Buick Park Avenue Complaints

1,366 consumer complaints on file.

#10070944January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE PLASTIC UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD DEVELOPED AN INTERNAL CRACK, WHICH LEAKED COOLANT INTO THE COMBUSTION CYLINDERS. THE 3.8L V6 ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND THEN HYDROLOCKED. IT WAS REPAIRED BY A CERTIFIED BUICK DEALER. THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED, WITHIN 20 MILES OF DRIVING, THE REAR MAIN BEARING SEAL FAILED. THE DEALER FELT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE COOLANT MIXING WITH THE OIL. AFTER THIS REPAIR, THE ENGINE RAN APPROXIMATELY 2000 MILES AND SPUN A MAIN BEARING, DUE TO THE COOLANT/OIL MIXTURE. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO BUICK. THEY FEEL IT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10071148January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
HEATER/AIR CONDITIONING LEAKS ONTO FLOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AFTER PURCHASE (NEW) AND WE COMPLAINED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED WATER PUMP. STILL LEAKED. BECAME MUCH WORSE IN JULY 2003 (REQUIRED A ROLL OF PAPER TOWELS TO KEEP THE FRONT FLOOR BOARD SEMI DRY ON TRIPS). WE TOOK IT TO FITZPATRICK IN CONCORD, CA AND THEY STATED THAT ALL GM VEHICLES DID THAT AND THERE WAS NO REPAIR NEEDED. THIS WAS WHEN THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND NOW, NO LONGER IS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10071303January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
COOLANT LEAK LEAD TO REPAIR OF UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. REPAIRS CAUSED WATER PUMP TO FAIL, AND SERPENT BELT TENSIONER TO FAIL. FURTHER REPAIRS WERE DONE, 500 KM LATER, OIL PUMP FAILED AND ENGINE WAS DESTROYED. BUICK 3.8L SERIES II V-6.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10071333January 15, 2004
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
MY NUMBER ONE PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR IS THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED UNDER NORMAL USE. THIS ALLOWED COOLANT TO MIX WITH THE OIL WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE RESULT WAS THAT THE MAIN BEARINGS WERE DESTROYED AND I HAD TO BUY A NEW ENGINE. (I HAVE THE ORIGINAL PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD IN MY POSSESSION.) THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CAN NOT WITHSTAND THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE EGR VALVE AND EVENTUALLY SUFFERS FROM THERMAL FATIGUE AT THE EGR AND STRESS RELAXATION AROUND THE FLANGE OF THE MANIFOLD. I NOTIFIED GM OF THE PROBLEM IN WRITING AND THEY OFFERED ME $800 COMPENSATION FOR MY $5,000.00 PROBLEM. THEY TOLD ME THAT MY ENGINE WAS PROBABLY ON ITS LAST LEGS. I TOLD THEM THAT THE CAR HAS BEEN BABIED AND OFFERED UP RESULTS OF THE MANDATORY EMISSIONS TEST THAT THE CAR UNDERWENT NOT 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO FAILURE AS PROOF THAT THE CAR WAS IN GOOD RUNNING ORDER. (IN TORONTO, ALL VEHICLE OWNERS MUST SUBMIT THEIR CARS FOR EMISSIONS TESTING EVERY 2 YEARS. THE CAR IS MEASURED FOR HYDRO CARBON OUTPUT, NOX OUTPUT, CO, AND CO2. IF THE ENGINE HAD BEEN MALFUNCTIONING, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN QUALIFIED.) THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF GM DIDN'T SWITCH FROM ALUMINUM TO PLASTIC. OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR INCLUDE A REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER THAT CAUGHT ON FIRE, - 3'RD ALTERNATOR, 2ND BATTERY , A SECURITY SYSTEM THAT SOUNDS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, WATER IN THE TRUNK (SEVERAL ATTEMPT TO REPAIR, ENDED UP DRILLING A HOLE IN THE TRUNK), FAILED AC COMPRESSOR, FAILED HEATED SEAT, SEVERAL INSTRUMENT CONTROL LIGHT BULBS HAVE BURNED OUT AND CAN NOT BE REPLACED, YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT. THE REAR BRAKE ROTORS THAT WARP EVERY 35,000 KM. - FUEL GAUGE THAT DOESN'T WORK BELOW A QUARTER TANK. IF YOU WOULD LIKE COPIES OF CORRESPONDENCE SENT TO GM, LET ME KNOW. REGARDS DOUG WEBB 13 BRUMELL AVENUE TORONTO, ONTARIO M6S 4G3 [email protected] 905-238-0007 EX. 2624 (DAYTIME)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10069305January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
3.8L ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED, CAUSING ENGINE COOLANT TO FOUL SPARK PLUGS DISABLING THE VEHICLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10069340January 15, 2004
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, POWER TRAIN, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
NEW AIR-CONDITIONING INSTALLED IN 1990. CAR NOT DRIVEN OFTEN. AGAING AC NOT WORKING FOR PAST 3 YEARS. CAR GARAGED AND WELL CARED FOR..SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. ONE PERSON DRIVER..MIDDLE AGE LADY.. PAINT IS PEELING OFF ..GM WILL NOT PAY FOR IT. TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE OUT SO SOON.. AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS..FILE IS 3 INCHES THICK OF MONEY SPENT ON REPAIRS..
