1998 Buick Lesabre complaints

1998 BUICK LESABRE STALLED AT A STOPLIGHT AND WOULDN'T START. AFTER HAVING THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD REMOVED, WATER WAS DISCOVERED IN THE INTAKE AND IN THE CYLINDERS.

1998 BUICK LASABRE...WITH PLASTIC INTAKE DEVELOPED A CRACK AND ALLOW ALL COOLANT TO PASS THRU ENGINE AND OUT EXHAUST...WAS STRANDED 100 MILES FROM HOME...TO GET TOWED AND REPLACE THIS DESIGN FLAW COST ME OVER 600.00 DOLLARS. *AK

1998 BUICK LASABRE...REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS LEAKING ON DRIVERS SIDE...CAUSED WHEEL TO LOCK UP COMPLETELY ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASSIONS...PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH MORE INFORMATION. *AK

I AM UPSET THAT THE GM RECALL # 03054B DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 1998 BUICK LESABRE, ONLY THE PARK AVENUE, ACCORDING TO THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT. FOR BUICK. *AK MY LESABRE DID THE SAME THING AS DESCRIBED ON THE RECALL RESULTS FOR THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION FOUND ON THE INTERNET. HOWEVER, YOUR OFFICE DID LIST IT USING NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V090000. PLEASE E-MAIL ME @ [email protected] OR LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR ME @ 850-482-8156, IF MY VEHICLE (1998 BUICK LESABRE, CUSTOM) CAN BE ADDED TO THIS RECALL. AFTER LOOKING AT THE REVIEWS FOR THIS VEHICLE IT SEEMS THERE ARE A FEW COMPLAINTS. THANKS

INFO COPY OF LET TO GM, INQUIRING IF THERE IS ANYTHING MORE TO DO TO STOP THE UNNECESSARY TASK OF WRITING MULTIPLE LTRS FOR REIMBURSEMT FROM GM REFERENCING ENGINE COOLANT LEAK ON BUICK VEHICLES. REF ES03-006044 /S/BRENNER 9/23/03. *PH *MJJ NAR

CONSUMER INSPECTED THE TIRES AND NOTICED THAT THE LEFT FRONT TIRE TREAD WAS SEPARATING AND STEEL BELT WAS VISIBLE. THE OTHER 3 TIRES HAD CRACKS ALONG THE SIDES. DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED. *AK

CONSUMER DISSATISFIED WITH THE REIMBURSEMENT OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD REPAIR KIT AND NOTHING ELSE. (NAR) *PH THE CONSUMER WAS ONLY PARTIALLY REIMBURSED FOR REPAIRS MADE PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTIFICATION ON THE FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE CONSUMER ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE'S STARTER. *NM

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE, THE CONSUMER HEARD AN EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS THE PROBLEM. *AK THE EXPLOSION CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND THE HOOD. *NM

WHILE DRIVING WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE REAR . VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED COOLANT ONTO THE ENGINE, AND ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

THE MANIFOLD WARPED, WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO SPILL INTO THE ENGINE. AS A RESULT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB *JB

WHILE DRIVING ANTI FREEZE LEAKED FROM ENGINE HEAD GASKET. *AK

WHEN ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE ENGINE MANIFOLD UPPER INTAKE VALVE. *JB (MANIFOLD AND GASKETS MALFUNCTIONED) THE OIL PAN AND VALVE COVE WAS REPLACED. THERE WAS ALSO A FUEL INJECTOR PROBLEM. THE DEALER FOUND THE #4 CYLINDER MISFIRING WITH NO FUEL DROP. *SC

