1998 Buick Park Avenue complaints

WHEN GOING DOWNHILL THE CONSUMER PLACES THE VEHICLE IN FIRST GEAR AND THE ENGINE DIES THE MECHANIC BELIEVES THAT SHIFTING DOWN EFFECTS THE ENGINE'S COMPUTER SO THAT IT SHUTS DOWN BUT THE CONSUMER IS CONSERNED ABOUT WHAT'S IN THE OWNERS MANUAL WHICH STATES IF YOU DONT DOWNSHIFT THE BRAKES COULD GET HOT AND CAUSE POOR OR NO BRAKING ABILITY. NLM

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH WHEN VEHICLE LOST ELECTRICAL POWER AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT A WARNING. CONSUMER PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. *AK *ML

THE FRONT DISC PADS, REAR BRAKE ROTORS AND REAR CALIPERS HAD TO BE REPLACED ON A TWO-YEAR-OLD CAR WITH ONLY 38,500 MILES ON IT. BEFORE THE BRAKES WERE FIXED, THE CAR WOULD SHAKE SO BADLY IT FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO FALL APART. *AK

WIFE HAS COMPLAINED THE STEERING AT TIMES WOULD HAVE NO POWER STEERING. EVERY TIME I WOULD GO OUT AND CHECK THE STEERING IT WAS FINE. THIS WAS GOING ON FOR ABOUT A YEAR. THIS CAR IS MY WIFES AND I RARELY DRIVE THIS CAR. ON JUNE 10, 2000, I DROVE THE CAR ON A 100 MILE ROUND TRIP WITH MY FAMILY(WIFE, TWO BOYS AGE 12 AND MYSELF). 2 MILES FROM THE END OF THIS TRIP WHILE ON A STEP GRADE AT A RATE OF SPEED OF 30 MPH A VECHICLE AHEAD IN SAME LANE AS ME WAS TURNIG RIGHT INTO A DRIVEWAY. THE ROAD ALLOWED PASSING (DOTTED LINE). ANTICIPATING TO STEER AROUND THE VEHICLE. WHEN TRYING TO STEER LEFT THE STEERING BECAME MANUAL, NO POWER ASSISTANCE. ALL MOST IN PANIC, TURNED THE WHEEL HARD (FORCEFULL) AND ALL OF A SUDDEN POWER ASSISTANCE RETURNED. NOW COMPENSATING FOR OVER STEERING TO THE LEFT TRIED TO STEER RIGHT ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME SITUATION OCCUR, NO POWER ASSISTANCE TO THE RIGHT. TURNED HARD TO THE RIGHT ONLY TO HAVE THE POWER ASSIST RESUME. ASKED MY WIFE IF THIS IS WHAT SHE HAD EXPERIENCED. SHE SAID NOT TO THIS EXTENT. IDROVE THE CAR THE REST OF THE WAY HOME (2 MILES) WITHOUT ANY OTHER PROBLEMS UNTILL I TRIED TO TURN INTO MY DRIVEWAY. AGAIN NO POWER STEERING. CALLED THE DEALER MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR AS SOON AS I COULD GET IN. DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN UNTILL I BROUGHT TO DEALER. (JUNE 14,2000). DEALER FOUND AN INTERNAL FAILURE IN THE STEERING RACK. I ASKED IF BUICK HAD A RECALL ON THIS FAILED COMPONENT. DEALER SAID NOT TO HIS KNOWLEDGE. CALL THE BUICK HOT LINE FOR COSTOMER ASSISTANC

TRUNK LOCKS FAILED. YH

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT OFF. THERE WAS NO STEERING OR BRAKES, ETC. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT, JUST HAD VEHICLE SERVICED FOR AN OIL CHANGE. STARTED VEHICLE AND ENGINE EXPLODED, FLAMES ENGULFED VEHICLE. BUICK HAD RECALL FOR SAME PROBLEM IN 96 & 97 MODELS. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, DRIVER JUST BARELY TOUCHED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND VEHICLE WENT DEAD. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER STATED THAT A FAULTY CELL IN THE BATTERY CAUSED THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT DOESN'T RELEASE WHEN CONSUMER TRIES TO PUT IT ON. NLM

THE AIR LEVEL RIDE SYSTEM FILLED UP THE SHOCKS ALL THE WAY CAUSING THE REAR TO BOUNCE OVER BUMPS. THE BACK OF THE CAR IS UP HIGH AND IS STUCK THAT WAY. BUICK WILL TAKE CARE OF PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY. NLM

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH VIBRATION AND A CLICKING SOUND FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING, AND A RATTLING SOUND FROM THE HOOD AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUME RTHAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ENTIRE VEHICLE SEVERELY VIBRATES, AND A VERY LOUD UNUSAL NOISE OCCURS WITHIN THE FRONT END. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25-35MPH VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT. WOULD HAVE NO PRIOR WARNING. NEARLY REARENDED. NEED TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL TO RESTART. AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC PLACED A MONITOR ON VEHICLE. NOTHING HAPPENED. WAS ROAD TESTED & BATTERY DIED. FOUND A SHORT IN BATTERY & IT WAS CHANGED. THE VEHICLE FINALLY STALLED AGAIN WHILE AT STOP LIGHT.*AK

WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY CONDITIONS POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONS, CAUSING STEERING DIFFICULTY WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT HAS NO SOLUTION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

BRAKES PULSATED WHEN BRAKING, STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND BRAKE PEDAL VIBRATED VIOLENTLY DUE TO FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE OUT OF SPEC.

