2002 BUICK LESABRE Complaints

THE PADDED DASH HAS PEELED UP AN AWAY FROM DASH FRAME IN FRONT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. IT IS CONTINUING TO SPREAD (PEEL UP AND AWAY FROM THE FRAME) ACROSS THE PADDED DASH FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, TOWARDS THE PASSENGER AREA. IT CONTINUES TO GROW IN SEVERITY, AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG, WITH RESPECTS TO IT DEPLOYING WITHOUT WARNING, DUE TO THE PEELING/WARPING OF THE DASH AROUND IT. I HAVE PUT A DASH MAT (COVER) OVER THE PROBLEM FOR APPEARANCE PURPOSES, BUT EVEN THAT DOESN'T HIDE THE GROWING MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM ANYMORE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT WILL COST ME ANYWHERE FROM $350 - $1,200.00 TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM FROM INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS IN THE AREA, TO THE GM BUICK DEALER. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, & "SAFETY" ISSUE DIRECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. OTHER THAN THIS EVER INCREASING PROBLEM, THE CAR IS IN IMMACULATE CONDITION, & I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT DUE TO ITS MECHANICAL RELIABILITY, FUEL ECONOMY, & COMFORT. I BELIEVE AN OEM PADDED DASH REPLACEMENT, SHOULD BE MADE A RECALL ON THE PART OF GM AS THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED DUE TO NEGLIGENCE, AGE OF THE VEHICLE (IT BEGAN WHEN THE CAR WAS RELATIVELY NEW), OR ACCIDENT. I RESPECTFULLY LOOK FORWARD TO RECEIVING A RESPONSE FROM YOU. *TR

DASH PAD BEGAN SEPARATING FROM DASHBOARD AT BASE OF WINDSHIELD DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHEN CAR WAS APPROXIMATELY 4 YEARS OLD. HAS PROGRESSIVELY SPREAD TO CURRENTLY INCLUDE ABOUT 70% OF WIDTH OF DASHBOARD AND IS RAISED APPROXIMATELY 3 INCHES IN FRONT OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. APPEARS TO BE AN ISSUE OF SHRINKAGE/IMPROPER ADHESION DUE TO INFERIOR MATERIALS AND/OR INCORRECT FACTORY INSTALLATION. ONLINE SEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS PROBLEM AFFLICTS A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF 2000-2006 LESABRES. CONCERNED THAT IF PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WERE TO DEPLOY DASH PAD WOULD NOT TEAR AS INTENDED BUT WOULD INSTEAD BE PULLED FROM DASHBOARD AND WOULD STRIKE OCCUPANTS. FIRM MOLDED EDGE COULD CAUSE SERIOUS LACERATIONS OR POTENTIAL FATALITIES. MANY OWNERS HAVE REQUESTED REPAIR, SOME UNDER WARRANTY, WITH NO SATISFACTION FROM BUICK. *TR

THIS IS REGARDING RECENT REPLACEMENT OF BOTH REAR WINDOW REGULATORS. RESEARCH HAS PROVEN THAT MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED OVER THE YEARS WITH NO RECALL. I WOULD HOPE FOR FINANCIAL HELP, $1000 TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS, AS THE MINIMUM RESPONSE; AND ALSO, I HOPE FOR A RECALL TO HELP THE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE SUFFERED GREAT FINANCIAL COSTS AND SAFETY. I HAVE BEEN DIRECTED BY MY FATHER, [XXX], ORIGINAL AND PRESENT OWNER OF THIS 2002 BUICK, TO HELP HIM BE A RESPONSIBLE CONSUMER/CUSTOMER. MY FATHER OF 88 YEARS STILL BELIEVES IN AMERICAN MADE CARS, ESPECIALLY IN GM. HE HAS BEEN WATCHING, LIKE MANY AMERICANS, FOR A "COME BACK" IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY THE CORRECTION OF PROBLEMS THAT CLEARLY HAS A LARGE DOCUMENTATION OF COMPLAINTS AS THIS ONE. I HOPE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HONOR HIS FAITHFULNESS IN PERHAPS A SMALL FINANCIAL WAY, AND PERHAPS EVEN IN A GREATER WAY THROUGH A RECALL. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I BOUGHT 2002 BUICK LESABRE BRAND NEW AND AFTER APPROXIMATELY I YEAR THE DASH BEGAN TO BUCKLE ALMOST THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE WINDSHIELD. IT IS NOW APPROX 3 TO 4 INCHES HIGH. I WENT TO CAR GURUS. COM AND REALIZED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD IMPAIR AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. I BELIEVE THIS WARRANTS A RECALL. *TR