PURCHASED NEW, THIS WELL MAINTAINED, GARAGE KEPT VEHICLE FAILED WITH 44,500 MILES. I CHANGED THE OIL & FILTER AFTER THE FIRST 500 MILE BREAK-IN PERIOD & EVERY 1K MILES. ON 2/12/04, THERE WAS A ROUGH UNEXPECTED ENGINE KNOCK UPON STARTUP. PLACED IN REVERSE, THERE WAS A SHAKING SENSATION & THE CHECK ENGINE LAMP EVENTUALLY LIT. I DROVE TO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT THE RADIATOR COOLLANT LEAKED INTO THE OIL PORTION OF THE ENGINE. IT WAS AN UNPLEASANT SITUATION, HOWEVER, A DECISION HAD TO BE MADE & I OPTED TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE WITH A 2004 LESABRE. I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT THE SAME DAY AND TRIED TO PUT MY 1998 PROBLEM BEHIND ME. I HAVE OWNED LESABRES IN THE PAST, A PARK AVENUE & OTHER GM PRODUCTS WHERE I CLOCKED OVER 250,000 MILES EACH ON MOST OF THEM. TWO DAYS AFTER THE PURCHASE OF MY 2004, THE BURNING QUESTION WAS WHY MY 1998 BIT THE DUST? I FELT DRAWN TO MY COMPUTER & SEARCHED: "BUICK LESABRE PLENUM FAILURES" TO SEE WHAT I MIGHT FIND. I VIEWED SEVERAL HUNDRED COMPLAINTS AT THIS SITE AND MANY OTHERS DESCRIBING THE VERY SAME PROBLEM. ALL I COULD HELP BUT WONDER, WAS IF THIS SAME DEFECT PRONE PART WAS IN THE CAR I JUST PURCHASED? I CALLED GM AND SPOKE TO A REP. I TOLD HERABOUT MY 1998 MODEL AND THEN ASKED IF SHE COULD LET ME KNOW IF IT HAD BEEN CHANGED ON MY NEW 2004 MODEL? YES, MY 2004 HAS THE SAME DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD, SO WITHOUT ANY WARNING, THE SAME SITUATION WILL ARISE IN THE FUTURE. WHAT WILL THEY DO FOR ME ABOUT MY NEW CAR? NOTHING. BEWARE THE TICKING TIME BOMB IF YOUR

THE CONSUMER READ AN ARTICLE WHICH INDICATED THAT GM RECALL CERTAIN CARS WITH POWER STEERING DEFECTS. *LA THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR POWER STEERING PROBLEMS WHICH REQUIRED REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 35392 MILES. *NM

COOLANT CONSUMPTION, OR AN ENGINE COOLANT LEAK NEAR OR UNDER THE THROTTLE BODY AREA OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD ON A 98 BUICK LE SABRE CUSTOM FOUR DOOR.*AK

VEHICLE MADE A GRINDING NOISE WHEN IN MOTION. THE VEHICLES VACUUM HOSE, POWER STEERING PRESSURE AND INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED. *NM

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD WARPED ALLOWING COOLANT TO LEAK THROUGH ENGINE BLOCK AND HYDROLOCKED ENGINE. CALL TO LOCAL BUICK DEALER COMFIRMS THIS IS NOT ISOLATED DEFECT. THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AS I WAS ENTERING THE HIGHWAY. MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO ADMIT RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEFECTIVE PART. MY COST $879.98. POSSIBLE FUTURE ENGINE DAMAGE.*AK

CONSUMER INQUIRED AS TO WHY THE RECALL ON PARK AVENUE WITH 3800 V6 ENGINES EXTENDED TO THE LESABRE AS WELL. *PH THE BUICK PARK AVENUE AND BUICK LESABRE ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME ENGINE. THE CONSUMER SAW RECALL 03V473000 FOR THE PARK AVENUE AND WONDERED WHY THE LESABRE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *NM

COOLANT LEAK FROM MANIFOLD

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE CONSUMER HEARD AN EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT A FAULTY PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BE INSPECTED. THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND LEAKING FLUID ONTO THE ENGINE. *NM

WE WERE THE SECOND OWNER FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE ORIGINAL OWNER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AT A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP. WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IT HAD AROUND 42,000 MILES. AFTER PURCHASE, WE EXPERIENCED AN EXTENDED CRANK BEFORE THE VEHICLE STARTED THAT WORSENED, SO ON NOVEMBER 25, 2003, MY HUSBAND AND I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED AND THEY DID THE FOLLOWING: THEY NOTED THAT THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR AND THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR AND INTAKE MANIFOLD. FURTHER THEY FLUSHED AND FILLED THE COOLING SYSTEM WITH NEW COOLANT, DID AN OIL AND FILTER CHANGE AND AN ENVIROLUTION ENGINE FLUSH; REMOVED CARBON BUILDUP DESLUDGE INTAKE MANIFOLD; DID A FUEL SYSTEM TREATMENT AND CLEANED THE THROTTLE PLATE PRESSURIZED INJECTOR CLEANED AND APPLIED A FUEL TANK ADDITIVE. TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS WAS $1434.08 (MINUS $45.00 FOR A BELT REPLACEMENT REQUESTED BY US). THIS WAS A COSTLY REPAIR FOR PROBLEMS IDENTICAL TO RECALL NO. 0354 FOR THE BUICK PARK AVENUE (NHTSA PURSUIT NUMBER EA02-030 AND NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 03V-473000). TODAY, JANUARY 5, 2004, I CALLED BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300 AND REGISTERED A COMPLAINT WITH TONY THOMPSON. HE SAID THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THE BUICK LESABRE AT THIS TIME, THEREFORE, NO COMPENSATION. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME. *AK *SC

