BUICK Complaints

ABS FAILURE. NOW 54,931 MILES ON ODOMETER.. 1998 BUICK CENTURY CUSTOM. I SENT A LETTER TO RAY LAHOOD SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN ANSWER FROM ANY ONE! THIS IS S SAFETY ISSUE! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT GM ENGINEERS COULD NOT DESIGN AN ABS THAT WOULD LAST AT LEAST 100,000 MILES! HOW MANY FAILURES HAS GM EXPERIENCED? THE CONSUMER STATED A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE BRAKE AND ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE ABS PUMP HAD FAILED AND IT WOULD COST $800 TO REPLACE IT. UPDATED IVOQ 10/29/10.*JB *TR

ACCELERATOR PEDAL REQUIRES EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FORCE TO DEPRESS THE PEDAL. THIS RESULTS IN A NOTICEABLE SURGE WHEN GOING FORWARD FROM A STOPPED POSITION. IT ALMOST FEELS AS IF THERE IS SPRING HOLDING THE THROTTLE OPEN AND THERE IS A BREAK POINT AT WHICH THE SPRING LETS LOOSE BEFORE THE THROTTLE OPENS. A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE THROTTLE AND THROTTLE BODY DID NOT REVEAL ANY OBSTRUCTIONS OR BINDING CABLE. THE FLOOR MATS ARE NOT A FACTOR IN THIS PROBLEM. PROBLEM IS MOST NOTICEABLE AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN STARTED AND PLACED IN THE DRIVE POSITION. THIS PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS AND IS THE SAME IN BOTH WINTER AND SUMMER. I HAVE JUST LEARNED TO LIVE WITH IT AND EXPECT A SLIGHT JOLT WHEN MOVING FORWARD BUT I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND THE ROOT CAUSE AND I WORRY WHENEVER SOMEONE ELSE DRIVES MY CAR. THIS SURGE IS NOTICEABLE TO PASSENGERS ALSO. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLE, THE VEHICLE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. SHE CHECKED THE OWNERS MANUAL AND IT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE. SHE DROVE THE VEHICLE A SHORT DISTANCE AND PARKED IT. WHEN SHE DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP THE MECHANIC ADVISED HER THAT A GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SHE WAS NOT SURE WHAT TYPE OF GASKET SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC ADVISED HER TO CONTINUE ADDING COOLANT SINCE SHE COULD NOT AFFORD TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. ON JULY 8, 2010 SHE STATED THAT THE LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON. SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK RAINIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ALL OF THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON. THE LIGHTING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ALSO BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND UPON RESTART, THE LIGHTS BEGAN FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE HEADLIGHTS AND RUNNING LIGHTS. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HE HAD TO PAY A FEE IN ORDER TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXAMINED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000. UPDATED EVOQ 10/04/10

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED. THE FRONT WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TRANSMISSION CASING BROKE IN HALF. THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEGAN TO SLIP PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER HAD PREVIOUSLY ADJUSTED THE COMPUTER ON THE VEHICLE; YET THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THIS THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION HAD CAUSED THE FAILURE TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 118000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BUICK LUCERNE. WHEN ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO TIGHTENED THE BOLTS IN THE SUSPENSION. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR AND BOTH FRONT END STRUTS WERE REPLACED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR AND AN AUTHORIZED DEALER REPLACED THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR AND AN AUTHORIZED DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, THE STEERING CONTROL MODULE AND THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE CONTROL MODULE. WHEN THE FAILURE RECURRED, THE MANUFACTURER SENT AN ENGINEER TO EXAMINE THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINEER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE BELIEVES THE FAILURE INVOLVES THE STABILITRAK STABILITY CONTROL WHICH WAS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE WITH HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,700 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,200.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN IT UNEXPECTEDLY CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE FAILURE ORIGINATED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, WHEN ENGAGING THE BRAKES, HE SMELLED A BURNING OIL ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED FOR NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V116000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REMEDY REPAIR WAS INSUFFICIENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 97,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

