CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE REAR SHOULDER BELT(S) DO NOT RETRACT. A RETAINER COULD SEPARATE FROM A REAR SEAT SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR WHICH RESULTS IN THE RETRACTOR RETURN SPRING BECOMING DISENGAGED.
A BACKFIRE DURING ENGINE STARTING CAN CAUSE BREAKAGE OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD.
THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH A MALFUNCTION ALARM, LIGHTING AND LOCKING (MALL) MODULE THAT CAN CONTAIN A DAMAGED CAPACITOR. IF THE CAPACITOR IS DAMAGED, THE "KEY IN THE IGNITION" WARNING CHIME AND THE DRIVER SEAT BELT UNBUCKLED WARNING CHIME AND INDICATOR LAMP MAY NOT WORK. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 114, "THEFT PROTECTION" AND FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." IN ADDITION, OTHER CHIME REMINDER FUNCTIONS, INTERIOR LIGHTING CONTROLS, AND POWER DOOR LOCKING FEATURES ARE ALSO AFFECTED.
THE FRONT OUTER SHOULDER BELT WEB SEW STOP CAN BECOME STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR. THE BELT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO PULL OUT OF THE RETRACTOR AND SOME OCCUPANTS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FASTEN THE BELT.
IT STARTED OUT AS A SMALL OIL LEAK, BUT I RECENTLY NOTICED THE LEAK HAS EXPANDED SIGNIFICANTLY. IT'S DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT THE LEAK, BUT AN OIL PAN UNDER THE CAR SHOWS SIGNIFICANT PUDDLING OF OIL. A SEALER/CONDITIONER DOESN'T APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. WHILE ONLINE, I NOTED THAT THE 3800CC 3.8L ENGINE SEEMS NOTORIOUS FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND OTHER MODELS OF GM CARS APPEAR TO BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL. NOT SO THE BUICK, WHICH TO ME, HAS THE SAME ENGINE. GIVEN THAT IS IS KNOWN NOW, I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS LOW PRODUCTION VEHICLE WAS LEFT OUT OF THE RECALL AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED. PUDDLE OF OIL PHOTO ENCLOSED. THIS CONDITION IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, WHEN FUELING MY VEHICLE, I NOTICED A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE IN THE VICINITY OF THE LEFT REAR WHEEL, INLINE WITH THE FUEL FILLER DOOR. I HAD NOTED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SUBSEQUENTLY CAME ON AND CODE 0440 (OR A VARIANT OF THAT, I CANNOT RECALL WITH 100% CERTAINTY. WHEN I HAD SOME FREE TIME, I STARTED INVESTIGATING THE EMISSIONS CODE AND DECIDED TO CHECK THE FUEL SYSTEM FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WORKING FORWARD. WHILE LOOKING AT THE FUEL FILLER NECK, I NOTED A GLINT OF FRESH STEEL BEHIND THE TIRE. UPON REMOVING THE TIRE, I NOTED A HOLE IN THE FILLER NECK THE SIZE OF A US QUARTER. SINCE IT'S A FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENT, I INVESTIGATED WHETHER I COULD GET A REPLACEMENT PART (TO NO AVAIL). MY FIELD EXPEDIENT FIX WAS TO WRAP THE FUEL FILLER INTAKE STEEL PIPE WITH A COPIOUS AMOUNT OF DUCT TAPE AS A TEMPORARY FIX UNTIL I COULD SEE IF A JUNKYARD WOULD YIELD A NEW PIPE. NO SUCH LUCK IN FIND A PART THAT DIDN'T HAVE A HOLE OF SORTS (SEE ENCLOSED PHOTO'S OF 'REPLACEMENT' OFFERINGS. MY INVESTIGATION LED ME TO CONCLUDE THE WEAR IN THE PIPE WAS CAUSED BY WHEEL HOP, PRIMARILY WHEN ROLLING OVER SPEED BUMPS AT A SPEED HIGHER THAN RECOMMENDED, CAUSING THE REAR WHEEL TO "HOP UPWARDS" AND COME IN CONTACT WITH THE PIPE. GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF SPEED BUMPS IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, THE LIKELIHOOD OF THIS HAPPENING IS CONSISTENT THE LOCATION OF THE DAMAGE AND THE INNER EDGE OF THE LEFT REAR WHEEL. I'VE ENCLOSED PICTURES OF A 'REPLACEMENT' PIPE THAT WILL HAVE TO BE EPOXIED TO CONTAIN VAPORS AND PREVENT FUEL SPILLAGE UNLESS A PRISTINE PIPE IS FOUND. GIVEN THE EMISSIONS ISSUE ALONG WITH FUEL SPILLAGE WHEN FUELING THE VEHICLE, THERE'S A HIGH LIKELYHOOD OF FURTHER DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. I'D RECOMMEND A METAL SHIELD BE RETROFITTED TO PREVENT CONTACT FROM THE LEFT TIRE AND THE FUEL FILLER NECK
No injuries · No fire · No crash
WELL FOR STARTERS THE CAR HAS 131,000 MILES ON IT AND CLEAN INTERIOR. BUT....THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER SEAT INCLINE DOESN'T WORK, THE BLEND BOX OR AN ACTUATOR IS BAD, THE CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK, AND THE AC COMPRESSOR IS LOCKED UP. BUT.... THE WORST PART IS THE OIL LEAK COMING FROM THE FRONT VALVE COVER. IT IS SPILLING OUT ON MY EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND SMOKES BADLY. I JUST READ GM HAS A RECALL ON ALL THE L67 3.8L SUPERCHARGED MOTORS IN GRAND PRIX AND REGALS AMONGST OTHER MODELS WITH THE 3.8L BUT NOT THE RIVIERAS. CAN THE RIV GET SOME LOVE TOO. I LIKE THE CAR BUT ALL THESE PROBLEMS AND A HIGHWAY SHUDDER AT 65-73.....👎👎😢😢👎👎👎😩😩😩😩😩
No injuries · No fire · No crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK RIVIERA. WHILE ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED ENGINE OIL ON THE GROUND UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,513. UPDATED 04/29/16*LJ *TR
No injuries · No fire · No crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK RIVIERA. WHILE STOPPED, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT WAS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. UPDATED 04/07/16*LJ *JS