STEERING RELATED PROBLEMS INVOLVING MAJOR PART REPLACEMENT. I ALREADY CONTACTED AN NHTSA REP ABOUT A DIFFERENT ISSUE, THE UBIQUITOUS UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD PROBLEM WHICH WE HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS ON. AND I DISCUSSED PROBLEMS WITH STALLING TOO. AFTER THAT, I SEARCHED THE INTERNET; I SEE THAT THE MANIFOLD PROBLEM IS MORE PREVALENT THAN I SUSPECTED. I ALSO STUMBLED ONTO DISCUSSIONS OF STALLING, STEERING, AND ENGINE FIRE PROBLEMS. WHEN I CALLED GM 2 YEARS AGO ABOUT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD, THEY DENIED THE PROBLEM EXISTED EVEN THOUGH MY DEALER AND OTHER SHOPS TOLD ME EVERYBODY KNEW ABOUT IT. I CALLED GM AGAIN A FEW WEEKS AGO AFTER HAVING MORE GASKET PROBLEMS AND ALTHOUGH THEY FINALLY ADMITTED TO THE MANIFOLD AND GASKET PROBLEMS, THEY COULD NOT HELP ME WITH MY EXPENSES, THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE MY PREVIOUS COMPLAINT, AND THE REP WAS OBSESSED WITH HAVING ME SAY THAT I WAS SATISFIED WITH MY CALL TO HIM. I TRIED TELLING HIM THAT I WAS UNSATISFIED WITH GM BUT SATISFIED WITH HIM AS A PERSON, BUT HE KEPT TALKING TO ME UNTIL I AGREED THAT I WAS MOSTLY SATISFIED WITH MY CALL. I WONDER IF MANUFACTURERS HAVE DIFFERENT OBLIGATIONS IN RECORDING AND REPORTING THEIR COMPLAINTS TO AUTHORITIES DEPENDING ON WHETHER CUSTOMERS ARE SATISFIED OR NOT. *CB

GENTLEMEN: I HAVE A 1998 BUICK LESABRE WITH 31,258 MILES ON IT. LAST WEEKEND, I TURNED THE KEY AND HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE STARTER MOTOR CASE HAD CRACKED. MY INDEPENDENT GARAGE PUT IN A NEW STARTER TO THE TUNE OF $526.00. WHEN THEY TRIED TO START THE CAR, THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO THE NEW STARTER. THE GARAGE THEN DISCOVERED THAT THE 3.8L V6 ENGINE WAS FROZEN DUE TO A LEAK IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH ALLOWED COOLANT TO ENTER THE CYLINDERS. THEY SAID THE LEAK WAS CAUSED BY THE GM "5 YEAR" COOLANT ROTTING THE MANIFOLD AWAY. THEY ESTIMATED THE REPAIR AT $2,000.00, INCLUDING THE STARTER. I CALLED BUICK CUSTOMER SERVICE; THEY ARE VAGUE ABOUT ANY PROBLEM OR LIABILITY. THEY DID ASK THAT I TAKE THE CAR TO A BUICK DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. I TOOK IT TO FIELDS BUICK. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE PROBLEM AND THE CAUSE. THEY WANT $2,300.00 TO FIX IT, EXCLUDING THE STARTER. GM REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING. I HAVE DISCOVERED A GM TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (01-06-01-007A) INDICATING THAT GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE AT LEAST JULY, 2001. THE PROBLEM AFFECTS SEVERAL MAKES AND MODELS. A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AT 31,000 MILES IS ABSURD.

TRANSMISSION SLIPS AFTER BEING ENGAGED FOR 24 MILES OR MORE . THIS HAPPENS AT START UP FROM A STANDING STOP(STOP SIGN ETC.) IT HAS HAPPEN ONLY 4 TIMES THIS YEAR. DEALER UNABLE TO SAY WHAT IS WRONG OR REPAIR NEEDED.HAS ANYONE GOT A IDEA WHAT IT IS?

