1996 BUICK LESABRE Complaints

CONSUMER STATES BATTERY EXPLODED, AND REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM MANUFACTURER.*JB

A CRACK IN THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUSED ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK, ALSO CAUSED VEHICLE TO STALL AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND TO SHAKE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *SLC

WHEN VEHICLE HIT A DEER, THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS INJURED BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER, DRIVER RECEIVED RED MARKS, WHICH LOOKED LIKE BURNS, ON BOTH ARMS, PASSENGER LEGS WERE BADLY BRUISED, ALSO THE SMELL AND THE AMOUNT OF POWER RELEASE FROM THE AIR BAGS MADE IT HARD TO BREATHE.

A DETERIORATING PLENUM WAS CAUSING COOLANT TO GET INTO ENGINE CYLINDERS. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPAIRS MADE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK THE HEAT FROM THE EGR VALVE BURNS A HOLE INSIDE THE WALL OF PLANAM ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO SUCK COOLANT INTO CYLINDERS AND CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOSE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES RESULTING IN ACCIDENT. *YH

I HAD A PREVIOUS TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON THIS CAR IN 1996, AFTER ABOUT 12,000 MILES. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. CURRENT FAILURE OCCURED AS I WAS STARTING TO GO UP A STEEP GRADE. CAR SHUDDERED, AND ENGINE REVED WITHOUT ANY INCREASE IN SPEED. THERE WAS LOSS OF DRIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN ENGINE AND WHEELS. I DOWNSHIFTED TO LOWER GEAR MANUALLY, AND MANAGED TO KEEP CAR MOVING FORWARD. AFTER REACHING TOP OF GRADE, I RESUMED DRIVING IN HIGH GEAR. AS I WOULD START ON SLIGHT UPGRADES, OR TRY TO ACCELERATE SPEED, ENGINE WOULD REV TEMPORARILY WITHOUT ACCELERATION OF CAR. AFTER STOPPING ON SIDE OF ROAD TO CHECK TRANSMISSION FLUID, I RESUMED TRANVEL. PROBLEM SEEMED TO RESOLVE ITSELF, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS SOME "HUNTING" OF THE TRANSMISSION AS IT UPSHIFTED GEARS. WHEN I RETURNED TO HOME AREA, I TOOK CAR INTO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED, PLANETARY GEAR HAS BROKEN OFF AND "GROUND UP" TRANSMISSION. NEED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. THIS IS SECOND FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION ON THIS VEHICLE,

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY @ 60 MPH, HEARD POPPING NOISE AND FELT THUMP UNDER CAR. AS ACCELERATED AGAIN, ENGINE REVS INCREASED W/O ANY INCREASE IN SPEED. ENGINE DID NOT SEEM TO BE ENGAGED WITH TRANSMISSION. MANUALLY DOWN SHIFTED TO 3RD GEAR. ENGINE REENGAGED WITH DRIVE TRAIN. SHIFTED BACK TO 4TH (D), LOSS OF ENGAGEMENT. TOOK CAR TO DEALER, INFORMED THAT "PLANETARY GEAR" HAD FAILED, AND REPLACED TRANSMISSION UNDER WARRANTY.

BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED. THIS CAUSED LOSS OF BRAKING POWER.*AK ABRAKE LINE RUNNING FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE ABS UNIT FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID. ALL SIX STEEL BRAKE LINES WERE ALSO FOUND CORRODED. *YH

ON 2 SEPARATE INCIDENCES, THE BATTERY LEAKED ONTO THE CABLE & LEFT ME STRANDED. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS NEVER HAPPENS & IT HAPPENED TO ME TWICE 2 YEARS APART. THE FIRST TIME MY CAR WAS TOWED TO A DIFFERENT DEALER & THEY TRIED TO CHARGE ME EVEN THO THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. IT HAPPENED AGAIN THIS MID-SUMMER AND I HAD TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR AND THE BATTERY COMPANY SAID THAT THE DEALER WAS AT FAULT FOR THE WAY IT WAS INSTALLED. (TOO TIGHT) I WAS GIVEN A ROYAL RUN-AROUND.

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH AND VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE/ IT WAS HARD TO CONTROL VEHICLE. RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. FIRESTONE # P205/P0R15/70R15 CONSUMER NOTIFIED FIRESTONE. *AK BEFORE THE TIRE WAS SEPARATED COMPLETELY, PIECE OF CHROME TRIM WAS RIPPED OFF. DOOR HANDLE ON FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WAS DAMAGED TOO. *YH

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED VIOLENTLY. ALSO, BOLTS THAT HOLD RACK AND PINION STEERING BROKE. TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER IT APPEARED VEHICLE WAS TOO OVERTORQUED FROM THE FACTORY. *AK BOTH FRONT TIRES WERE INSPECTED AND FOUND WORN ON SIDE EDGES. 2 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE RACK TO THE FRAME ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, ONE BOLT HAD BROKEN OFF. BATTERY WAS LEAKING AND CAUSED CORROSION IN THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE CONNECTER, DEALER HAD TO REMOVE ALL CABLE INSULATION AND REPLACE POSITIVE CABLE BOLT AND BATTERY, LEAK CAUSED VEHICLE NOT TO START. *SLC