1998 BUICK LESABRE Complaints

NAR 1/21/03 DESIGN PROBLEM WITH INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE VEHICLE REFUSED TO START, AFTER SEVERAL FAILED ATTEMPTS THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. AFTER TROUBLE SHOOTING, IT WAS DETERMINED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD A HOLE IN IT WHICH ALLOWED COOLANT FLUID TO ENTER THE CYLINDERS RESULTING IN A HYDROSTATIC LOCK. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING INTAKE MANIFOLD BLEWOUT, MAKING IT HARD TO START VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT STARTER IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN STARTING VEHICLE IT MAKES A "POPPING" NOISE THEN CAR CUTS OFF. DEALER REPLACED "NO. 3" SPARK PLUG WIRE. PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED TEMPORARILY, BUT NOW IS OCCURRING AGAIN. TS

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. TOWED VEHICLE TO BUICK. MECHANIC TOOK OFF MANIFOLD AND THEY FOUND A CRACK IN MANIFOLD WHICH WAS ALLOWING WATER TO FILL UP IN ENGINE DEPARTMENT, CAUSING A HYDORLOCK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS CONSUMER ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE STARTER NOT DISENGAGING. *JG

THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER STEERING WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, CONSUMER STATED PROBLEM ONLY HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS WARM. TS *JB

CONSUMER NOTICED THE VEHICLE EXCESSIVE ANTIFREEZER CONSUMPTION EVERY 300 MILES, THE RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY ALL THE TIME. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

THE SAFETY INVOLVED HERE IS THE INABILITY TO CHANGE A TIRE IF IT FAILS ON THE ROAD. THE PLASTIC KEY AND INSERT ARE INADEQUATE FOR THE JOB. THE PLASTIC ON THE KEY GIVES AND THE LOCKING DEVICE ON THE HUB CAP BECOMES SO TIGHT THAT THE PLASTIC KEY WILL NOT REMOVE IT BEFORE FAILING. EACH TIME I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE TIRES ROTATED OR CHANGED, THE MECHANICS REQUIRED AIR TOOLS AND 1 INCH SOCKET. ONE OCCASION OF A FLAT TIRE ON A TEXAS HIGHWAY PLACED MY WIFE AND I WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO CHANGE TO THE SPARE. HAD NOT A VERY HUSKY HIGHWAY PATROLMENT COME TO OUR RESCUE, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED. IN THIS INCIDENT WE WERE ABLE TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY ONTO A PRIVATE FARM ENTRANCE. MR

CONSUMER STATES THAT OIL LEAKS FROM THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE REAR BUMPER. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR

VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING IN PARKING LOT. CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM INTAKE MANIFOLD INTO ENGINE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL.*AK