1997 Buick Lesabre complaints

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING THE AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *MR

CONSUMER STATES, SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, IT HAS SPORADICALLY STALLED OUT 10 TIMES. 2 DEALERSHIPS DIAGNOSED VIA COMPUTER BUT ADVISED THAT THEY CANNOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO DUPLICATE IT. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A REAR-END COLLISION. *TT *SCC

WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE TO WORK ON HIGH SPEED FOR A WHILE BEFORE THEY CAN OPERATE ON NORMAL SPEED. VEHICLE BEEN TO DEALER ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE AT A STOP ENGINE LOCKED UP. DEALER STATED THIS WAS CAUSED BY INTAKE MANIFOLD. *AK CONSUMER STATED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED.*JB

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ,PLASTIC PART, FELL APART WHEN FASTENING TOGETHER. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AKI

HORN STOPPED WORKING ON VEHICLE. OWNER TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALERSHIP TO GET HORN REPAIRED. HE WAS SHOCKED WHEN TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT HIS AIR BAG WAS INOPERATIVE. OWNER EXPRESSES CONCERN DUE TO HIM NOT KNOWING HOW LONG HIS AIR BAG WAS NON-FUNCTIONAL. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.*JB

VEHICLE VIBRATES SEVERELY WHEN DRIVING 60 MPH, AND IT PULLS TO THE RIGHT. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFROMATION.*AK

VEHICLE IS LOSING ANTI FREEZE INTO THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THERE IS NEVER A PUDDLE OF ANTI FREEZE ON THE FLOOR. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

WHEN DRIVING AT OVER 35 MPH TRANSMISSION WILL START TO JUMP OUT OF GEAR OR WILL START SURGING. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 70MPH ENGINE DIED. CONTACT DEALER WHO REPLACED ENGINE, IN WHICH A CONNECT ROD HAD BROKEN.*AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE CONNECT ROD BROKE AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE, CRANKSHAFT AND A/C COMPRESSOR. *YH

WHILE DRIVING 65-70 MPH ON ROUGH PAVEMENT, VEHICLE WAS SKIPPING LANES WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL.*AK CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS DRIVING AND WENT THROUGH A ROUGH SECTION OF THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE'S REAR END BEGAN GOING UP AND DOWN FORCING CONSUMER TO LIGHTLY APPLY THE BRAKES, THIS ACTION CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VEER SLIGHTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE, CONSUMER RELASED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR THE TYPE OF SUSPENSION THE VEHICLE HAS.*JB

A HOLE WAS CREATED IN THE UPPER PLENUM MANIFOLD EMISSION SYSTEM BY THE EGR VALVE. SO I WAS TOLD. IS THIS COVERED UNDER THE GOVERNMENT EMISSIONS SYSTEMS WARRANTY? BUICK SAID ONLY THE CATALITIC (SP) CONVERTER IS COVERED UNDER THIS WARRANTY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE SEPARATED. THERE WAS A MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. MOUNTED ON A 1997, BUICK LESABRE, 30000 MILES, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT.*AK. CONSUMER WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE REMAINING TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL.*JB

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IT BACKFIRED AND BROKE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD INTO SEVERAL PIECES. I FOUND A RECALL INDICATING WHAT HAD HAPPENED DUE TO THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. I GAVE THIS INFO TO THE DEALER AT GAMBACORTA BUICK AT 427 W. SEVENTH ST. NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE 19720 TEL. NO 302 323 3026. THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS A FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR LEAK CAUSING THE INTAKE TO CRACK. I HAVE PHOTOS SHOWING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BROKEN IN TWO END TO END ABOUT AN INCH WIDE. THIS SEEMS TO BE MORE THAN A CRACK. WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT WAS AN EXPLOSION. IT WAS VERY LOUD INSIDE THE CAR.*AK REFERENCED IN EA02-030

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND HAD VEHICLE REPAIRED, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED DUE TO ANTIFREEZE IN INTAKE SYSTEM. THE UPPER INTAKE PLENIUM WAS LEAKING BECAUSE IT HAD CRACKED AND WAS REPLACED. *YH

FRONT WINDSHIELD LEAKS WATER, DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY HORN DOESN'T BLOW. DEALER DIAGNOSED AIR BAG AS THE CAUSE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK *YH

