2002 BUICK REGAL Complaints

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED HAD NUMEROUS FLAT TIRES ON THE 2002 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALERSHIP THE FLAT TIRES WERE DUE TO THE PEALING OF THE CHROME RIMS ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP RESEALED THE RIMS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE TIRES WERE LOW AND BECAME FLAT. THERE WEREN'T ANY PARTICULAR ROAD OR WEATHER CONDITIONS WHEN TIRES WENT FLAT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE BOTH 32100.*AK CONSUMER STATES DEALER INFORMED HER RIMS NEED RELINING THAT'S WHY THE TIRES KEEP GOING FLAT, DEALER WILL NOT PAY TO HAVE THE RIMS REPLACED AND CONSUMER FEELS IT THE DEALERS RESPONSIBILITY. *4/17TR

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATING ELEMENTS ON THE 2002 BUICK REGAL WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, WHEN THE HEAT WAS ON EITHER HIGH OR LOW THE SEAT OVERHEATED. AT TIMES WHEN THE SELECTOR SWITCH WAS SET TO OFF THE SEAT CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT. ON 02/08/07 WHEN THE CONTACT GOT INTO THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING SHE NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S FRONT SEAT HAD A BIG HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEAT. CONTACT STATED THAT ONE COULD SMELL THE BURNING OF THE SEAT AS WELL. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURE OF THE BURNT SEAT. THE VEHICLEWAS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 83700.*AK

2002 BUICK REGAL - PURCHASED NEW 11/02. POWER STEERING GEAR RACK ASSEMBLY FAILED 1/27/04 (19,030 MILES) - GM REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. 3/10/04 (19,943 MILES). NEW PART FAILED - GM REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. 1/6/05 (34,388 MILES)REPORTED SAME "SYMPTOMS" TO GM DEALER - GM RESEALED POWER STEERING PUMP UNDER WARRANTY. 10/30/06 (57,650 MILES) REPORTED SAME "SYMPTOMS" - POWER STEERING PUMP SEAL REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE. 12/16/06 (58,892 MILES) REPORTED SAME "SYMPTOMS" - GM SAYS NEW STEERING RACK AGAIN NEEDED - THIS IS FOURTH RACK FOR THIS SAME CAR, INCLUDING ORIGINAL ONE!!!!! I ALSO THINK THE WORK 1/6/05 AND 10/30/06 REGARDING POWER STEERING PUMP MAY HAVE JUST MASKED THE UNDERLYING RACK PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY, GM HAS A PART FAILURE ON THIS POWER STEERING RACK. THIS CERTAINLY SEEMS LIKE IT COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT GM DOES NOT CARE. I WAS REFERRED TO GM/BUICK ASSISTANCE 12/13/06. ASSISTANCE REFUSES TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT. THEY HAVE OFFERED ME A $200 "MAINTENANCE LETTER", BUT AS OF MY CONVERSATION WITH ASSISTANCE TODAY, THIS LETTER IS AT LEAST 4-6 WEEKS AWAY FROM BEING RECEIVED BY ME. *NM

AS PER A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT I REVIEWED ON YOUR WEBSITE, ODI #10142582, I HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE. HOWEVER, MINE INVOLVED THE PASSENGER SEAT HEATING ELEMENT WHICH OVERHEATED/SHORTED AND MELTED MY PASSENGER SIDE LEATHER SEAT. BUICK REFUSED TO REPLACE IT. MY REGAL HAD A VERY SIMILAR VIN TO THE ONE I STATED ABOVE. THESE TWO INCIDENTS SEEM VERY SIMILAR. WHAT ARE MY RECOURSES?*JB

ORIGINAL OWNER OF 2002 REGAL WITH 38,678 MILES. CAR ERUPTED IN FLAMES AFTER BEING PARKED FOR DRIVEN FOR 25 MILES ON A MILD 75 DEGREE DAY. CAR WAS ROUTINELY SERVICE AND HAD NO HISTORY OF PROBLEMS. OWNER BELIEVES THE CAR TO BE A LEMON AND POSSIBLY HAVING A DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. *NM

ON OCT 15, 2006 OUR BUICK REGAL WITH 39,000 MILES ON IT WAS DRIVEN THAT DAY APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES ON FLAT TERRAIN IN A TEMPERATURE OF 75 DEGREES. CAR RETURNED TO HOME AND WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MINUTES LATER THE CAR SPONTANEOUSLY ERUPTED IN FIRE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. FORTUNATELY THE CAR WAS NOT PARKED INSIDE THE GARAGE.. *NM

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING, DAMAGE TO VARIOUS ENGINE COMPONENTS. CATALYTIC CONVERTER PLUGGED SHUT AND HEAT DAMAGE TO VARIOUS ENGINE COMPONENTS. "NEAR ENGINE FIRE." CATALYTIC CONVERTER, MANIFOLD, IAC VALUE, GASKET, FUEL LINE, FUEL REGULATOR, EVAP HOSE FROM ENGINE TO FUEL TANK ALL REPLACED. BUICK HAS PARTIALLY REIMBURSED FOR REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS. TWO ITEMS STILL PENDING. *JB

ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ON 2002 BUICK REGAL, $614 TURN SIGNAL SWITCH REPLACED BECAUSE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON ALSO IGNITION SWITCH $250 REPLACED WHICH HAD CAUSED THE SPEED CONTROL AND HEAT AND AIR FAN TO NOT WORK. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING SLUGGISH. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP , WHO DETERMINED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS CLOGGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PREVIOUSLY, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED RIGHT FRONT TIE ROD END ON 08/03/2004 AT 61304 MILES. *AK UPDATE 5/30/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH THE IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED OUT AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER AND STALL. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED BUT STALLED AGAIN LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO START. IT WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SUGGESTED THE IGNITION SWITCH BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY OPERATES NORMALLY.*AK UPDATED 03/09/06. *JB