1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE Complaints

THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION UNDER HOOD. THIS OCCURRED WHEN KEY WAS TURNED IN THE IGNITION TO START THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE INSPECTOR WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION BECAUSE THE UNDER HOOD COMPONENTS WERE MELTED TOGETHER.*AK

INITIATION OF PROBLEM STARTED 19 SEPT 2003 WHILE ON A ROUNDTRIP, TX TO CA. AFTER APPROXIMATELY $3,200 IN REPAIRS, CA & TX, THE CULPRIT IS IDENTIFIED AND THE PROBLEM IS CURRENTLY FIXED (30 OCT 2003). THE CULPRIT IS A WARPED UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD, WHICH ALLOWED COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE CYLINDERS (FINALLY HYDRO-LOCKING THE ENGINE). THIS HARD-PLASTIC, DOMED ORIGINAL GM PART HAS ABOUT A 1-MM WARP ON THE END NEAREST CYLINDERS #1 & #2. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A MANUFACTURER'S FLAW, ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS MORE THAN 75,000 MILES. THE TX DEALER HAS SEEN OTHER PROBLEMS LIKE THIS. A GM/BUICK REPRESENTATIVE DOES NOT WANT TO CONSIDER SHARING SOME OF THE REPAIR COSTS. I HAVE A THOROUGH FILE ON THIS PROBLEM. I NOTE OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR THIS INTEGRAL PART OF THE ENGINE. -- JACK SANDERS, DALLAS. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH AND WITH NO WARNING, THE ENGINE LOCKED UP. CONSUMER MADE CONTACT WITH DEALER. *AK THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT BOTH THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD PROBLEMS EARLY ON. *SCC *JB

LEAKY INTAKE GASKET ON 3.8K ENGINE, LEAKED COOLANT AND FOULDED PLUGS, ENGINE QUIT RUNNING. HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER AT 81,000 MILES.*AK

DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE. DEALER STATES DOOR'S LATCH MECHANISM BROKE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, ENGINE LIGGHT CAME ON AND BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. SUSEQUENT FINDINGS WERE THAT THE COMPOSITE INTAKE PLENUM HAD SEVERAL PIN HOLE LEAKS WHICH RESULTED IN DUMPING OF COOLANT INTO ENGINE AND SEIZURE VERY SHORTLY AFTER LIGHT CAME ON. HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE. NEW ENGINE SEEMS TO HAVE OTHER PROBLEMS NOW WITH POWER AND SMOOTH OPERATION AND EXCESSIVE RATTLING.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND BROKE DOWN ON HIGHWAY. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE PLASTICK INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, CAUSING FAILURE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING LOST COMPLETE POWER STEERING AND VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

LOOSE BOLT STUCK IN TRANSMISSION. NAR 07/09/2003*MR THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE, BECAUSE THE BOLTS BACKED OUT, WHICH CAUSED THE GASKET TO LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY APPROX $1400. IN REPAIRS AND FEELS THAT THESE DAMAGES WERE CAUSED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THAT SHE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR DEFECTIVE PARTS PLACED ON A BRAND NEW VEHICLE. *CB THE ROTORS ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

ON MAY 25, 2003 I STARTED TO PULL OUT ONTO A STREET, AND MY 1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE GOT PART WAY OUT INTO THE STREET AND THEN WOULD NOT MOVE, EXCEPT AT A SNAIL'S PACE. FINALLY I WAS ABLE TO PULL ON OUT, BUT NOT BEFORE A CAR WAS RIGHT UPON ME. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND TSB EXISTED ON A VALVE IN THE TRANSMISSION. I BELIEVE THIS TSB SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO A RECALL, BECAUSE I ALMOST GOT HIT WHEN I PULLED OUT BECAUSE THE CAR MORE OR LESS STALLED WHILE I WAS ENTERING THE STREET. IF YOU SEE THAT YOU HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC, ONE DOES NOT EXPECT THE CAR TO SUDDENLY CREEP OR STALL. THIS PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY PROBLEM-I EXPERIENCED IT FIRST HAND. *NLM