DASH PAD COVER PEELING AWAY FROM DASH PAD BASE. CAUSING GREAT ISSUES WITH RESALE OF VEHICLE REDUCING THE VALUE SIGNIFICANTLY. MANUFACTURING DEFECT AS I HAVE SEEN A GREAT MANY 2000-2005 LESABRE WITH THIS ISSUE INCLUDING MY OTHER 2000 MODEL YEAR LESABRE LIMITED. A SENIOR EXECUTIVE NEEDS TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE AND MAKE THE DECISION TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE DASH PADS. WHOEVER DESIGNED, TESTED OR MANUFACTURED THESE PANELS MADE A GROSS ERROR AND IT IS COSTING BUICK'S QUALITY FIRST REPETITION AND CUSTOMER SERVICE/CARE TO BE HIGHLY TARNISHED. I WILL MOVE AWAY FROM THE BUICK BRAND LOYALTY THAT I HAVE DUE TO THIS COSTLY DEFECT. *TR

THE DASHBOARD ON THE VEHICLE STARTED BUCKLING AT LEAST 5 YEARS AGO. THE BUCKLING IS SEVERE AND EXTENDS ACROSS THE ENTIRE DASH. THE WINDOWS HAVE ALSO BROKEN. I HAVE HAD THREE OF THEM REPAIRED AND ONE IS STILL BROKEN.*JB

NOTICED LOTS OF WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT TAIL PIPE WHILE DRIVING. VERY UNUSUAL. CAR THEN STOPPED ON FREEWAY. HAD TO GET PUSHED BY ANOTHER CAR TO SIDE IF FREEWAY. TOWED CAR HOME TO DRIVEWAY. TRIED TO CRANK ENGINE AND HEARD REAL LOUD POP COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. CAR DID NOT TURN ON. TRIED TO START 5 MORE TIMES BUT EACH TIME IT JUST SOUNDED LIKE A REAL SHORT CRANK TYPE SOUND LIKE AS IF ENGINE IS HAVING A HARD TIME TURNING. AFTER FIFTH TIME, ENGINE STARTED AND THIS TIME THE SMOKE COMING OUT TAIL PIPE WAS WHITE/BLUISH AND LOTS OF IT. ENGINE STOPPED. ALSO NOTICED THAT ALL THE COOLANT WAS GONE FROM COOLANT CONTAINER AND THERE IS A HIGH BURNING SMELL OF COOLANT COMING FROM ENGINE. THIS MIGHT BE A CRACKED UPPER INTAKE OR LOWER INTAKE. THESE ARE MADE OF REAL CHEAP HARD PLASTIC WHICH COULD BE THE PRIMARY REASON OF ENGINE FAILURE. CAR IS NOW PARKED IN MY BACKYARD. *TR

2002 LESABRE WITH A POPPED DASHBOARD BETWEEN STEERING WHEEL AND FRONT GLASS. THE DASHBOARD HAS BUBBLED UP. CANNOT FORCE THE DASH BACK INTO POSITION. I'M AFRAID IT WILL CAUSE THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. SOUNDS LIKE A DESIGN PROBLEM TO ME OR IT'S MADE OF FAULTY MATERIAL AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY A FEW DAYS BEFORE DECEMBER 3, 2011, AND I HEARD A LOUD "POP" SOUND FROM THE BACK SEAT OF MY CAR. ON THE 3RD, I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND STARTED HEARING THE SOUND OF AN OPEN WINDOW IN THE BACK SEAT. I TRIED TO CLOSE THE BACK-RIGHT WINDOW WITH THE POWER WINDOW CONTROL ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR, BUT IT DIDN'T MOVE THE WINDOW (I HEARD THE MOTOR RUNNING, THOUGH). I THEN PARKED THE CAR AND GOT OUT TO TRY TO PULL/PUSH THE WINDOW SHUT, BUT IT WOULD NOT STAY ALL THE WAY UP. IT HAD STARTED WITH JUST AN INCH OR SO BEING OPEN, BUT EVENTUALLY IT SLID DOWN SO IT WAS ONLY ABOUT HALFWAY UP. FROM WHAT I'VE READ ONLINE ( HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/BUICK/LESABRE/2002/WINDOWS_WINDSHIELD/WINDOW_REGULATOR_BROKE.SHTML ), THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF CAR, BUT BUICK IS SAYING THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE TO DECLARE A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE WINDOW REGULATOR. I DISAGREE. FROM WHAT I'VE READ, REPAIRING A SINGLE WINDOW WITH THIS PROBLEM CAN COST UP TO $300 PLUS LABOR, AND USUALLY WHEN ONE WINDOW GOES BAD, THE OTHERS ARE SOON TO FOLLOW. I DON'T REALLY FEEL LIKE PAYING $1200 FOR WINDOWS IN A CAR I ONLY PAID $5000 FOR USED... *TR

THE DASH BOARD IS BUCKLING UP, WE ARE AFRAID IT MAY CAUSE THE AIR BAGS TO ACTIVATE CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH IF IT CAUSES AN WRECK. *KB