1996 BUICK REGAL Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE THE PLASTIC UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD EXPLODED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 96V116000, REGARDING THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 5/3/2006 - WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE AN EXPLOSION WAS HEARD. THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND OPENED THE HOOD TO FIND THE ENGINE ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH A GARDEN HOSE. *NM

A RECALL WAS ISSUED REGARDING THE RACK AND PINION STEERING ON OUR 1996 BUICK. THE PROBLEM WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE CAR. MY 17 YEAR OLD SON WAS PUT IN SERIOUS DANGER BECAUSE THE 'FIX' DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. NOW BUICK IS TELLING US THAT THEY WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THE OBVIOUS PROBLEM WITH THEIR VEHICLE. THE CAR WILL NOT TURN TO THE LEFT. BUCIK REPS ARE INCOMPETENT AND RUDE. *NM

ON JANUARY 21, 2006 AT 7:10 AM, WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON U.S. 1, A BUSY STREET DURING RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC, MY DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO CRASH INVOLVED NOR DID MY CAR COME INTO ANY CONTACT WITH ANY OBJECT. I DIDN'T EVEN APPLY THE BRAKES. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, IT HIT ME IN THE FACE AND BURNED MY HAND. FOR ABOUT FIVE TO SEVEN SECONDS I DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED. IT WAS LIKE I HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND THEN WHOOSH, THE WHOLE BAG WAS IN MY FACE. I WAS CRUISING IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF LIGHT TRAFFIC, AND FORTUNATELY, WAS ABLE TO STOP, THEN PULL OVER OUT OF TRAFFIC TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED. I THEN CALLED MY LOCAL BUICK DEALER AND COMPLAINED TO SERVICE WRITER "PAUL." HE TOLD ME TO GET MY CAR TO HIM AT MY COST NEXT TUESDAY, AND HE WANTED TO CHARGE ME FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THIS MEANS I HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS BUICK'S FAULT -- INVESTIGATING A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS ACCEPTABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE. *JB

FAILURE OF BOTH BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS. EMERGENCY FLASHERS OPERATE SO BULBS AND WIRING ARE OK. FUSES CHECKED. NOT REPAIRED YET BUT WAS TOLD IT PROBABLY IS A SWITCH/COMPONENT IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *JB

HAD AN ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP FAILURE AFTER A PERIOD OF PROBLEMS WITH DIFFICULTY STARTING AND POOR ACCELERATION. WHEN THE FUEL PUMP WAS REMOVED, THERE IS EVIDENCE OF ARCING AT THE CONNECTOR. SEEMS TO BE A FIRE HAZARD, AS THE PUMP IS INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL 03V527000 IN 2-04 REGARDING THE POWER STEERING LOWER PINION BEARING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON 2-17-04 FOR RECALL REPAIRS. THE CAR HAD 56,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER THE RECALL REPAIR WORK WAS DONE, THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE IN THE POWER STEERING. ON 5-9-05 THEY DISCOVERED A LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING. THEY REPLACED A POWER STEERING HOSE . THEN, AT 64,000 MILES, HE HEARD A HUMMING NOISE, THEY RE-ROUTED THE HOSE, AND TOLD HIM THE NOISE WOULD GO AWAY. ON 6-02-05 HE TOOK VEHICLE BACK BECAUSE THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE. THEY TOLD HIM HE NEEDED A WHOLE NEW POWER STGEERING UNIT. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT EVER SINCE HE HAD THE RECALL REPAIR WORK DONE, WHEN HE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT THERE WAS A LOUD HUMMING NOISE. IT SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE.*AK *JB

LEFT HAND RETURN WENT OUT, MY CAR, A 1996 BUICK REGAL, HAS A BULLETIN # 03062 ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM AND A RECALL FOR THIS PART, HOWEVER ON NOTIFYING THE BUICK DEALERSHIP AND THE 800 # HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MY VIN # ISN'T INCLUDED. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT MY CAR DOES HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND IS THE CORRECT YEAR. *NM

MY SEATBEALTS DON'T HOLD YOU AT ALL . IF THERE WAS A ACCIDENT LIKE THE ONE WE HAD IN OUR TOYOTA.THE OUTCOME COULD BE TRAGIC!!!! I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT TO DO, AND WHERE TO GO ?? I,M AFRAID TO DRIVE FOR FEAR OF BEING IN ANOTHER ACCIDENT . PLEASE ADVISE ME WHAT TO DO . THANKS, ROSAMOND BENNETT

AFTER TURNING THE IGNITION TO START THE VEHICLE THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION, THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED, AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NHTSA RECALL 96V116000. *AK THE EGR VALVE WAS INOPERATIVE AND ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE JUMP STARTED. *SC *JB

THE CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE GEAR SHIFT. CHANGING GEARS ARE VERY DIFFICULT. WHEN GOING FROM PARK TO DRIVE THE CONSUMER MUST APPLY A LOT OF PRESSURE FOR THE GEARS TO SHIFT. THE OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHERE GREASE WAS APPLIED TO THE DEFECTIVE PART, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK THE GEAR SHIFT WAS HARD TO MOVE FORM PARK TO DRIVE. THE CABLES WERE FOUND DRY. *SC