIME. ON FRIDAY 4/11/03, ERRATIC ENGINE PERFORMANCE (MISSING, LOSS OF PERFORMANCE) CAUSED ME TO HEAD TOWARDS GARAGE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. EN ROUTE, VEHICLE STALLED OUT, AND REFUSED TO RESTART (AT ONE POINT, A BACK FIRE OCCURRED DURING RESTART ATTEMPT. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO GARAGE, AND DURING SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE HEAT FROM THE "EGR" PIPE FROM THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD DAMAGED THE UPPER COMPOSITE MANIFOLD, CAUSING A COOLANT LEAK INTO THE INTAKE. STORED CODES AT THIS TIME INDICATED O2 SENSOR, MISFIRE AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER. OWNER INDICATED THESE READINGS WERE CONSISTENT WITH HIS EXPERIENCE, AND INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAVE REPLACED AT LEAST A DOZEN TO 18 UPPER INTAKES IN PAST 18 MONTHS. QUOTING HIM "WE'RE JUST A SMALL GARAGE". I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT WHEN HE CALLED LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP (TO INQUIRE ON AVAILABILITY OF PARTS) HE WAS TOLD "WE HAVE SO MANY OF THESE IN STOCK THAT WE CAN'T EVEN PUT THEM UP ON THE SHELVES THEY ARE STACKED IN THE AISLE." WHAT IS MOST DISCONCERTING IS WHEN I CALLED BUICK DIVISION GENERAL MOTORS CORP CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER I WAS TOLD BY KEVIN DAM (SP?) AND DARLENE VEGA (SP?) THAT THERE WAS NO KNOWN COMPLAINTS, INVESTIGATIONS OR RECALLS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. AFTER REVIEWING THIS SITE AND YOUR INVESTIGATION(S) - SOMEONE IS GROSSLY MISINFORMED! AND IT APPEARED THE MANUFACTURER MAY EVEN BE PARTICIPATING IN DENIAL AND/OR MISREPRESENTATION IN THIS MATTER. MY INQUIRY (COMPLAINT OR WHATEVER THEY CALL IT) WAS GIVEN THE NUMBER 1-89860067. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE ALL HAVE A TICKING BOMB ON OUR HANDS ... UNFORTUNATELY, I DRIVE IT TO WORK EACH DAY! CAN YOU HELP ME?. *JB

THERE WAS A SMELL OF GAS IN THE TRUCK AREA OF THE AUTOMOBILE, THE DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THE FUEL SENDING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB

MALFUNCTIONING AIR BAG. WE HIT A DEER AND THE IMPACT DEPLOYED BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG CAME OUT AT AN ANGLE SO AS TO HIT MY HUSBAND,(WHO WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT) IN THE GROIN AREA. THE AIR BAG RUPTURED HIS RIGHT TESTICLE AND HE HAD TO HAVE SURGERY. THIS HAS CAUSED US TO OWE SOME EXTENSIVE MEDICAL BILLS AT THIS POINT. WE HAD INSURANCE, BUT IT WILL NOT PAY ALL OF THE BILLS. I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MEDICAL BILLS FOR THIS TYPE OF ACCIDENT,SINCE IT WAS CAUSED BY THE AIR BAG NOT DEPLOYING AS IT SHOULD HAVE. *JB

BATTERY SULFATES FROM POST DAMAGED ELECTRICAL CABLES AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. SCC *NLM

UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD FRACTURED. THIS IS THE SECOND ONE IN FIVE YEARS. THE FIRST WAS REPLACED UNDER A RECALL PER BUICK REP OKEESHA SMITH. *NLM