1999 BUICK REGAL Complaints

WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN POWER STEERING FAILED, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR DRIVER TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED RACK AND PINION. *AK MANUFACTURER HAS RECALLED SOME MODELS FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT DIDN'T COVERED CONSUMER'S. IN ADDITION, STEERING FAILED WHEN DRIVER WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN IN A PARKING LOT. *LA

I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR LESS THAN ONE YEAR AND AM EXPERIENCING EXTREME PAINT (DARK BLUE COLOR) FLAKING. THE FLAKING OF PAINT IS OCCURRING AROUND ALL PARTS OF THE CAR INCLUDING DOORS, ABOVE WHEELS, BACK QUARTER PANEL, TRUNK, AND HOOD. THE CAR HAS 80,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED--GARAGE KEPT, WASHED WEEKLY, AND ROUTINELY HAS OIL CHANGE AND CHECK UPS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE MANUFACTURES PAINT.*AK

WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE STEERING ISSUE, HOWEVER THE RECALL STOPPED AT THE 1998 MODELS. *JB

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

MY 1999 BUICK REGAL LS CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE AN OCCASIONAL POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURS WITH A FIRST START/COLD START OR AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AFTER BEING OPERATED. THE PROBLEM IS A LACK OF "POWER STEERING" WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT, I.E. WHEN PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT AND A HARD LEFT TURN IS REQUIRED. THE SITUATION IS NEGATED AFTER THE STEERING WHEEL IS RETURNED TO A STRAIGHT POSITION OR FULL RIGHT POSITION. THIS OCCASIONAL FAILURE HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR MORE THAN 40,000 MILES BUT HAS BEEN MORE FREQUENT WITH THIS WINTER'S EXTREME COLD WEATHER. MY VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 99,000+ MILES. THE RECENT RECALL BY GM OF 1996-1998 REGALS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM HAS PROMPTED MY REPORTING OF THIS FAILURE WITH MY VEHICLE.

HAD TO REPLACE THE RACK ON THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM TODAY DUE TO STEERING DIFFICULTY AND LEAKAGE. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 104K MILES. REPAIR COST BY A BUICK DEALERSHIP WAS APPROXIMATELY $1400.00.*AK

1999 REGAL WITH 47,000 MILE HAS DEVELOPED A CLANKING NOISE FROM STEERING WHEEL WHEN MAKING LEFT TURN SAME PROBLEM NOW EXIST WHEN MAKING RIGHT OR LEFT TURN. DELIVERY DATE ON SERVICE ID IS 28 OCT 98. YET THIS MODEL IS NOT LISTED IN LASTEST POWER STEERING RECALL - THE DESCRIPTION OF MY PROBLEM IS DUPLICATED IN THIS LATEST RECALL. *CB

MY WIFE?S 99 BUICK REGAL, WITH LESS THAN 31,000 MILES, BOUGHT NEW 12/99, SUDDENLY STARTED TO LOSE BRAKE FLUID DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER. WE COULD SEE NO OBVIOUS LEAKS BUT EACH TIME WE TEST DROVE THE CAR, A SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAKE DISAPPEARED FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR. SINCE THE WARRANTY ENDED LAST DECEMBER, I CALLED GM SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM AND I WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE CLOSEST LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED SO REPAIR REQUIREMENTS AND COSTS COULD BE DETERMINED FOR ANY POSSIBLE SPECIAL ADJUSTMENT. I CALLED THE LOCAL SUN DEALER ON 9/4, BUT I WAS POLITELY TOLD DON?T COME HERE BECAUSE I DIDN?T BUY THE CAR THERE AND THEY DIDN?T WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN ANY CROSS WARRANTY ISSUES (DESPITE THE FACT THAT I WAS WILLING TO PAY FOR THEIR TIME). I TOOK OUR BUICK TO A TRUSTED LOCAL REPAIR CENTER AND IT WAS PROMPTLY DETERMINED THERE WAS A RUSTED AND LEAKING METAL BRAKE LINE, OTHER SEVERELY RUSTED (BUT NOT LEAKING) BRAKE LINES AND SEVERELY PITTED, CORRODED AND RUSTED REAR BRAKE ROTORS. THE PRIVATE GARAGE REPLACED THE RUSTED & LEAKING BRAKE LINES, REAR ROTORS & BRAKE PADS FOR A TOTAL COST OF $412.31. ALL REPLACED PARTS WERE GIVEN TO ME AT MY REQUEST. ON 9/6 I FULLY DOCUMENTED WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED AND SUBMITTED IT TO BUICK?S ONLINE CUSTOMER RELATIONS, AND WAS ASSIGNED REQUEST # 1-137192830. I WAS TOLD VIA EMAIL BUICK?S GM SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM WOULD FOLLOW UP. ON 9/11 I SPOKE WITH A GM'S SPECIAL POLICY ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM PERSON, EXPLAINED WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED AND WAS TOLD ONLY THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE SERVICING DEALER COULD APPROVE ANY REIMBURSEMENT OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY. THEY WOULD NOTIFY HIM OF MY CLAIM. ON 9/12 I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER (WHO SEEMED VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE OF THE CAR?S LOW MILEAGE) BUT HE COULDN?T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT THE AREA SERVICE MANAGER?S APPROVAL. A FEW DAYS LATER I RECEIVED A VOICE MAIL SAYING THE AREA SERVICE MANAGER WOULDN?T GET INVOLVED OR APPROVE OF ANY REIMBURSEMENT.

IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, ON THE ROAD. MULTIPLE TIMES. *LA

EXTERIOR MIRROR GLASS VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING CAUSING BLURRED VISION. HAD ONE SIDE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. 6 MONTHS LATER, BOTH SIDES DO IT. IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE CLEARLY!!! CHROME COATING ON WHEELS PEELING OFF. PIECES WILL STICK TO THE ABS SENSOR CAUSING FAULT. ONE OCCASION IT MADE BRAKES FAIL ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENT. *LA