2001 Buick Century

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK CENTURY. THE VEHICLE'S INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED AT LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON A BRAND NEW ENGINE. THE CONTACT SMELLED ANTI-FREEZE AND BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC WHO CONDUCTED PRESSURE TESTING. THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE MANIFOLD GASKET. IT IS A REPLACEMENT ENGINE AND IT IS DEMONSTRATING THE SAME FAILURE AS THE ORIGINAL ENGINE THAT WAS REPLACED AT 35,000 MILES BY ARBITRATION ORDER. BUICK HAS REFUSED TO PAY FOR ANY FAILED COMPONENTS CONCERNING THIS MOTOR, INCLUDING REPLACING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE CONVERTER WAS PLUGGED FROM THE ORIGINAL MOTOR FAILURE ALONG WITH THE SUBSEQUENT FAILURE FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ON THE NEW MOTOR. THE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED IN JANUARY OF 2007 FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 145,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK CENTURY WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 95000 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT WEBBING DID NOT PULL FROM THE RETRACTOR. WHEN SHE TRIED TO USE HER SEAT BELT THE WEBBING WOULD NOT PULL OUT FROM THE RETRACTOR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND FOUND THAT THE RETRACTOR FAILED, AND THE DEALER REPAIRED IT. *AK UPDATED 03/07/07. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING IN A TORRENTIAL RAIN AT 11:30 PM, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED ON STANDING WATER, WENT OFF THE TWO LANE ROAD AND HIT A TREE HEAD ON. THE CONTACT HAD NO INFORMATION AS TO THE SPEED OF TRAVEL AND WOULD NOT OFFER A GUESS. THE SEAT BELT WAS WORN BUT THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A BROKEN NOSE, BROKEN RIGHT EYE SOCKET AND MULTIPLE LESIONS FROM THE SEAT BELT STRAP. THE CONTACT WALKED 1/4 MILE FROM THE ACCIDENT TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE, THEN WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THERE WAS NO POLICE REPORT AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT TOW YARD. THERE WERE PHOTOS AVAILABLE. UPDATED 1/17/2007 - INSURANCE COMPANY HAS COMPUTER LOG OF ACCIDENT WHICH WAS TAKEN AROUND AUGUST 20, 2006. *NM

2001 BUICK CENTURY WITH 25,000 MILES, NEEDED TO HAVE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. SOME SLIPPAGE A WEEK BEFORE, THEN TWO STOP SIGNS, SLIPPAGE, THEN HORRIBLE GRINDING. WHEN MECHANIC TORE DOWN TRANSMISSION, SHARDS OF METAL WERE FOUND. WORD FROM THE SHOP WAS THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS MODEL AT 25,000 MILES, USUALLY SEE THIS MODEL AROUND 40,000 MILES. *JB

CAR HEATER WOULD NOT WARM UP. TEMPERATURE WOULD THEN FLUXUATE BETWEEN HOT AND COLD. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE. COOLANT MIXED IN WITH OIL IN THE ENGINE. DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT REQUIRED TO KEEP CAR OVERNIGHT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NEEDED A RENTAL CAR AND NO LOANER WAS AVAILABLE. GM AGREED TO SPLIT THE COST OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPAIR 50/50, BUT WOULD NOT COVER THE COST OF A RENTAL CAR. EFFECT OF THIS GASKET FAILURE AT THIS TIME IS UNKNOWN AND EFFECT TO ENGINE AND COMPONENTS. CAR HAS 68,500 MILES. ORIGINAL OWNER OFF CAR HAS KEPT UP WITH ALL SCHEDULEED MAINTENANCE. *NM

THIS IS SERIOUS. CRUISE CONTROL JUST TAKES OFF. 1. GOING 60 MPH WITH CRUISE ON AND WHEN CRUISE OPENS THROTTLE IT JUST KEEPS ON SPEEDING UP. 2. COME TO A FULL STOP AT A RED LIGHT AND THEN DRIVE WITHOUT TOUCHING CRUISE CONTROL KICKS IN AND RUNS AWAY AGAIN- ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. I GOT TO READING AND THERE ARE LOTS OF REPORTS ABOUT THIS INCLUDING REPORTS OF DEALERS NOT BEING ABLE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *JB