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10069363January 15, 2004
POWER TRAIN
TRANSMISSION STARTED TO JUMP INTO OD. VIBRATION AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. REPLACED TRANNY WITH GM REBUILT.AFTER 700 MILES PROBLEM CAME BACK (VIBRATION ONLY) SAME PROBLEM BUT NOW HAS METAL TO METAL GRINDING WHEN MAKING LEFT TURN AND ACCELERATING. REPLACED ENGINE MOUNTS. THEY WERE CRACKED. PRIOR TO THIS DEALER SAID IT WAS THE SOLINOID, REPALCED. THEY ONLY MADE THIS TRANNY IN 1997
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10069509January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
3.8L ENGINE SEIZED IN MID-DRIVE ON HIGHWAY. TOWED AND DIAGNOSED BY BUICK DEALER AS CORRODED MANIFOLDS FROM DEX COOL. REPLACED BOTH MANIFOLDS. REPLACED ALL GASKETS ON PANS ETC. REPLACED FLUIDS, OIL AND COOLANT, AS WELL AS PLUGS AND CLEANED ALL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10069598January 15, 2004
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THERE WERE THREE SYSTEMS THAT HAD PROBLEMS, BUT ONE OF THE SYSTEMS, THE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM, SEEMS TO HAVE CURED ITSELF. THE OTHER TWO PROBLEMS, THAT OF THE A/C AND THE SEAT MEMORY SYSTEMS, BEGAN TO SHOW UP AS SOON AS WE STARTED DRIVING THE CAR AFTER PURCHASE. THE FIRST TIME THAT I REGISTERED THOSE PROBLEMS WITH THE DEALERSHIP, THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN 2886 MILES. WE PURCHASED THE CAR ON JULY 24, 2002. I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT LEAST ONCE BEFORE TAKING THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP ON SEPT. 11, 2002. AIR CONDITIONING: AFTER CAR SITS IN HOT SUN FOR 2 HRS OR MORE, A/C REFUSES TO COME ON. AUTO LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED. BLOWER DOES NOT COME ON AND FLOOR IS SHOWN ON DISPLAY SCREEN. COMPRESSOR DOES RUN. ATTEMPTS TO MAKE RUN WILL SOMETIMES GET SYSTEM OPERATIVE. SEAT MEMORY: AFTER DOORS UNLOCKED WITH KEY PAD, DRIVER SELECTS HIS OR HER SEAT MEMORY BUTTON. SEAT MOVES FORWARD. WHEN IGNITION SWITCH IS SELECTED TO ON AND BEFORE ENGINE IS STARTED, SEAT WILL MOVE TO EXIT POSITION. THIS CONDITION INTERMITTENT--PROBABLY ONE TIME IN 50 TRIES. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE EITHER PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO REPLACE ANY COMPONENTS. BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND WE ARE IN ARBITRATION AT THIS MOMENT. WE MAY PRESS FOR A GM RE-PURCHASE OF THE CAR. WE HAVE GIVEN DEALER ONE MORE CHANCE TO FIND AND FIX THE PROBLEMS. WE LIKE THE CAR VERY MUCH AND WANT TO KEEP IT IF GM WILL FIX THE PROBLEMS. THEIR STONE WALL APPROACH IS NOT ACCEPTIBLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10068889January 15, 2004
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE LIGHTS ON THE CAR WENT OUT AROUND 2:00 THE OTHER NIGHT. WE WERE ON A DARK COUNTRY ROAD. TRYING TO DETERMINE IF SOMETHING WENT WRONG IN TILT STEERING TO CAUSE THIS. SEEMS AS IT IS WIRE BROKE OR SOMETHING CAME UNPLUGGED. HAVE ALREADY CHECKED FUSES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10068946January 15, 2004
SEAT BELTS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
AFTER BUYING MY '98 PARK AVENUE, I NOTICED THAT AFTER WASHING IT ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS THAT THE PAINT HAD BEGAN TO CHIP. I TOOK IT TO A COUPLE OF PAINT SHOPS AND EVERYONE SAID THAT THIS CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE PAINT PEELING AND IT WAS A DEFECT BECAUSE THEY COULD SEE THE FACTORY PRIMER. MY ENGINE DIED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE TEPERATURE GAUGE DIDN'T SHOW THAT IT WAS OVERHEATED AND NO SMOKE OR STEAM CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. RIGHT BEFORE THE CAR STOPPED THE DIC SHOWED : CHECK COOLANT LEVELS AND EVEN THEN IT DIDN'T BEEP AS IT SHOULD HAVE. I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY SEAT BELTS SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE. THEY ARE CONTINUOUSLY TANGLED AND TWISTED WHEN THEY CROSS THE BODY. MOREOVER, MY OWNER'S MANUAL HAS AN ILLUSTRATION THAT STATES THAT MY SEATBELT USAGE IS INCORRECT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10069116January 15, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, EQUIPMENT, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, POWER TRAIN, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE A/C WILL TURN ON AGAIN AFTER I TURN IT OFF. THE RADIO WILL SHIFT TO CASSETTE AND BACK WHILE DISPLAYING E33. DRIVERS WINDOW WILL COME DOWN UNEVENLY AND GET WEDGED. THE ALTERNATER WENT OUT AND THE BOTTOM BOLT STRIPPED DURING REMOVAL. THERE IS A LURCH SOMETIMES DURING SHIFTING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10054032January 14, 2004