2010 BUICK LACROSSE CXS THE OTHER EVENING AS I WAS DRIVING HOME WITH MY WIFE A LITTLE BEFORE SUNSET AT ABOUT 30 MPH I HEARD A THUMP AND ASSUMED I HAD HIT SOMETHING. NEITHER MY WIFE OR I HAD SEEN ANYTHING IN THE STREET. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME (3 BLOCKS) AND THE CAR DROVE NORMALLY - NO CHANGE. WHEN I GOT HOME I EXAMINED THE FRONT OF THE CAR (DRIVERS SIDE) AND SAW NOTHING UNUSUAL BUT NOTICED THE BACK RIGHT TIRE WAS FLAT. I GOT OUT THE JACK AND CHANGED TO THE SPARE. UPON LOOKING AT THE TIRE I FOUND NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE TIRE OTHER THAN IT WAS OBVIOUS I WAS DRIVING WITH THE TIRE FLAT. UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THE WHEEL ITSELF I FOUND A GASH IN THE WHEEL ABOUT 6" LONG AND ELEVATED UP INTO THE TIRE AREA OVER AN INCH. OF COURSE ALL OF THE AIR ESCAPED THROUGH THE GASH - NO BLOWOUT. WENT TO THE DEALER (3800 MILES ON THE CXS) AND THEY DETERMINED I HAD HIT SOMETHING IN THE STREET - NO WARRANTY COVERAGE. COST FOR NEW WHEEL AND TIRE - $1002.00 WENT BACK TO EXAMINE THE ROAD (NO POTHOLES) AND FINALLY FOUND A ROCK OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THAT APPARENTLY CAUSED THE PROBLEM. IT WAS A ROCK, FLAT ON BOTH SIDES ABOUT 2 1/2" THICK AND ABOUT THE SIZE OF A RED BRICK ONLY OBLONG. HAVE NO IDEA HOW IT HIT THE BACK TIRE AND NOT THE FRONT. I AM CONVINCED THAT HAD THE TIRE BEEN AN OLDER 15" OR 16" TIRE THE TIRE WOULD OF ABSORBED THE HIT AND NOT DAMAGED THE WHEEL. OF COURSE IT MAY HAVE BLOWN A TIRE BUT THE WHEEL WOULD OF BEEN IN GOOD SHAPE. WITH THE ROADS BECOMING SO BUMPY WITH POTHOLES I NOW WORRY ABOUT HITTING A BAD SPOT IN THE ROAD AND HAVING THE SAME THING HAPPEN AGAIN. I CARRY A $1000 DEDUCTIBLE INSURANCE SO INSURANCE WILL NOT BE INVOLVED. (IN 50 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT THAT WAS MY FAULT OR ANY OTHER DAMAGE TO ONE OF MY CARS - SO I CARRY A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE). JUST A WORD OF WARNING TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE 19" TIRES (AND PROBABLY THE 18") THAT A BUMP IN THE ROAD MAY DO MORE DAMAGE TO THE FANCY ALUMINUM WHEEL THAT THE TIRE. *TR

WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND EVERYTHING IN THE DASH FLASHED LIKE WHEN YOU FIRST START THE CAR. I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROAD, BUT I THINK EVEN THE SPEED DIAL WENT DOWN AND UP, AGAIN LIKE WHEN THE CAR STARTS UP. THEN THE LITTLE INFORMATION WINDOW IN FRONT OF THE STEERING WHEEL WINDOW FLASHED SEVERAL THINGS INCLUDING "THREE KEYS PROGRAMMED" AND THEN IT STAYED ON "TIRE MONITOR ON" OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ON THE MPH SETTING, SO I HAD TO ROLL IT BACK TO THE MPH SETTING. THE CAR ITSELF DROVE FINE, BUT I WAS SCARED IT WOULD DO SOMETHING BIZARRE AND I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. IT WAS LIKE IT REBOOTED ITSELF. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE OUTER TIE ROD PREMATURE BUSHING JOINT FAILURE. EXCESSIVE WEAR MADE IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN STRAIGHT LINE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE WOULD WONDER BACK AND FORTH BADLY, AND TURNS WERE DELAYED AS A RESULT OF THE PREMATURE WEAR IN THE TIE ROD JOINT. MILEAGE WHEN DIAGNOSED, 49505 ON JULY 6,2010. MILEAGE AT COMPLETION OF REPAIR WAS 49515 ON JULY 7,2010. FORTUNATELY THIS EARLY FAILURE OF OUTER TIE ROD WAS FOUND BEFORE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OCCURRENCE ON THE FREEWAY. OUTER TIE ROD REPLACE WITH AN AFTER MARKET UNIT. *TR