2000 BUICK PARK AVENUE Complaints

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR THE BATTERY BECAME WEAK. *NM IT WAS DETERMINED THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR MALFUNCTIONED. *JB

THE INCIDENT ORIGINALLY FELT LIKE POSSIBLE WARPED BRAKE DISC (SLIGHT THROBING IN THE BRAKE PEDAL). WHITHIN TWO WEEKS IT BECAME A CLICKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END EVEN WHITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL PRESSED. INVESTIGATIO DISCLOSED A BUILDUP ON THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE DISC. THIS BUILDUP WAS RADIAL IN NATURE; ABOUT .375 INCH WIDTH, ABOUT .010 INCH IN HEIGHT, WITH A LENGTH OF BRAKE PAD WIDTH. ITS APPEARANCE WAS SIMILAR TO WELD BEAD. THE BUILDUP WAS REMOVED BY HAND BURNISHING. THIS REMOVAL DISCLOSED A CRACK IN THE BRAKE DISC WHICH RAN ALONG ONE EDGE OF THE BUILDUP. MY ANALYSIS OF THIS PROBLEM IS; THE DISC SURFACE JUST AHEAD OF THE CRACK DEFLECTS INWARD WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE CRACK THEN ACTS AS A SCRAPER BLADE ON THE PAD. THE BRAKES DO FUNCTION THROB AND NOISE FREE SINCE THE BURNISHING, BUT I AM SURE THAT THE BUILDUP WILL REOCCUR. *AK

MY BUICK PARK AVENUE HAS 13K MILES. WHILE DRIVING THE INSTRUMENT GAUGES (TACH, SPEEDOMETER) STARTED TO PULSATE BACK AND FORTH FOR 0 TO THEIR MAX. THEY EVENTUALLY WENT TO 0 AND THE OTHER GAUGES STOPPED WORKING AS WELL. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES. THE DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND CURRENTLY HAS THE VEHICLE IN THE SHOP. HE SUGGESTED THAT THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AND IT WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY (BECAUSE THE CAR IS MORE THAN 3 YEARS OLD.) I NOTICED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEM STATED IN ANOTHER COMPLAINT (REFERENCE # 8011746) I WISH I KNEW WHAT THEY DID TO CORRECT THAT PROBLEM. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS TO BE REPLACED AND NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *JB

STEERING EXHIBITS A HORRIBLE NOISE AND SHUTTER ON STATIC TURNS AND THIS CONTINUES N THE FORM OF A "STICK SLIP" FEEL UP TO 60 MPH. THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO TO SEE IF THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND WILL THIS LEAD TO EARLY FATIGUE. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THERE IS NO KNOWN FIX. THIS IS A CONTINUAL PROBLEM.*AK

CONSUMER RECEIVEDRECALL 04V090000 CONCERNING FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. AFTER HAVING RECALL REPAIRS DONE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A STARTING PROBLEM. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT NOTHING ELSE WOULD BE DONE. *AK

MY 2000 BUICK PARK AVENUE WAS RECALLED FOR A DANGEROUS FUEL PUMP (NHTSA ID # 04V090000). WHILE MY CAR WAS AT A BUICK SERVICE CENTER TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP, THE DIAPHRAM OF THE NEW FUEL PUMP RUPTURED, SPRAYING GASOLINE WHICH IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT FIRE. SINCE THIS HAPPENED IN THE GARAGE, THE MECHANICS IMMEDIATELY PUT OUT THE FIRE, SO ONLY A FEW WIRES AND FUELS LINES APPEARED TO BE DAMAGED. ALTHOUGH THE BUICK SERVICE CENTER IS NOW REPAIRING THE DAMAGE,, THIS INCIDENT SUGGESTS THAT THE DIAPHRAM OF THE BUICK'S FUEL PUMP IS STILL DEFECTIVE. THE SERVICE MANAGER COULD NOT SAY WHETHER GM WOULD INVESTIGATE THIS FIRE, I'M REPORTING IT TO NHTSA SO THAT YOU MAKE SURE MY CAR IS SAFE. *JB

5 STUDS BROKE OFF THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE BOTH CONTACTED.*AK IN THE FIRST PHOTO SENT IN BY THE CONSUMER THE OUTSIDE EDGE WAS MILLED CORRECTLY AND SITS AGAINST THE ROTOR. IN THE SECOND PHOTO THE OUTSIDE EDGE WAS MILLED OFF. *TC

FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT FROM IT RETRACTOR, LEAVING PASSENGER WITHOUT ANY RESTRAINT WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK SEAT BELT ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WILL NOT EXTEND RETRACTOR IS LOCKED UP. *TC

THE VEHICLE'S STABILITY SYSTEM FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER CHECKED THE SYSTEM BUT WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THEPROBLEM. A NEW COMPUTER CHIP WAS INSTALLED AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK *NM

WHILE TURNING THE KEY TO START VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, FLAMES AND HEAVY SMOKE CAME UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. *AK INSURANCE REPORT INDICATED THAT FIRE WAS THE RESULT OF AN IMPROPER COMBUSTION WITHIN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THIS IS BECAUSE THAT THE FUEL VAPORS IN THIS AREA WERE IGNITED AND CAUSED THE RESULTING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. *LA