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT STUCK IN THE RELEASE POSITION. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO TIGHTEN THE BELT. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ENTIRE SEAT BELT, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS YET TO BE DETERMINED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10053203January 14, 2004
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
HARD STEERING TURNING RIGHT AT LOW SPEEDS. ITEM REPAIRED 1/14/2004 AT DEALER AT A COST TO ME OF $1351.18. REPAIR INVOICE STATES " INTERNAL FAILURE OF STEERING GEAR DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED STEERING GEAR." AUTO IS 1997 BUICK PARK AVE ULTRA WITH 32000 MILES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10053238January 14, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
MY FACTORY INSTALLED SUPERCHARGER HAS HAD A PULLEY MECHANISM FALL APART. AS A RESULT THE BELT FROM THIS SYSTEM (SIMILAR TO A DRIVE TRAIN BELT) FELL DOWN THROUGH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE ABRUPTLY STOPPING MY VEHICLE AS THE BELT WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE ANOTHER COMPONENT IN THE ENGINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES AND EACH TIME HAS INVOLVED A DIFFERENT PULLEY ON THE SYSTEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10053114January 13, 2004
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
THERE IS A CHATTER, NOISE, VIBRATION WHEN I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO EITHER THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10052753January 9, 2004
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:REAR WINDOW
A SHORT IN THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER CAUSED A FIRE IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10052619January 7, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
WHILE I WAS DRIVING I HEARD A POP & THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON I WENT ANOTHER BLOCK AND THE CAR LOST POWER & WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT OF EXHAUST. I TURNED ENGINE OFF & TRIED TO RESTART WHICH WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. I CONTACTED BUICK DEALER BECAUSE AFTER TALKING TO A FEW PEOPLE I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM AUTOS. CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME TO GO TO DEALER & THEY WOULD WORK WITH ME ON THE COST OF THE REPAIR. AFTER A WEEK OF WASTED TIME I WENT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO REPAIRED THE AUTO AT A COST OF $1,049. THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF PARTS THE MANUFACTURER USES DURIN G PRODUCTION. I AM RELIEVED THAT NOBODY WAS INJURED DURING THIS INCIDENT BUT IF THIS HAD OCCURED ON A HIGHWAY AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET OFF TO A SHOULDER THE SITUATION MIGHT HAVE HAD A DIFFERENT OUTCOME. THIS AUTO AT THE TIME HAD 68,000 MILES AND 1 WEEK AFTER THE TIME FRAME OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 60,000 MILES.THIS IS A $33,000 VEHICLE AND I WOULD HOPE THAT AN ENGINE WOULD LAST LONGER THAN 70,000 MILES. I OWN TWO OTHER VEHICLES (TOYOTA'S) AND THEY HAVE A COMBINED MILEAGE OF OVER 300,000 MILES AND BOTH PURCHASED NEW COST LESS THAN THIS VEHICLE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS TYPE FOR THIS VEHICLE AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS DONE NOTHING TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10051528January 2, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 13TH, 2003, MY FATHER (JAMES) STARTED HIS 1999 BUICK PARK AVENUE IN THE GARAGE. UPON TURNING THE KEY, HE HEARD AN EXPLOSION. HE OPENED THE HOOD TO FIND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ENGULFED IN FLAMES. HE THEN PUSHED THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AND CALLED 911. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. ONE OF THE FIREMEN, WHO WORKS ON CARS, TOLD US THAT HE HAD WORKED ON 2 OTHER CARS THAT EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING. COLIN HAMES. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10052263January 2, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
THE SIDE TERMINAL CAME OFF THE BATTERY WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE DRIVER WAS CONCERNED THAT TERMINAL WOULD COME OFF WHILE DRIVING. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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