1998 BUICK LESABRE Complaints

VEHICLE JUMPS AND VIBRATES WHEN DRIVING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, AND HE INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT.*AK *YH

THERE WAS A HUGE POP, VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND STARTED TO SMOKE, CONSUMER OPENED THE HOOD AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE ON THE TOP OF THE ENGINE, CLAIM 38-J837-871. *SLC

AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS I WAS COMUTING TO NY FROM MY RESIDENCE IN NH. THE CARS TRANSMISSION WAS NOT RESPONDING WELL. I ARRIVED NEAR FINCHBURG MASSACHUSETTES WHEN I DECIDED TO TURN BACK HOME. POWER AND RESPONSE WERE VERY INADEQUATE.MY WIFE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I DROPPED OFF THE CAR IN EXETER NH (NOT THE SELLING DEALER..BUT A BUICK/GM DEALERSHIP THAT THEY RECOMMENDED TO HAVE CHECK IT OUT SINCE IT WAS STILL UNDER THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY. AFTER INSPECTION AND A FULL DIAGNOSIS BY THE CERTIFIED GM MECHANIC, HE INFORMED ME THAT THE "TRANSMISSION WAS TOAST". THEY MADE A FULL REPAIR BY REPLACING THE EXISTING TRANSMISSION. THEY BELIEVED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO REBUILD CONSIDERING THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM. FURTHER, MY WIFE DID A THROUGH CHECK PRIOR TO MAKING AN OFFER TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE. WE KNEW THAT THIS MODEL VEHICLE HAS A HISTORY OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. HOWEVER SERVERAL BUICK /GM CERTIFIED SHOPS INDICATED THAT VERY FEW OF THESE NEWER VEHICLE HAVE TRANSMISSION FAILUE. IT WOULD BE LIKE A 1 AND 4MILLION CHANCE...WELL THAT IS OUR LUCK. IT HAPPENED TO US. *AK

I BELIEVE I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE VATS . THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED PREVENTING ME FROM STARTING THE CAR. I HAVE CHECKED THE FUSES AND ONE WAS BLOWN BUT THAT GOES TO THE ELECTRONIC LEVEL CONTROL (HENCE A SECOND PROBLEM) ITIALLALLY THE CAR FAILED TO START AFTER JIGGLING THE KEY IT STARTED. THE SECURITY LIGHT REMAINED ON THE WHOLE WAY HOME. CAME HOME SHUT THE CAR DOWN AND STARTED BACK UP AGAIN. LATER THAT EVENING MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO THE STORE, WHERE IT FAILED TO START. SHE CALLED ME I PROMPTLY RESPONDED WITH 2 OF MY CHILDREN IN TOW. AFTER CHECKING FUSES, READING THE OWNERS MANUAL AND DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY, JIGGLING THE KEY THE CAR STARTED...THANK GOODNESS. THEN WE GOT HOME AND IT DIED. YESTERDAY I CHECKED ALL FUSES TO VERIFY, ITS NOT THAT..FINALLY DETERMINING ITS IN THE IGNITION SYSTEM RELATING TO THE LOCK CYLINDER. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND HOPE THE DEALER WILL FIX IT. TODAY I HAVE CONTINUED TO POKE AROUND AND ATTEMPTED TO START IT..SUCCESSFULLY AFTER JIGGLING THE IGNITION/KEY. DO YOU KNOW IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE? UNFORTUNATELY WE DO NOT KNOW IF IT WILL START AGAIN. THIS IS NOT A PLEASANT SITUATION. DO YOU KNOW WHAT MIGHT CAUSE THE LOCK CYLINDER TO DO THIS? WILL THIS REQUIRE NEW PASSKEYS?*AK

VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 4 BLOCKS AND WHILE SITTING AT A LIGHT, SMOKE BECAME VISIBLE FROM THE HOOD, THEN A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 20-5437-956. *SLC

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY, CLAIM 30-V502-462. *SLC

AFTER FILLING FUEL TANK AND DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 80 TO 100 MILES, GAS GAUGE WILL READ THAT FUEL TANK IS EMPTY, AND A WARNING LIGHT WILL COME ON INSTRUMENT PANEL. DEALERSHIP CANNOT DETERMINE A REASON FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATES THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THREE YEARS AND IS REQUESTING THAT SOMEONE FIX THE PROBLEM. *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING BETWEEN 25 AND 30 MPH CONSUMER SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF STEERING AND BRAKING SYSTEMS. VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE WHICH STOPPED THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND REPAIRED UNKNOWN COMPONENT IN VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

COOLANT LEAKED INTO CYLINDERS CAUSING ENGINE TO LOCK UP. SERVICE BULLETIN #010601007. *AK

3 TIMES IN SHOP DUE TO CHECKE ENGINE LIGHT ON. CLAIMED IT WAS SENSOR. NEW ALTERNATOR NEEDED. NEW STRUTS NEEDED. ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT SENSOR BUT WAS DUE TO ANTIFREEZE LEAK FROM MANIFOLD GASKET. ALL FLUIDS WENT THRU ENGINE AND OUT TAILPIPE CAUSING OVER HEATING.