1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE Complaints

'98 PARK AVE 4DR. ENGINE BACKFIRED, LUCKY TO GET IT STARTED IT SOUND LIKE A HOT-ROD, BUT DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE, WE REPLACED THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR (DIAPHRAGM RUPTURED)$750.00. WE ALSO,DROVE IT HOME ABOUT 50 MILES. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE DROVE IT HOME WITH OUR 1 YEAR OLD SON IF WE KNEW THAT IT WAS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS FIRE HAZARD. THANKS!

TURNED ON IGNIION KEY OF 1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE TO START AND HEARD LOUD BANG AND THEN NOTICED GREY SMOKE AT REAR OF HOOD AREA. TURNED OFF KEY, GOT OUT AND CLOSED DOOR, PROCEEDED TO HOUSE TO CALL 911 AND GOT KITCHEN FIRE EXTINGUISHER. I WENT BACK TO BURNING CAR, OPENED HOOD, OBSERVED FIRE AT SIDE OF ENGINE NEXT TO FIREWALL. I USED FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO GET MOST OF FIRE OUT. THERE WAS SOME FIRE UNDER ENGINE ON GROUND WHICH THE EXTINGUISHER DID NOT GET OUT. THE EXTINGUISHER WAS NOW EMPTY SO I WENT BACK TO HOUSE AND GOT BAKING SODA FROM KITCHEN AND THREW IT UNDER ENGINE TO EXTENGUISH THE FIRE UNDER THE ENGINE. FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME BUT I HAD FIRE OUT BY THEN.

THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER DOOR FAILS TO UNLOCK BY USING ELECTRONIC LOCKING BUTTON OR MANUALLY PULLING ON THE DOOR LOCK. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *NLM

ENGINE STALLS AND WATER IN CYLINDERS. WATER IN CYLINDERS WAS CORRECTED WITH A NEW PLETIUM. THE ENGINE STALL PROBLEM WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. I WAS ASSURED THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD BE CORRECTED. TO DATE IT HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED.I GAVE UP ON WILKENS BUICK (ON THE 2ND RETURN OF VEHICLE) WHEN THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD NOT BE GIVEN A RENTAL BUT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT MYSELF. AGIAN THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO THEM, THEY ARE THE ONE'S THAT MADE ME AWARE OF IT. CAR STALLS EVEYTIME THAT YOU ARE COMING TO A STOP AND ON OCCASION GOING DOWN A HILL AND JUST LETTING UP ON GAS PEDAL. THIS IS A VERY HEAVY VEHICLE AND AT THIS POINT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO BE ON THE HIGHWAY, DUE TO INABILITY TO PROPERLY CONTROL THE STEERING WHEN THE ENGINE DIES.I CURRENTLY HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE AT 3 DIFFERENT REPAIR FACILITIES SINCE 12/13/2002, AND AGAIN TO DATE THE PROBLEM STILL PRESIST.

WHEN CONSUMER TURNED THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION, THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE, THEN VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. MR

INTAKE MANIFOLD DEVELOPED A CRACK OR HOLE. COOLANT LEAKED INTO CYLINDERS AND OIL CAUSING ENGINE NOT TO RUN. REPAIR COST $966.23. FUEL REGULATOR FAILED CAUSING ENGINE TO BACK FIRE AND BLOW VACCUM HOSES OFF OF ENGINE. REPLACEMENT OF SAME COST $114.94. DT

THE FIRST INCIDENT OF THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED IN 2001 AT 48,000 MILES. TO CORRECT THE COOLANT LOSS THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROX. $500.00. THE SECOND OCCURANCE WAS AT 103,000 MILES, THIS TIME GM HAD ISSUED A TECHNICAL BULLETIN NO. 01-06-01-007A DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM AND INDICATING THAT NOW BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLDS NEED TOBE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, COST $750.00. IT IS MY FEELING THAT SINCE GM KNOWS THE PROBLEM IS ONE OF FAULTY MATERIAL THEY SHOULD COVER AT LEAST THE COST OF THE PARTS, WHICH THEY HAVE FAILED TO DO. DT

CONSUMER STATES THE MOTOR "LOCKED UP" WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT ANTIFREEZE IS LEAKING INTO ENGINE CYLINDERS. TS

CONSUMER STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARK THE VEHICLE BATTERY FELL FROM ITS POST. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

WHILE SLOWING DOWN VEHICLE TO PULL INTO A GAS STATION, CONSUMER STATES THERE WAS A BIG EXPLOSION UNDER HOOD, POPPED HOOD AND SAW FLAMES, WENT FOR HELP. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS