1993 BUICK REGAL Complaints

I HAVE A TERRIBLE ENGINE KNOCK, AND WHEN TAKEN TO A MECHANICAL SHOP THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ME OVER $4000 FOR A REBUILT GM ENGINE, BECAUSE IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. ANOTHER MECHANIC TOLD ME THE 3.8 IS USUALLY AN EXCELLENT ENGINE, AND HE'D NEVER HEARD OF ONEGOING BAD WITH ONLY THE AMOUNT OF MILES I HAVE ON MINE. I READ THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM IN THE '93 REGAL...CAN I GET IT FIXED UNDER A RECALL OR SOMETHING? I LOVE MY CAR AND I AM A NURSE WHO TAKES CARE OF A TOTALLY DISABLED LADY IN HER HOME...I NEED MY CAR BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT I CAN'T AFFORD $4000. PLEASE ADVISE ME WHAT TO DO...I STILL OWE $11,000. ON THIS CAR...HELP ME PLEASE! OTHER THAN THE ENGINE KNOCK IT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL CAR. I TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT. I JUST HAD THE BODY RETOUCHED SO IT LOOKS LIKE NEW.

PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED IN JULY 1997. SOMETIMES THE CAR'S ENGINE STOPS RUNNING FOR NO APPARENT REASON, LEAVING ME IN MOTION WITH NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL RE-START IMMEDIATELY, ONE TIME IT TOOK AS LONG AS SEVERAL HOURS. ALSO, OCCASIONALLY WHEN PARKED, THE CAR WILL CRANK, BUT NOT START AT ALL. SOMETIMES THE CAR STARTS AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, SOMETIMES IT HAS TAKEN FOR AS LONG AS HALF AN HOUR. SEVERAL MECHANICS, INCLUDING MY LOCAL DEALER, HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THIS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. BUICK CUSTOMER RELATIONS WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ANY USEFUL ADVICE OR ASSISTANCE. THIS CAR IS VERY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT.

REAR BRAKE ROTORS AND CALIPERS WERE REPLACED AND THERE WAS ONLY 40,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON SMOOTH DRY PAVEMENT AND APPLYING BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, A NOISE WAS HEARD AND ABS FAILED STOP VEHICLE FROM 25 MPH. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

STOP LIGHT LENS (RED) ABOVE REAR SEAT IN BACK WINDOW MELTED AND THE FABRIC AROUND IT MELTED.

WHEN TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 35MPH ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ON SCENE. DEALER STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS DUE TO DEFECT IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. *AK

ANTI-LOCK BRAKES CONTINUE TO FAIL, REPAIRS MADE HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL CONTNUES.

SPEED OF THE VEHICLE IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE, THE VEHICLE HESITATES AND CHUG'S WHILE TRYING TO MAINTAIN SPEED.

EXHAUST PIPE LEAKS WHERE ATTACHES TO MANIFOLD, CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE PARTS, SYSTEM NEED REPLACING. *AK

WHEN BRAKING, HEARD LOUD SHATTERING NOISE, INTERMITTENT GRABBING, EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ACCORDING TO DEALER, BRAKES ARE NORMAL, AN INDEPENDENT DEALER REPLACED BRAKE DRUM/SHOES AND ROTORS . PROBLEM STILL EXISTS, VARIOUS SPEEDS. *AK