2001 BUICK REGAL Complaints

CRUISE CONTROL ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY AND SOMETIMES OPERATES NORMALLY FOR A PERIOD OF TIME THEN ACCELERATES VERY RAPIDLY UNEXPECTEDLY. I HAVE NOT RETURNED TO A DEALER YET BUT THOUGHT THE INCIDENTS IMPORTANT TO REPORT. *NM

I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH LOW AIR PRESSURE IN THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE OF MY 2001 BUICK REGAL. THERE HAS ALSO BEEN SIGNIFICANT CORROSION ON ALL OF THE CHROME COATED ALUMINUM RIMS SINCE MY PURCHASE. I HAVE TRIED TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE UNDER WARRANTY DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP WITH MY DEALERSHIP, GM CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND VARIOUS TIRE MANUFACTURERS. ALL PARTIES INVOLVED WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE PROBLEMS CITING REASONS HAVING TO DO WITH MOTHER NATURE, AND/OR BLAMING EACH OTHER TO AVOID THE ISSUE. I RECENTLY HAD A FRONT TIRE CHANGE WHERE THE EMPLOYEE WORKING ON IT INFORMED ME OF A "CRACKED OR "FRACTURED" WHEEL. AFTER CONTACTING GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND BEING SENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN, I WAS TOLD THAT THE CRACK MUST HAVE COME FROM EITHER CORROSION, OR HITTING A POTHOLE. I DISAGREED WITH THEIR ASSESSMENT AND DEMANDED A NEW RIM FREE OF CHARGE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED A CRACK IN A RIM. IT IS MY POSITION THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, AND COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A "DEATH IN THE FIELD". I WILL BE REPLACING THE RIM AT MY COST, YET I NEED THIS ISSUE RESOLVED BEFORE THE OTHER THREE RIMS ON MY CAR POSSIBLY CRACK. ALSO, I NEED TO FIND OUT HOW "COMMON" CRACKED RIMS ARE ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE, AND WHY THEY WERE NEVER RECALLED. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT CALLED TO INFORM NHTSA THAT HE RECEIVE A RECALL LETTER FROM PEP BOYS ON HIS TIRES, THE COOPER FUTURA 2000 RADIAL LTE, SIZE 225/60/R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO PEP BOYS TO HAVE THEM REPLACE THE TIRE BECAUSE THIS IS A PEP BOY RECALL, AND THEY DECLINE TO DO SO. PEP BOYS STATED THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THE RECALL.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A SMELL OF PLASTIC BURNING. THE CONTACT DISMISSED THE SMELL AND ENTERED THE HOME. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE CONTACT SAW SMOKE COMING FROM OUTSIDE THE GARAGE DOOR. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS NOTED THAT THERE WERE 20 FOOT HIGH FLAMES COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HOOD. DURING THE FIRE, THE VEHICLE ENGINE ATTEMPTED TO START TWICE ON ITS OWN. THE FIRE BURNED THE SIDING ON THE HOUSE, AND MELTED THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS, AND WAS NOT BEEN SEEN BY DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT RETURNED PHONE CALLS FROM THE CONTACT.*AK

THE REGULATOR AND MOTOR MALFUNCTION IN MY 2001 BUICK REGAL. ALL 4 WINDOWS HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS OFF AND ON SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN DECEMBER 2001. THEY STOP WORKING FOR A MONTH OR SO, THEN START WORKING AGAIN. ONE QUIT WORKING COMPLETELY, SO I TOOK IT TO THE BUICK DEALER IN FORT WALTON BEACH, FL. THEY WANTED SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FIX IT. I COULD NOT AFFORD THIS, SO THEY SAID FOR LESS THEY COULD BOLT IT IN THE UP POSITION. THEY SAID THAT WAS BETTER THAN IT BEING STUCK DOWN. SO I TOLD THEM TO DO THAT FOR NOW. NOW THE FRONT PASSENGER IS BROKEN IN THE HALFWAY DOWN POSITION. THE OTHER WINDOWS WORK FOR A WHILE THEN QUIT WORKING. *NM

