1998 BUICK LESABRE Complaints

MY 1998 BUICK LESABRE STARTED TO SMELL OF ANTI-FREEZE EARLIER IN THE DAY ON 4/27/04. THE CAR WAS PARKED FOR MOST OF THE DAY, QUICK TRIPS TO THE STORE AT MOST. WHEN I GOT HOME THAT NIGHT, THE CAR WAS SHACKING AND POURING EXHAUST VAPORS OUT OF THE EXHAUST PIPE. IN THE MORNING ON APRIL 28T,. IT STARTED JUST FINE. SO, I DROVE IT TO MY MECHANIC. THE CAR RAN SMOOTHLY FOR ABOUT 200 YARDS, THEN IT PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE, UNTIL I WAS PRACTICLY COASTING WHEN I REACHED MY MECHANICS. AFTER THEY LOOKED INTO THE ISSUE, THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND HAD SPEWED WATER INTO MY ENGINE. THIS LEFT WATER IN MY OIL AND NO COOLANT. MY MECHANIC FLUSHED MY OIL, FLUSHED MY COOLANT, REPLACE THE MANIFOLD WITH THE FACTORY PART, AND REPLACED THE GASKET WITH THE FACTORY PART. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON ISSUE AND THAT ALL OF THE 3.8L GM ENGINES HAD PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS. I THEN BEGAN TO RESEARCH ON LINE THIS ISSUE, AND APPARENTLY MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED BUICK 3 TIMES TRYING TO PLEAD MY CASE. EACH TIME I WAS TOLD THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS CAR, BUT THE MODEL 2 YEARS PRIOR HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND THE PART WAS RECALLED. I HAVE FOUND A NOTICE THAT NHTSA IS TRYING TO HAVE THE REPLACING THE "DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS" REPLACE, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD TO CRACK. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V090000

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. PRIOR TO THIS, THERE WAS AN ANTI FREEZE ODOR WITHIN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY THE DEALERSHIP THEY NOTICED THAT THE UPPER AND THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD MELTED. *AK CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS DEFECT COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL, CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *PH

THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. *AK THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A FAULTY FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. THE CONSUMERS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED THE RECALL. *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIFT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED. CONSUMER HAD THE MECHANIC REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *AK

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. *AK THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT. THE KEY WAS TURNED TO START THE ENGINE WHEN THE BACKFIRE OCCURRED. THE SERVICE DEALER USED THE OLD PARTS THAT WERE DAMAGED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE FROM THE FIRE. (THE COOLANT HAD LEAKED INTO THE CYLINDER AND CAUSED IT TO LEAK) RECALL#04V090000 THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SC *JB

PLASTIC UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD MELTED CAUSING THE ENGINE COOLANT TO FLOOD INTO THE CRANKCASE. ENGINE SUBSEQUENTLY LOCKED UP AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALER. $1500 IN DAMAGES ON A CAR WITH 50,000 MILES ON IT. *AK

WHILE PARKING, THE CONSUMER NOTICED COOLANT LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE INPUT MANIFOLD CRACKED/SPLIT AND THE ENGINE COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE. THE COOLANT RESERVOIR KEPT ON GOING DOWN BUT THE CONSUMER NEVER SAW ANY COOLANT ON THE DRIVEWAY OR IN THE OIL. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT GM COVER THE COST OF REPAIR. *SC *JB

1998 BUICK LESABRE STALLED AT A STOPLIGHT AND WOULDN'T START. AFTER HAVING THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD REMOVED, WATER WAS DISCOVERED IN THE INTAKE AND IN THE CYLINDERS.

1998 BUICK LASABRE...REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS LEAKING ON DRIVERS SIDE...CAUSED WHEEL TO LOCK UP COMPLETELY ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASSIONS...PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH MORE INFORMATION. *AK

1998 BUICK LASABRE...WITH PLASTIC INTAKE DEVELOPED A CRACK AND ALLOW ALL COOLANT TO PASS THRU ENGINE AND OUT EXHAUST...WAS STRANDED 100 MILES FROM HOME...TO GET TOWED AND REPLACE THIS DESIGN FLAW COST ME OVER 600.00 DOLLARS. *AK