2016 BUICK REGAL Complaints

LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN VISCLOSKY ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE THE MATERIALS USED TO MANUFACTURER AUTOMOBILES SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CONSUMERS. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS IN A MINOR ACCIDENT THAT CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE BUMPER MAY HAVE BEEN MADE OUT OF A TIRE COMPOUND. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THE BUMPER SHOULD BE ONLY OUT OF STEEL. UPDATED 11/3/2017*JS

WHILE TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. THE GLASS FLEW IN AND OUT OF THE CAR STICKING ME IN THE FACE AND BODY. THERE WAS NO CONTACT WITH ANY OUTSIDE OBJECT, THE ROAD WAS SMOOTH AND THERE WERE NO OVERHEAD TREES, SIGNS OR BRIDGES.

CAR APPLIED BRAKES SUDDENLY AND FULLY 4-5 TIMES DURING 200 MILE TRIP ON I-5 FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON AT FREEWAY SPEEDS (65-70MPH). IT OCCURRED RANDOMLY, WHILE FOLLOWING OTHER VEHICLES, INCLUDING SEMI-TRUCKS, WHICH ARE NOT IN SAME LANE AND/OR ARE SIGNIFICANT DISTANCE AWAY. DID SO WITHOUT ANY DRIVER INPUT OR APPLICATION OF BRAKES. DECREASED SPEED WAS SO SUDDEN, IT CAUSED DRIVER'S SEAT BELT TO TENSE UP. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO VEHICLES DIRECTLY BEHIND MINE OR MY CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN REAR-ENDED AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, RESULTING IN POTENTIAL SERIOUS INJURY. I TOOK CAR TO DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED (ROYAL MOORE AUTO CENTER, HILLSBORO, OREGON (503-648-1153) ON 8/9/17 AND LEFT IT FOR DAY. THEIR TECHNICIANS RAN CODES AND DROVE CAR, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. (INVOICE # BUCS780125). I WAS REFERRED TO BUICK (800-521-7300) AND IT REFERRED ME TO GM SENIOR ADVISOR TEAM. WAS ASSIGNED SERVICE REQUEST #8-3144154519. I SPOKE TO SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE "CHRISTI", WHO TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO UNLESS THE SERVICE TECHNICIANS COULD DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HER ONLY SUGGESTION WAS THAT I RETURN TO THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY COULD DO THAT. I TOLD HER SINCE THE PROBLEM DID NOT OCCUR ALL THE TIME, BUT ONLY SOME OF THE TIME, THAT MADE NO SENSE. I ASKED TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE AT GM WHO MIGHT HAVE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. SHE SAID SHE COULD NOT REFER ME TO ANYONE AT GM FOR THAT PURPOSE. I TOLD HER (AND LATER A SECOND SENIOR ADVISORY TEAM MEMBER- WHO ARE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS AND NOT GM EMPLOYEES), THAT I HAD FOUND WEBSITES THAT DISCUSSED OTHER OWNERS OF GM VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE FORWARD COLLISION ALERT AND BRAKING SYSTEM AND ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, IE, AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEMS, EXPERIENCING SIMILAR PROBLEMS- THEIR VEHICLES BRAKED AT THE WRONG TIME FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NHTSA NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS ASAP.

DRIVER INFOTAINMENT CENTER HAS MANY ISSUES, REMAINS BLANK WHILE RADIO IS PLAYING AND CAN BE CONTROLLED BY STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS AND HVAC VIA EXTERNAL BUTTONS. ALSO BACKUP CAMERA INTERMITTENTLY JUMPS THE VIDEO FROM CAMERA BUT NOT THE CGI LINES. THIS MAKES YOU STOP DUE TO REFLEXES THINKING SOMETHING RAN OUT IN THE WAY OF BACKING UP. ON OCCASION THE DISPLAY HAS SHOWN SYSTEM ERROR AND ALSO HVAC CONTROL NOT OPERABLE. ALSO HAVE SEEN THE CGI DIRECTIONAL LINES NOT SHOW UP UNTIL PLACED IN FORWARD GEAR JUST BEFORE THE DISPLAY TURNS OFF THE CAMERA. DEALER AND BUICK HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE INTERMITTENT PROBLEM SO THEY WILL NOT REPLACE ANY COMPONENTS YET THIS PROBLEM OCCURS DAILY BETWEEN TRIPS BUT CANNOT BE REPLICATED TO SHOW DEALER. WE HAVE VIDEOS OF THE PROBLEM AND PHOTOS OF THE ERROR MESSAGES. DEALER HAS REPROGRAMMED THE SYSTEM MULTIPLE TIMES NO FIX YET. BUICK WAS OF ZERO HELP ON THIS LEMON OF A PROBLEM AND REMINDED US THE LEMON LAW DOES NOT APPLY TO ACCESSORIES SUCH AS THIS BACKUP CAMERA. LANE CHANGE AND COLLISION DETECTION ALSO HAVE ISSUES OF FALSE REPORTING BUT NO SOLUTION EITHER. STAY AWAY FROM THIS SYSTEM AS IT IS FLAWED AND NO HELP FROM BUICK OR DEALER. DEALER ACTUALLY SUGGEST TAKING THE ISSUE TO ANOTHER DEALER - WOW VERY NICE AFTER SALE SUPPORT.