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT 30-MPH WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL GARAGE AND THEY FOUND THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK INSIDE THE ENGINE. *PH WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED, THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT, THE ENGINE WAS HYDROSTATIC LOCKED DUE TO THE COOLANT LEAKS. *SC *JB

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED TO STOP THE LEAK AS WELL AS THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. DEALER, ON A PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, REPAIRED A HOLE IN THE RADIATOR. *AK *MR

LTR FM ANDREW HUNT (NJ) CONCERNED CLASSIFICATION OF ENGINE COOLANT LEAKAGE AS SAFETY PROBLEM & DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD PROBLEMS SUGGEST NHTSA RECALL ALL GM MODEL YRS 1995-1998. *MR THERE WAS NO ADVANCE WARNING WHEN THE ENGINE WOULD STOP IF THE COOLANT LEAKS. THE CONSUMER WAS REIMBURSED THE COST OF THE REPAIR KIT, BUT NOT THE BALANCE OF THE REPAIRS. THE STARTER FAILED WHEN AAA ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS FULL OF COOLANT IN THE ENGINE. *SCC *JB

COOLANT LEAK INTO ENGINE THRU PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. *AK

WHILE DRIVING REACHED HIGH TEMPERATURES DUE TO INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE. COOLANT LEAKED INSIDE THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. SORRY NO RECALL, AND WOULD COST $ 1,400 TO FIX IT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND WOULD COST $ 700 FOR CONSUMER TO FIX IT. *AK

VEHICLE HAD BEEN LOSING COOLANT SINCE 1998. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS AT LEAST SEVEN TIMES. THE GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR) PORT WAS MADE OF PLASTIC, AND WHEN IT MELTED, COOLANT SEEPED INTO THE ENGINE. *AK CONSUMER RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT OF $479.99 FROM MC CLELLON BUICK AFTER CONTACTING THE ORIGINAL OWNER. *PH

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION. THERE WAS A BREAKAGE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND MELTING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ENGINE DUMPING SHROUD. A SMALL FIRE WAS BURNED ON THE ENGINE BLOCK WHEN THE SHROUD WAS REMOVED. *AK *SC *JB

1998 BUICK LESABRE - ENGINE BACKFIRE UPON STARTING - BLEW OFF VACUME HOSE AT INTAKE MANIFOLD, CRACKED PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. ENGINE HYDROLOCKED, SUCKING COOLANT INTO ALL 6 CYLINDERS. FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR REPLACED ALONG WITH A NEW PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 75, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED (I HAD TO QUICKLY MOVE TO THE SHOULDER). NOTICED NO COOLANT IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR. TOWED IT TO THE GMC DEALER. SERVICE MANAGER REMARKS: DUE TO ANTIFREEZE LEAK FROM MANIFOLD GASKET ALL FLUIDS WENT THROUGH ENGINE BLOCK AND HYDROLOCKED THE ENGINE AND CAUSING IT TO SHUT DOWN. (THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT THEY HAD TO SEVERAL BUICK LESABRE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM). AT LEAST I AM LUCKY THAT THIS PERSON KNEW WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM WITHOUT SPECULATION. I HAVE HEARD OTHERS WERE NOT THAT LUCKY AT OTHER DEALER PLACE WHERE THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE PROBLEM EXCEPT SPECULATING ON THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. ALL I WANT IS THAT THE GMC COMPANY PAY FOR THE REPAIRS OR REIMBURSE FOR THE REPAIRS CAUSED BY THEIR POOR TECHNICAL WORKMANSHIP. *AK

TEMPERATURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER STOPPED AND PUT IN COOLANT. NEXT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED , AND ENGINE DIED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. THE UPPER AND LOWER MANIFOLDS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK THE DEALER ALSO INSTALLED A NEW THERMOSTAT AND GASKET AND REPLACED ALL SIX SPARK PLUGS. *NLM

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. *AK

THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD AT OWNER'S EXPENSE OF $985.00. *AK

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED COOLANT INTO THE CYLINDERS. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE STALLED. *AK *TS *NLM

CONSUMER HAD MANIFOLD SYSTEM REPAIRS DONE ON 98 BUICK LESABRE. THE MANIFOLD SYSTEM WAS REPLACED TWICE. AFTER THE SECOND REPAIR, CONSUMER BECAME AWARE OF THE RECALLS FOR THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL WITH 3.8 V6 ENGINE. GENERAL MOTORS WERE CONTACTED BUT THE CONSUMER DIDN'T RECEIVE A RESPONSE. *PH

VEHICLE HAD BEEN LOSING COOLANT SINCE 1998. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS AT LEAST SEVEN TIMES. THE GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR) PORT WAS MADE OF PLASTIC, AND WHEN IT MELTED, COOLANT SEEPED INTO THE ENGINE. *AK

WHEN CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, BLACK SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED OUT INTO THE TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS REPAIRED.*AK *TS *JB

THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED DUE TO AN INOPERATIVE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED AND THE COOLANT SYSTEM WAS FLUSHED. *JB *TS *NLM

