2005 BUICK LESABRE Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER DID NOT ALWAYS DISPLAY THE PROPER SPEED WHILE DRIVING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT HE SHOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER SINCE THIS WAS A KNOWN FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HE HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR COST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,200.

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) 2005 BUICK LA SABRE, 65,500 MILES, SUFFERED A PREMATURE FAILURE OF BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. FAILURE DISCOVERED WHILE CAR WAS BEING SERVICED (IE. OIL/FILTER CHANGE & FRONT END ALIGNMENT.) REPLACED AT A COST OF $600.00. REPORTED TO GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE ON 1/26/2010, AND VERBALLY CALLED BACK ON 2/2/2010, GM DENIED ANYTHING WRONG WITH SUCH FAILURE, AND SAID CAR WAS BEYOND 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. LATER APPEALED IN WRITING TO BUICK GEN. MGR. LAST CONTACTED, AGAIN VERBALLY, ON 2/26/2010, SENIOR ASST. TO EXEC., WHO ALSO DENIED CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT, SAYING THE MILEAGE DID NOT MATTER, BUT SINCE THE CAR WAS NOT EXAMINED BY A QUALIFIED GM MECHANIC AND DEALERSHIP, THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. (THE IMPLICATION BEING THAT MY MECHANIC, WHO HAS SERVICED MY VEHICLES FOR OVER 10 YEARS, WAS INCOMPETENT, OR CROOKED, AND COULD NOT BE TRUSTED TO MAKE A VALID DETERMINATION REGARDING THE STATE, AND CAUSE, OF THE BEARING FAILURES). YOU SHOULD BE ADVISED THAT I REPEATEDLY REQUESTED A WRITTEN RESPONSE TO MY INQUIRIES, AND WAS CONSISTENTLY REFUSED. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT GM HAS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR NEWER CARS NON-SERVICEABLE PARTS, AND THEY ARE TRYING TO MAINTAIN DENIABILTY AS TO THIS PROBLEM! IN MY CASE, NOTHING HAPPENED, AND NO ONE WAS INJURED, HOWEVER, HAD I NOT SERVICED MY CAR REGULARLY, AND THESE BEARINGS HAD FAILED AT ROAD SPEED, THERE COULD EASILY BEEN A HEAD-ON CRASH, WITH DAMAGE, INJURY, OR DEATH INVOLVED TO MYSELF, MY CAR, AND OR OTHER VEHICLES AND PEOPLE! [XXX] *TR THE CONSUMER STATED ON JUNE 29, 2010, UPON ENGINE START, THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER DISPLAYED SOUNDED THE ALARM CHIME SEVERAL TIMES AND TURNED ON THE RED OIL WARNING LIGHT. THE OIL INFORMATION DISPLAY SHOWED OIL PRESSURE NORMAL. AFTER DOING SOME TESTING, THE CONSUMER CONCLUDED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE SENDING UNIT WAS BAD WHICH HE REPLACED AND EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. UPDATED IVOQ 08/05/10 *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE LEFT WHILE THE CONTACT WAS TURNING RIGHT. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND SHE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE NO LONGER HAD POWER STEERING; SHE SLOWLY DROVE THE VEHICLE TO HER HOME. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,250.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER ABNORMALLY INCREASED TO 140 MPH. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SPEEDOMETER PANEL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 27,100 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,800. UPDATED 6/1/10 *CN UPDATED 06/04/10.8JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, THE SPEEDOMETER BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HIS INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT HE SHOULD CONTACT GENERAL MOTORS SINCE HE HAD SEEN THIS ISSUE WITH HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE AN AUTHORIZED DEALER DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 94, 031. UPDATED 01/19/10 *BF UPDATED 01/20/10.*JB UPDATED 04/09/10. *LJ GM DID NOT AGREE TO HAVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPAIRED AT THEIR EXPENSE. THE CONSUMER HAD A LOCAL SHOP REMOVE THE CLUSTER AND IT WAS SENT FOR REPAIR AND RE-INSTALLED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SPEEDOMETER IS OPERATING NORMALLY. UPDATED 07/16/10.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45-50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK EXCESSIVELY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE INNER WEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,892 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000. UPDATED 8/28/09 *CN UPDATED 09/09/09*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, ALL OF THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE CONTACT ALSO SMELLED A BURNING ODOR AND NOTICED FLAMES ERUPTING FROM THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. THE FLAMES SPREAD TO THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. ALL OF THE LOCKS MELTED, WHICH NEARLY PREVENTED HER FROM EXITING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. AN INVESTIGATOR FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE BATTERY UNDERNEATH THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT FAILED AND CAUSED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT HAS A COPY OF THE POLICE REPORT AND PICTURES OF THE FAILED INCIDENT. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 20,000. UPDATED 02/10/09. *LJ UPDATED 02/11/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTS THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES BECOME HOT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $600. IN ADDITION, ONE OF THE GAUGES IS NOT REGISTERING THE CORRECT INFORMATION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE ENGINE THEN STOPPED RUNNING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND PLACED THE GEARS IN THE CORRECT POSITION, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SHOP AND THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION IS CURRENTLY BEING REPLACED. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS DEFECT AND BELIEVES IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 48,000. UPDATED 09/16/08 *BF UPDATED 09/24/08. *JB

AT APPROXIMATELY 24,000 MILES I STARTED FEELING A HARDER THAN NORMAL SHIFT BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD GEARS. BY THE TIME THE ODOMETER REACHED 26,000 MILES THE SHIFT WAS SOMEWHAT SEVERE WITH A PAUSE BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHO SUPPOSEDLY INSTALLED SOME TYPE OF "KIT" WHICH DID NOT ELIMINATE BUT GREATLY REDUCED THE PROBLEM. I NOW HAVE 37,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND THE PROBLEM IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE ONCE AGAIN AS WELL AS HARD SHIFTING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND AND SOMETIMES WHEN I SHIFT FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE WHILE THE CAR IS NOT MOVING. I HAVE NOT RETURNED TO THE DEALER BECAUSE I AM NOW 1000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY AND THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT IN THE DEALER TOLD ME THE REPAIR WOULD TAKE ONE DAY AND KEPT IT NINE DAYS. I EMAILED BUICK WITH A COMPLAINT BUT GOT NO REPLY. *TR