ANTIFREEZE GAUGE INDICATES THAT IT IS LOW. DRIVER FEELS THERE IS A LEAK. TOOK TO VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT UPPER/LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLDS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THIS 1997 BUICK LE SABRE , IN VERY GOOD CONDITION , EXPLODED WITH A FIREBALL AND SENDING PLASTIC "SHRAPNEL" AND ENGINE COVER PARTS OUT TO A RADIUS OF 24 FEET. THANK GOD NONE OF THE THREE PEOPLE TRYING TO START THE CAR WITH THE HOOD UP WERE STANDING OVER THE ENGINE BAY. THE RESULTING REPAIRS WERE $700 AND MY LONG TIME EXTREMELY COMPETENT GROUP OF MECHANICS WERE ALL BAFFLED AND COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY OR HOW SUCH A THING WAS EVEN POSSIBLE ON SUCH A SYSTEM (I.E. LATE MODEL FUEL INJECTION , STARTING A COLD ENGINE. *AK REFERENCED IN EA02-030

POWER STEERING PUMP FELL OFF THE MOUNT. ONE OF THREE BOLTS WAS BACKED OFF AND THE OTHER TWO BOLTS WERE SEVERED.*AK

DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY MADE OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL CAN DEGRADE AND ALLOW COOLANT TO ENTER THE CYLINDERS TO CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. THE REPAIR IS REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLD WITH A METAL ONE, IMPLYING A DEFECT IN THE ORIGINAL DESIGN. THE REPAIR COSTS OVER $900, AND INVOLVES THE VIN K- RPO L36 ENGINE USED IN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF BUICKS, PONTIACS, CHEVROLETS AND OLDSMOBILES FROM 1995 TO 1998. I BELIEVE A RECALL IS WARRANTED FOR THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. PLEASE NOTE: THE DEALER LISTED IS NOT THE ORIGINAL SELLER OF MY VEHICLE, BUT THEY PERFORMED THE RECOMMENDED REPAIRS AS SPECIFIED IN GM TSB #01-06-01-007A PROMPTLY AND TO MY SATISFACTION.

VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO START, THEN, AFTER STARTING IT WOULD STALL RIGHT AWAY. DEALER HAS REPLACED UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE GASKETS, AND FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. *AL

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE AND HEARD A LOUD POP, FLAMES CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE AND EXPLOSION WAS INSIDE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OF THE ENGINE, THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS A BACKFIRE WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 17-9112-605. *SLC

VEHICLE WOULD NOT CRANK EARLY IN THE DAY, IT WAS TAKEN HOME AND PARKED FOR A FEW HOURS WHEN A FIRE STARTED, CLAIM 42-1218-296. *SLC

ENGINE EXPLODED WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED, CLAIM 38-J616-719. *SLC

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FIRE, THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS ACCIDENTAL, PART FAILURE, MALFUNCTION, THE FIRE ORIGINATED AT THE ENGINES FUELING SYSTEM ON THE INTAKE HOUSING SIDE, CLAIM 53-C681-096. *SLC

REGULATOR LEAKED ONTO THE MANIFOLD AND CAUSED EXPLOSION WHILE CONSUMER WAS STARTING VEHICLE, CLAIM 23-1276-311. *SLC

CONSUMER HAD PARKED VEHICLE AND IT EXPLODED AS CONSUMER WAS EXITING VEHICLE , ADJUSTER STATED POSSIBLE INTERNAL ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD TO BE CAUSE, CLAIM 05-4442-741. *SLC

TRANSMISSION BANGS AS IT SHIFTS GEARS. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 5K.RETURNED IN 30 SEC.STARTED TO EXPER. HARSH SHIFTING. DEAL. COULD NOT FIND CAUSE. AT 60K HAD TRANS TEARDOWN.FOUND MANF.PROLEM THAT CAUSED FAILURE AT 5K.GM WOULD OFFER NO ASSIST. PRE EXISTING DID NOT APPLY.TO OLD TO MANY MILES.*AK

DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED STEERING COLUMN ASSUMES A DIFFERENT CENTER POSITION APPROXIMATELY 90% OF THE TIME, DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT ONE OF THE STEERING MOUNTING BOLTS WAS LOOSE, AND ANOTHER MOUNTING BOLT WAS TWISTED OUT OF POSITION, DEALER REPLACED THE BOLT, AND CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATED THE RACK & PINION BOLT WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN.*SLC

ON11/22/2001 IN THE MORNING HOURS,I TRY TO START THE CAR WHEN I HEARD A BACKFIRE EXPLOSION AND THEN SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I DID OPEN THE HOOD TO DO A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE CAR TO SEE WHAT COULD BE WRONG, I SEEN NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR I STARTED IT AND WENT TO WORK.THE SAME DAY I WAS DRIVING FROM WORK TO MY HOME, WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR STARTED JERKING UP AND HESITATING, I SAW A THICK AND WHITE CLOUD OF SMOKE CAME FROM THE THE EXAUST . SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND I DID TURN OFF THE CAR TO INVESTIGATE WHAT COULD BE THE POSSIBLE CAUSE.WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD OF THE CAR, A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR CAME FROM THE ENGINE. I LET THE CAR TO COOL DOWN AND THEN I DROVE HOME. I HAD THE CAR TAKEN TO A BUICK DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PLENUMUPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS WARP AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED,FUEL REGULATOR WAS BAD AND BECAUSE OF THAT THE TRANSMISSION MODULATOR WAS FLODDED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BUT ALL THE DOCUMENTS ARE AT THE DEALER AT THIS MOMENT. I'M LOOKING FOWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU.THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS. *AK