I HAVE A 2001 BUICK REGAL, PURCHASED NEW IN OCTOBER 2001. IN MAY 2005 THE REAR WINDOW ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FELL. I TOOK IT FOR REPAIR AT A BUICK DEALER AND IT COST ME $516 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. A SHORT TIME AGO THE FRONT WINDOW ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FELL, AND TODAY THE FRONT WINDOW ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FELL. I AM IN THE CAR ALONE 99.99% OF THE TIME. THE REAR WINDOWS AND PASSENGER WINDOW ARE NEVER DOWN. INITIALLY I THOUGHT THAT WAS WHY THEY FAILED, BUT NOW THE DRIVERS WINDOW FELL. I SEE THAT JEEP VEHICLES HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. BEING GM PRODUCTS, HAS THIS BEEN DISCUSSED. I JUST PAID THIS CAR OFF AND FEEL IT IS PROBABLY THE WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED. I HAVE REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND HAD ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THE SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THE VEHICLE COULD BE REPAIRED AT A COST.

2001 REGAL POWER WINDOWS FAILED. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED THE WINDOW WOULD SUDDENLY GO DOWN AND WOULD NOT COME BACK UP WHEN THE BUTTON WAS PRESSED.*JB

2001 BUICK REGAL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. *KB WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE VEHICLE HAVE A SLIGHT LURCH, A WEAK THUD AND IT KICKED DOWN FROM DRIVE TO THIRD GEAR. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO A REST STOP AND WHEN HE WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE IN REVERSE, FIRST OR SECOND GEAR. IT WOULD ONLY LURCH FORWARD WHEN IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR FACILITY WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE PLANETARY HAD A BROKEN GEAR, SOME DAMAGED CLUTCH DISKS AND METAL FRAGMENTS IN THE PAN. THE CONSUMER DIDN'T GET TOO FAR WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN HE SMELLED FUMES AND SAW BLUE SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER, OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW BLUE SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONSUMER AND A POLICE OFFICER OBSERVED A DAMP SPOT ON THE GROUND WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE TRANSMISSION FLUID. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STICK WAS CHECKED IT SHOWED THERE WAS NO FLUID. A HAIRLINE CRACK WAS DISCOVERED IN THE LEFT COVER AND WHEN IT BECAME HOT, IT EXPANDED FORCING OUT FLUID. *JB

OUR 2001 BUICK REGAL LOST IT'S A/T AT 40,300 MILES, LOCKED OUT OF REVERSE, GEARS 1 & 2. ONLY HAD DRIVE-3. WHY DOES THE GM AND AMERICAN CARS LOSE THEIR A/T MORE SO THAN THE JAPANESE CARS. WE WERE CURSING ON I-5 AT 70 MPH IN CRUISE CONTROL SOUTH OF STOCKTON, CA, WHEN THE CAR GAVE A SLIGHT LURCH, A THUD AND SLOWED DOWN. I STOPPED CHECKED THE TIRES, ALL OK. CHECKED THE ENGINE OIL AND A/T FLUID, ALL OK. PROCEEDED TO OXNARD, CA HAD THE A/T REPAIRED COSTING US SENIORS $3,600--OUCH. THE SHOP SAID THE PLANETARY GEAR AND THE CLUTCH DISKS WERE BROKEN WITH METAL FRAGMENT IS THE PAN. I KNOW IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT GOSH, IT SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THAN IT DID KONKING OUT AT 40,300. OUR SON DROVE HIS TOYOTA CAMRY 130,00 WITH OUT PROBLEMS, WHY CAN'T AMERICAN CARS BE AS RELIABLE. MY NEXT CAR WILL BE JAPANESE, AND THAT IS A PROMISE. THANKS, LLOYD PEARSON. *NM