CAR COMPUTER IS SUCEPTIBLE TO HACKING AND REPROGRAMMING WHILE DRIVING SUSPENSION IS LOWERED OR RAISED ENGINE LOOSES POWER WHOLE CAR COMPONENTS RATTLE OR RADIO BASS LOUD WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION DOESNT SHIFT TO CORRECT GEAR STUCK ON SECOND OR THIRD AND GEAR SHIFT KNOB POPS UP WHILE DRIVING DEALER SAYS IS NORMAL BRAKES LOOSE PRESSURE TAKING LONG TO COMPLETE STOP ENGINE SHAKES WHILE IN MOTION OR IDLE RADIO AND OTHER COMPONENTS APPS TRACTION ABS DISABLED HACKED OR CONTROLLED WIRELESS/BT

2016 BUICK REGAL WITH 11K MIKES. THE WINDSHIELD RECENTLY DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE LEFT LOWER CORNER. THE CRACK STARTED AT THE BOTTOM EDGE (BELOW THE DASH) ABOUT 8 INCHES FROM THE LOWER LEFT CORNER. OVER SEVERAL DAYS, THE CRACK SLOWLY SPREAD UP AND TO THE LEFT, ENDING AT THE LEFT EDGE OF THE WINDSHIELD ABOUT 6 INCHES FROM THE LOWER LEFT CORNER. THE CRACK IS IN THE INNER LAMINATED GLASS ONLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BUICK DEALER TO SEE IF THE WINDSHIELD CAN BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE SERVICE ADVISOR CLAIMED IT WAS A STRESS CRACK, BUT WANTED TO CHECK WITH THE GM ZONE REP. BEFORE PROCEEDING. GM ZONE REP. DENIED THE WARRANTY CLAIM BECAUSE HE FELT SOMETHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING THE CRACK. THE WINDSHIELD HAS NO SIGNS OF ANY IMPACT ON IT. THE GM ZONE REP. NEVER ACTUALLY INSPECTED THE CAR. VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN A GLASS SHOP FOR THEIR OPINION. THE GLASS SHOP CLAIMED THE CRACK WAS CAUSED BY EITHER A DEFECT IN THE WINDSHIELD OR IMPROPER INSTALLATION. APPARENTLY IS MAY BE A KNOWN ISSUE ON 2013-2014 BUICK REGALS.

SUDDENLY AFTER LEAVING COSTCO GAS STATION AND DRIVING "NO" DISPLAY OF MILLAGE. SPEED GAUGES AND ALL CRITICAL INFORMATION WENT BLANK/BLACK ON DRIVERS DASH BOARD WITH CRITICAL LIGHTS DISPLAY SHOWING TROUBLE WITH VEHICLE BY DISPLAYING YELLOW; AND RED EXCLAMATIONS; SKID TIRE AND NO GAUGE READINGS FOR ENGINE TEMKP; OR NOTHING!. ON STAR GAVE NEGATIVE RESULTS FOR EMERGENCY HELP. DEALER STATED CAR WAS REPROGRAMED LAST WEEK. PREVIOUS RADIO AND BLUE TOOTH TROUBLE REPORTED TO GM. THEY SEEM TO IGNORE ME. TROUBLED RADIO AND NAVIGATION PURPOSIVELY FIXED LAST WEEK

WHEN BACKING OUT OF A DARK AREA (SUCH AS A GARAGE) INTO BRIGHT LIGHT, OR WHEN LEAVING A DARK TUNNEL INTO BRIGHT LIGHT, THE BACKUP DISPLAY OR FORWARD NAVIGATION DISPLAY BECOME UNUSABLE DUE TO CONTRAST ("WASHOUT") ISSUES. THE SYSTEM IN THE BUICK IS A SINGLE SENSOR SYSTEM (IT ALSO CONTROLS THE AUTOMATIC HEAD LIGHTS) THAT REQUIRES 20-30 SECONDS TO ADJUST CONTRAST AFTER A TRANSITION FROM DARK TO LIGHT. THIS 20-30 SECOND DELAY IS CRITICAL WHEN BACKING UP BECAUSE YOU LOSE THE VIEW OFFERED BY THE REVIEW CAMERA UNLESS YOU STOP WHILE THE SYSTEM ADJUSTS. THERE ARE MANY SITUATIONS WHERE YOU CAN'T STOP BACKING (ESPECIALLY FOR 30 SECONDS) ONCE YOU HAVE STARTED. THE "WASHOUT" OF THE DISPLAY WHEN USING THE NAVIGATION MAP IS ALSO A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE. IF TRYING TO FOLLOW THE MAP/DIRECTIONS WHEN EXITING A TUNNEL (THE TUNNEL IS DARK ENOUGH TO REQUIRE THE AUTO HEADLIGHTS TO TURN ON) YOU LOSE THE ABILITY TO SEE THE MAP FOR 20-30 SECONDS WHILE THE SYSTEM ADJUSTS TO THE CHANGE IN LIGHTING. AT THE VERY LEAST THIS CAUSES A DISTRACTION FOR THE DRIVER TRYING TO FOLLOW THE MAP. BUICK TOUTS THE BACKUP CAMERA AND THE BIG NAVIGATION DISPLAY AS VEHICLE SAFETY AIDS, BUT THE IMPLEMENTATION IS FLAWED AND A DANGER TO THE DRIVER OR OTHERS.