REAR BRAKES SOUND LIKE METAL RUBBING AGAINST METAL WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE CHECKING THE BALL JOINTS AGAIN AND FOUND THAT TWO OF THE BALL JOINTS, ONE ON EACH SIDE, DID NOT HAVE ANY GREASE, WHICH MEANS THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE WORN OUT. *YD

WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP BRAKES SOUND LIKE METAL GRINDING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURHTER INFORMATION.*AK

ENGINE EXPLODED WHEN VEHICLE WAS STARTED, CLAIM 38-J616-719. *SLC

TRANSMISSING SURGED WHEN CLIMBING HILLS, REPLACE THE THROTTLE SENSOR, KNOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. SURGING GETTING WORSE, THEN BUICK SENT A LETTER ON THE BOLT IN THE TRANSMISSION, THAT FIXED IT.

I HAD TAKEN THIS VEHICLE BACK TO THE BUICK DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT AT 34K MILES AND TOLD THEM IT HAD A "MISS" AND THAT IT "HESITATED" DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THEY SAID IT WAS A SPARK PLUG AND REPLACED ONE. THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER BUICK DEALER IT NEEDED 4,200.00 TO MAKE IT ROAD WORTHY INCLUDING A NEW WATER PUMP, NEW TRANSMISSION, NEW BRAKES AND ROTORS. THE SERVICE CODE ON THE CAR SHOULD HAVE INDICATED FAILURE OF THESE PARTS WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE FIRST DEALER.

THERE IS A BAR IN THE FRONT WINDOWS, THIS BAR REQUIRES MOUNTING OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IN A FOWARD POSITION, WHICH CONSUMER BELIEVES IS TOO CLOSE TO THE DRIVER, WHICH CREATES A BLIND SPOT FOR THE DRIVER.*JB

ABS WARNING LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STAY ON WHILE DRIVING. *AK *SLC

NEVER COMPLETE FAILURE, BUT TRANSMISSIONS SURGE,D, AND MORE DANGEROUSLY, APPARENTLY SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL RANDOMLY WITH NO WARNING. *AK

THIS PROBLEM, FACTORY INSTALLED ON ALL VEHICLES IN DOC# 538154, SER.NOTES. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK

THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING DUE TO A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, A FEW MONTHS LATER VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN, VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP AND MECHANICE STATED THAT HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN AGAIN AND THAT THE MOTOR WOULD NEED REPLACED, WATER PUMP ALSO FAILED AND WAS REPLACED ON FOUR OCCASIONS. *YH

VEICLE WAS IN FOR TRANSMISSION REPAIR AT LOCAL DEALER/ SERVICEMAN WAS TEST DRIVING VEHICLE AFTER REPAIR WHEN VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDERNEATH BETWEEN TRANSMISSIOM AND GAS TANK, DEALER CLAIMS NOT RESPONSIBLE, VEHICLE BURNED COMPLETELY. HAS THERE BEEN ANY PROBLEMS COMPARABLE TO THIS SITUATION ?

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE TOTALLY DESTROYING THE CAR. NLM THERE WAS RECALL ON THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD.*JB AN INVESTIGATOR STATED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED WITHIN THE IGNITION OF VAPORS OF GASOLINE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE, THEY STATED THAT IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE ARE IN LINE WITH THE RECALL REGARDING THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. *SLC REFERENCED IN EA02-030

ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE TRYING TO START VEHICLE , VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS, AND MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO DETECT ORGIN OF FIRE.*AK AAA DETECTED A HOT SPOT IN THE MANIFOLD AND THE FUEL LINE RUNS ALONG THE MANIFOLD, ALSO VEHICLE HAD AN INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK, FIRE POSSIBLY FUEL RELATED. *SLC

BOOMERSHINER FAILED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND THE RENTAL AND STILL HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING WITH THE DAMAGED BEHIND THE WHEEL. NOSAFETY DEFECT. *AK (TIRESIZE: 70)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 70 )

WATER PUMP STOPPED WORKING FOR NO REASON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

WHEEL CYLINDERS LEAKING CAUSING A GRUNTING NOISE TO OCCUR AS THE CAR WAS PLACED IN REVERSE. NLM

INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED. RECALL ON THIS COMPONENT FOR 1997 BUICK LESABRE, BUT PER BUICK THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED BY RECALL.*AK