INTAKE MANIFOLD MELTING. LOSS OF COOLANT. REPLACE PLASTIC INTAKE, PLUGS, STARTER, OIL AND FILTER, PCV VALVE, COOLANT. PLUS TOWING BILL AND SHOP LABOR. GM DEFECT. GM KNOWS IT, GM SHOULD REIMBURSE FOR REPAIR COST. *LA

WATER WAS LEAKING FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD INTO THE ENGINE. THIS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO BLOW OUT. INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS DETERIORATING DUE TO THE LEAKAGE. *AK

CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH ALL DASHBOARD INDICATORS STARTED FLASHING, AND ENGINE STALLED. *AK

ENGINE COOLANT LEAK, INTO THE ENGINE MANIFOLD,OF MY VEHICLE, RESULTED FROM DEFECTIVE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD COMPOSITE MATERIAL DEGRADING AROUND THE EGR STOVE PIPE. BUICK MOTOR DIVISION OF GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN, #01-06-01-007A-(07/18/2001), DOCUMENT ID#812024, PERTAINING TO THIS EXACT TYPE OF ENGINE MANIFOLD DEFECT IN 1998 BUICK LESABRE AUTOMOBILES. ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2003, THE EGR STOVE PIPE FAILED IN MY 1998 BUICK LESABRE, ALLOWING ENGINE COOLANT TO ENTER THE ENGINE MANFOLD. I FORMALLY REQUEST THAT YOUR AGENCY IMMEDIATELY BEGIN AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS DEFECT, IN ORDER TO PROCEED TOWARD ORDERING A RECALL OF THIS VEHICLE.

VEHICLE STALLS WHEN MAKING TURNS AND PARKING. ALSO, VEHICLE ACCELERATES WHILE DRIVER'S FOOT IS ON BRAKE, DRIVER HAS TO PRESS BRAKE HARDER UNTIL ENGINE SLOWS DOWN. *AK

MY CAR, A '98 LESABRE, HAS A POWER ASSISTED STEERING THAT IS DRIVEN BY A BELT. THE IDLER PULLEY DISINTEGRATED, THE BELT CAME OFF, AND I HAD LITTLE STEERING. A PERSON WITH LESS UPPER BODY STRENGTH WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL. I BELIEVE MANY UNEXPLAINED ACCIDENTS MAY BE CAUSED BY THIS SITUATION. INVESTIGATING OFFICERS WOULD ASSUME THE BELT WAS LOST DURING THE CRASH WHEN THE LOSS WAS ACTUALLY THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH. A VEHICLKE THAT HAS A SERPENTINE BELT ALSO LOSES POWER TO THE BRAKES.

CAR BACKFIRED AND ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE

WHILE RETURNING HOME FROM OUR DAUGHTER'S IN VIRGINIA, OUR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WE PULLED ONTO A SIDE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD, WE FOUND THE RESERVE RADIATOR RESERVOIR TO BE TOTALLY EMPTY. AFTER 20 MINUTES, WE TRIED TO START THE CAR TO NO AVAIL. WE WERE TOWED BACK TO THE NEAREST TOWN, SELINSGROVE, PA, TO A PEP BOYS AND WERE TOLD THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED UP. THE NEXT DAY THE CAR WAS TOWED BACK TO ROCHESTER WHERE OUR MECHANIC PROCEEDED TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. WE ALSO CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR TWO YEARS AGO, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD US THAT HE HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE. THE RADIATOR FLUID IS ENTIRELY SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE THROUGH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THERE IS NEVER ANY INDICATION OF OVER HEATING OR CHANGES ON THE GAUGE READINGS BECAUSE THE ENGINE IS NOT HOT, DUE TO THE FLUID BEING IN THERE. CONSEQUENTLY, WE HAD TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED. THREE DAYS AFTER THIS HAPPENED TO US, A LETTER WAS MAILED OUT TO ALL OWNERS OF 2000-2003 BUICKS FOR THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM. WE HAVE A 1998 BUICK LESABRE. WE CALLED THE NUMBER GIVEN 1-800-832-8425 AND ALSO CALLED BBB AUTO LINE FOR GENERAL MOTORS. GENERAL MOTORS WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP US IN THIS MATTER BECAUSE OUR VEHICLE IS A 1998. THE COST WE HAVE INCURRED TO REMEDY THIS FAILURE IS IN EXCESS OF $3,000.00. THE SAME ENGINE WAS USED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM: A 3800 SERIES LL (L36) V6 ENGINE. HOW DO I KNOW THE SAME THING WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN? I DO NOT! I DO NOT WANT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE YET I C