1998 BUICK LESABRE Complaints

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT 30-MPH WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL GARAGE AND THEY FOUND THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK INSIDE THE ENGINE. *PH WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED, THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT, THE ENGINE WAS HYDROSTATIC LOCKED DUE TO THE COOLANT LEAKS. *SC *JB

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED TO STOP THE LEAK AS WELL AS THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. DEALER, ON A PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, REPAIRED A HOLE IN THE RADIATOR. *AK *MR

LTR FM ANDREW HUNT (NJ) CONCERNED CLASSIFICATION OF ENGINE COOLANT LEAKAGE AS SAFETY PROBLEM & DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD PROBLEMS SUGGEST NHTSA RECALL ALL GM MODEL YRS 1995-1998. *MR THERE WAS NO ADVANCE WARNING WHEN THE ENGINE WOULD STOP IF THE COOLANT LEAKS. THE CONSUMER WAS REIMBURSED THE COST OF THE REPAIR KIT, BUT NOT THE BALANCE OF THE REPAIRS. THE STARTER FAILED WHEN AAA ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS FULL OF COOLANT IN THE ENGINE. *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING REACHED HIGH TEMPERATURES DUE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE. COOLANT LEAKED INSIDE THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. SORRY NO RECALL, AND WOULD COST $ 1,400 TO FIX IT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND WOULD COST $ 700 FOR CONSUMER TO FIX IT. *AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION. THERE WAS A BREAKAGE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND MELTING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ENGINE DUMPING SHROUD. A SMALL FIRE WAS BURNED ON THE ENGINE BLOCK WHEN THE SHROUD WAS REMOVED. *AK *SC *JB

VEHICLE HAD BEEN LOSING COOLANT SINCE 1998. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS AT LEAST SEVEN TIMES. THE GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR) PORT WAS MADE OF PLASTIC, AND WHEN IT MELTED, COOLANT SEEPED INTO THE ENGINE. *AK CONSUMER RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT OF $479.99 FROM MC CLELLON BUICK AFTER CONTACTING THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *PH

1998 BUICK LESABRE - ENGINE BACKFIRE UPON STARTING - BLEW OFF VACUME HOSE AT INTAKE MANIFOLD, CRACKED PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. ENGINE HYDROLOCKED, SUCKING COOLANT INTO ALL 6 CYLINDERS. FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR REPLACED ALONG WITH A NEW PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 75, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED (I HAD TO QUICKLY MOVE TO THE SHOULDER). NOTICED NO COOLANT IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR. TOWED IT TO THE GMC DEALER. SERVICE MANAGER REMARKS: DUE TO ANTIFREEZE LEAK FROM MANIFOLD GASKET ALL FLUIDS WENT THROUGH ENGINE BLOCK AND HYDROLOCKED THE ENGINE AND CAUSING IT TO SHUT DOWN. (THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT THEY HAD TO SEVERAL BUICK LESABRE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM). AT LEAST I AM LUCKY THAT THIS PERSON KNEW WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM WITHOUT SPECULATION. I HAVE HEARD OTHERS WERE NOT THAT LUCKY AT OTHER DEALER PLACE WHERE THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE PROBLEM EXCEPT SPECULATING ON THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. ALL I WANT IS THAT THE GMC COMPANY PAY FOR THE REPAIRS OR REIMBURSE FOR THE REPAIRS CAUSED BY THEIR POOR TECHNICAL WORKMANSHIP. *AK

TEMPERATURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER STOPPED AND PUT IN COOLANT. NEXT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED , AND ENGINE DIED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. THE UPPER AND LOWER MANIFOLDS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK THE DEALER ALSO INSTALLED A NEW THERMOSTAT AND GASKET AND REPLACED ALL SIX SPARK PLUGS. *NLM

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. *AK