WHEN EMERGENCY BRAKE IS RELEASED ON AN INCLINE THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARD. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT IN THE FRONT WILL NOT HOLD IF ANYONE IS SITTING THERE. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED IT AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. *AK

VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE, WHILE THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, RESULTING IN A MINOR COLLISION. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

SOMETIMES SEAT BELT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WILL NOT PULL OUT OF THE MECHANISM. THE DEALER/MANUFACTUER ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED 4-5 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK

THE SEAT BELTS WILL NOT STAY TENSIONED DUE TO MISSHAPED SLOT IN THE SEAT BELT GUIDE WHICH ALLOWS THE SEAT BELT TO DOUBLE AND JAM DURING NORMAL DRIVING MOTIONS. THIS WAS CORRECTED IN THE 1999 MODELS BY RESHAPING OF THE SLOT IN THE PLASTIC GUIDE. BUICK CUSTOMER SERVICE ORIGINALLY SAID THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN TO COVER THE PROBLEM, BUT NOW SAYS THIS WAS AN ERROR. THE DEALER INVESTIGATED POSSIBILITY OF PUTTING NEW GUIDE SLOT SAME AS 1999 MODEL, BUT SID COULD NOT BE DONE. THIS IS A CONSTANT ROAD HAZARD DUE TO INABILITY TO KEEP SEAT BELTS TIGHT. *AK

COMPUTER MODULE FAILED, AND THE MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES.ALSO, ABS CONSTANTLY BECOMES DEFECTIVE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY FAILED.

ASH TRAY LATCH FAILED.

GAS TANK FLOAT FAILED. *YC

SHIFT LEVER IS HARD TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. NLM

SEAT BELT STICKS, CAUSING FAILURE, REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES BY DEALER, PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *YC

TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH

FUEL PUMP NOISY. YH

ENGINE WON'T CRANK DUE TO STRIPPED WIRE UNDER DRIVER'S SEAT. YH

ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSED SEAT,CLOCK,RADIO AND AUTO LOCKS TO FAIL. YH

FUEL SENSOR FAILED. YH

FUEL GAUGE FAILED. YH

FUEL GAUGE NEEDLE FLUCTUATES RAPIDLY FROM A CORRECT INDICATION OF "FULL" TO PEGGING "EMPTY" AND FLIPS BACK AND FORTH RAPICLY. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE DASH ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW UNIT. THIS DID NOT CURE THE PROBLEM. THE FUEL GAUGE CONTINUES TO INTERMITTENTLY FLUCTUATE FROM THE CORRECT READING TO A READING OF COMPLETELY EMPTY. DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM.

DRIVER'S SIDE LAP BELT BECOMES JAMMED IN THE RETRACTING MECHANISM ,CAUSING THE SEAT BELT INTERVALS TO BECOME INOPERABLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE UP AND GOING AROUND THE CORNER AT 15 MPH THE VEHICLE VIBRATES AND SHAKES ALOT, THAT MAKES DRIVER TAKE FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL. *AK

BRAKES SYSTEM VIBRATES WHEN STOPPING.

THE FRONT DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS WILL NOT WORK. THEY GET JAMED IN THE RETRACTOR, AND ONLY COME OUT SEVERAL INCHES. THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT. IT HAS BEEN THERE FOR 10 DAYS NOW WITH THE PART ON BACKORDER AND NOW THE PART IS UNAVILABLE. THEY ARE GOING TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT SEAT.

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, VEHICLE BEGINS TO GO DOWN A HILL AND PICKS UP SPEED STILL WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

FRONT WINDSHIELD HAS GLARE FROM THE DASHBOARD, ON ANY SUNNY DAY DEPENDING ON DIRECTION WHICH CONSUMER IS DRIVING, VISIBILITY IS CUT BY 10-40 %. DEALER NOTIFIED AND PROBLEM HAVE NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK *JB

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK, BUT THE HARDER IT RAINS THE FASTER THE WIPERS GO, SO FAST AS TO NO WATER BEING REMOVED FROM THE WINDSHIELD. AT TIMES, AFFECT VISIBILITY. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATES THE WIPERS WORK ACCORDING TO GM SPEC. *AK

SERPENTINE BELT BROKE, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING, WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER HAS REPLACED BELT TWICE. *AK

VEHICLE FAILED TO START AFTER SITTING IDLE FOR SIX DAYS.

WHILE MAKING LEFT TURNS THE STEERING WHEEL PULSATES FOR NO REASON. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED STEERING RACK. PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK

MOUNTING FOR SEAT BELT OBSTRUCTS VIEW.

DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT DOES NOT RETRACT. PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO DEALERS, AND THEY CANNOT CORRECT PROBLEM. OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED FOR SAFETY. *AK

WHENEVER TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 40 DEGREES THE WINDSHIELD AND WINDOWS WILL AUTOMATICALLY FOG UP. THIS IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD CONSUMER TO LOWER THE WINDOWS FOR CLEAR VISIBILITY. BUICK SAYS IT IS NOT A PROBLEM BECAUSE CAN USE THE WIPERS AND DEFOGGER. THEY KNOW THIS HAPPENS, AND CONSUMER SHOULD NOT TAKE IT AS A MAJOR PROBLEM. CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE SEPT. 15, 1997. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 10 TIMES SINCE, AND THERE ARE OTHERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM, ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP RECORDS. PRICE BUICK PONTIAC N. SALSBURY ST. SALSBURY, MD. 410-742-1106; KEVIN WHITE SERVICE MANAGER/JIM BROWN GENERAL MANAGER. THIS WILL HAPPEN 2-3 TIMES WITHIN A 15 MINUTE DRIVE. *AK