1998 BUICK LESABRE Complaints

THE BELT TENSIONER IS MADE OF PLASTIC WHICH BROKE DISABLING THE CAR WHICH HAD TO BE TOWED. OIL LEAK CAME FROM LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, GATHERED AROUND BOTTOM AT OIL PAN, UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, ALSO MADE OF PLASTIC LEAKED ANTIFREEZE INTO ENGINE. TENSIONER WAS REPLACED WITH SAME PLASTIC BECAUSE IT HAS NOT BEEN RE-DESIGNED,SAME WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, THEREFORE, IT WILL GIVE THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE. A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND GM REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *TR

MY 1998 BUICK LESABRE BACKFIRED, THEN STARTED ON FIRE, AFTER THE TOP OF THE MOTOR{INTAKE AND FUEL INJECTORS ETC.} WERE BLOWN OFF DURING THE EXPLOSION. THE WHOLE TOP OF THE MOTOR WAS DESTROYED. NOTIFIED GM, AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT HELP BECAUSE OF A STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS. THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM!!! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK LESABRE. WHEN THE CONTACT INSERTS THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION TO START THE VEHICLE, IT FAILS TO START. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STARTER, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V090000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT NOTICED OIL IN THE ANTIFREEZE BUCKET IN THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE COOLING COILS HAD BURST IN THE RADIATOR. CURRENTLY, ANTIFREEZE HAS SETTLED ON THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TESTED FOR A PRESSURE LEAK AND THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO FIND ONE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INTAKE GASKET FAILED. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V090000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY) WAS REFERENCED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000. UPDATED 06/25/08. *LJ UPDATED 06/25/08

HAD ANTI-FREEZE IN THE OIL. PLASTIC INTAKE GASKET WAS BROKEN. I UNDERSTAND THIS OCCURS IN MANY 3.8 ENGINES. HAD TO HAVE NEW GASKET INSTALLED AT A COST OF ABOUT $700 DOLLARS. THE CAR IS A 1998 BUICK LASABRE. *TR

1998 BUICK LESABRE WITH CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS NO INTENTION OF SENDING OUT A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM OR REIMBURSING THE CUSTOMERS. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANIFOLD WAS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC, WHICH CAUSED ANTI-FREEZE TO MIX WITH THE OIL. *JB

THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING HOT NOR DID ANY OTHER LIGHT COME ON. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AS SMOOTH AS IT ALWAYS HAS. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND LET THE ENGINE COOL. I SAW THE WATER WAS LOW SO I WENT INSIDE AND GOT WATER TO PUT IN IT. I TRIED TO START THE CAR AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE EXHAUST. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALER. THEY KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG BEFORE THEY CHECKED THE CAR BECAUSE THEY HAD HAD OTHER CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. AFTER REPLACING THE MANIFOLD, GASKETS, SPARK PLUGS, DEXCOOL, PIPE ASM, SEALS, THERMOSTAT, STARTER, OIL FILTER, OIL, THE CAR RAN AGAIN. OF COURSE, I WAS OUT $1049.27. THAT WAS 12 DAYS AGO. TONIGHT THE CAR BEGAN CLATTERING AND TOMORROW THE CAR WILL GO BACK TO THE DEALER FOR MORE REPAIR. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE LIFTERS NEED TO BE REPLACED. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND REPAIRED BEFORE ALL THE TROUBLE BEGAN. I WANT MY MONEY BACK. *TR

MY 1998 BUICK LESABRE LTD, 73,943 MI,STARTED TO REQUIRE WATER TO BE ADDED TO THE OVERFLOW TANK. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A GM GARAGE AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLDS WERE LEAKING, CAUSING COOLANT TO ENTER ENGINE AND OIL. THIS REPAIR COST$1200. TO CORRECT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND GM HAS TURNED IT'S HEAD TO THE ISSUE. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SPUTTERED OUT OF CONTROL AND STALLED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE DUE TO AN OIL LEAK. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 82,000.

98 BUICK LESABRE. 3.8 DRIVING UP HILL, DOWN HILL, COASTING, IT DOESN'T MATTER. 1 OR 2 TIMES A WEEK THE ENGINE JUST DIES. SOMETIMES I CAN CATCH IT FULL THROTTLE AND IT WILL PICK UP AND RUN FINE. OR THROW IT IN ON THE FLY AND RESTART INSTANTLY. NEW FUEL PUMP AND FILTER USUALLY STARTS GOOD. SOME TIMES I HAVE TO STOP CRANKING IT AFTER 5 SEC 1,2,3 TIMES BEFORE IT STARTS. THIS ONLY HAPPENS 1 TIME EVERY WEEK OR TWO. I CAN'T LET ANYONE ELSE DRIVE THE CAR FOR FEAR THEY WILL PULL OUT IN FRONT OF A TRUCK AND THE CAR WILL QUIT. *JB