2005 Buick Lacrosse

TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 57 DURING DAYTIME HOURS. WHILE CRUISING AT 73 MILES PER HOUR IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE, THE VEHICLE SPUTTERED AND LOST ALL POWER. I COASTED TO A STOP OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND EVERYTHING SEEMED OK, SO I CONTINUED ON. A LITTLE LATER IT SPUTTERED AGAIN AND STARTED LOSING POWER. THE POWER CAME BACK BEFORE IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I CALLED ON STAR FOR A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND THEY TOLD ME I HAD A FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEM AND THAT IF THE CAR WOULD RUN TO CONTINUE THAT IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER FOR REPAIRS WHEN I GOT HOME. I TOOK THE CAR WORDEN-MARTEN SERVICE CENTER FOR REPAIRS ON MARCH 23RD. TO REPAIR THE CAR THEY: 1.REPLACED CAT CONVERTER AND OXYGEN SENSOR 125CGMPP- $750.47 A SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 57 DURING DAYTIME HOURS. I WAS PASSING A SEMI TRACTOR TRAILER WITH THREE CARS FOLLOWING ME WHILE CRUISING AT 73 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE VEHICLE SPUTTERED AND LOST ALL POWER PUTTING ME IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE VEHICLE COASTED DOWN TO ABOUT 60 MILES PER HOUR BEFORE IT KICKED BACK IN. I IN THE MEAN TIME HAD DROPPED BACK BEHIND THE SEMI WITH THE THREE CARS BEHIND ME AND WHEN I COULD I PULLED BACK INTO THE RIGHT HAND LANE. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR ME AND MY WIFE. I CALLED ON STAR FOR A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND THEY TOLD ME THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK. I TOOK THE CAR WORDEN-MARTEN SERVICE CENTER FOR REPAIRS AGAIN ON APRIL 19TH TO REPAIR THE CAR THEY: 1.REPLACED MASS -AIR FLOW UNIT AND SENSOR $ 131.39 WHO KNOWS IF IT IS FIXED RIGHT THIS TIME? THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO BE IN FOR THE CAR TO FAIL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE IS UNABLE TO READ THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL GAUGES AT DUSK OR DAWN. IN ORDER TO READ THE GAUGES, THE HEADLIGHTS MUST BE TURNED OFF. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE IS DUE TO A FAULTY DESIGN AND THERE WAS NO REPAIR AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ENGINEERS ARE CONDUCTING AN EVALUATION. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,367 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,622. UPDATED 05/05/08 *BF UPDATED 05/05/08

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER ARE DIFFICULT TO READ DURING THE DAY OR EARLY MORNINGS BECAUSE THE SENSORS ARE DIM. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LIGHT CLUSTER SWITCHES AND STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND INFORMATION CENTER WERE DESIGNED WITH DIM LIGHTING; THEREFORE, REPLACEMENTS WOULD NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000. UPDATED 02-25-08 *BF THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS REPLACED DUE TO A NOISE BEING HEARD IN THE STEERING WHILE DRIVING. THE STARTER MOTOR WAS REPLACED. UPDATED *JB

AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR EST 2 YRS, I NOTICED THE INFO CNTR BEGAN TO NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE ILLUMINATION IN THE INFO CNTR & RADIO AREA WILL INTERMITTENTLY NOT LIGHT UP. THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHERE THIS W/B LIT & THEN GO OUT AS I DRIVE, OR VICE VERSA. W/ THE CAR BEING UNDER WARRANTY, I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP LAST SUMMER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO RECREATE THE PROB. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH GM (CASE #71-567506079) ON 10/23/07. THEY INDICATED THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY POTENTIAL PROBS WITH THE INFO CNTR. 7/07, I BEGAN KEEPING TRACK WHEN THE PROB OCCURRED. W/ MY WARRANTY ABT TO EXPIRE, I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 1/4/08, ALONG WITH DOCUMENTATION OF WHEN THE PROB OCCURRED. AGAIN, THEY COULD NOT RECREATE PROB & GAVE ME A STATEMENT FROM GM THAT PROVIDED A POSSIBLE DIAGNOSIS. "CONDITION" CUSTOMER COMMENT OF I/P DIFFICULT TO SEE AT DUSK OR DAWN. RECOMMENDATION: CAUSE: "THE AMBIENT LIGHT SENSOR MAY SENSE THAT IT IS SUFFICIENTLY DARK UNDER THESE CONDITIONS THAT THE BCM WILL ACTIVATE THE AUTOMATIC HEADLAMPS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, NORMAL I/P DIMMING OCCURS, CAUSING THE CUSTOMER CONCERN." CORRECTION: "THIS IS NORMAL OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AND THERE IS NO CORRECTION FOR THIS CONCERN. ENGINEERING IS EVALUATING THIS FEATURE BUT IT IS UNCLEAR AT THIS TIME IF ANY CHANGE WILL BE POSSIBLE." TO THIS I ASK: 1) WHY DID THIS "CONCERN" ONLY RECENTLY DEVELOP? I DID NOT HAVE THIS "CONCERN" IN THE 1ST YR I OWNED THE CAR. 2) PER MY DOC THE "CONCERN" (22 INSTANCES FROM 7/27/07 TO 12/24/07) OCCURRED UNDER THESE CONDITIONS: 41% CLOUDY/OVERCAST, 14% DUSK/DAWN AND 45% SUNNY, THEREBY REPUTING THE "NORMAL OPERATION AT DUSK/DAWN". 3) WHY IS IT THE ILLUMINATION MAY NOT BE ON WHEN I START THE CAR, BUT 4 MILES DOWN THE ROAD IT COMES ON, OR VICE VERSA? 4) HOW IS IT WHEN I SPOKE TO THE REP BACK IN OCT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF ANY "CONCERNS", YET, IN DEC THEIR "ENGINEERS ARE EVALUATING THE FEATURE"? TO THIS DATE, THE "CONCERN" HAS YET TO BE RESOLVED AND 3 MORE OCCURRENCES HAVE COME ABOUT. *TR

2005 BUICK LACROSSE WITH DEFECTIVE BRAKES UNDER RECALL. CUSTOMER STATED THAT HER VEHICLE HAD DEFECTIVE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WAS PRESSED THE BRAKES WOULD NOT BE APPLIED. SHE WAS TOLD TWO WEEKS BEFORE REPAIRS COULD BE MADE. *KB THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE LIGHTS ON THE DRIVER'S INFORMATION CENTER WERE DIM MOST OF THE TIME AND SOMETIMES DISAPPEARED ALTOGETHER. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER IT WAS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE FOR INTERIOR ILLUMINATION TO DIM/BRIGHTEN DUE TO VOLTAGE DEMAND AND/OR AMBIENT LIGHT CONDITIONS. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THERE WAS A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, A PROBLEM WITH A COMPUTER CHIP OR THE BATTERY VOLTAGE. THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE LEAKED DUE TO POOR MANUFACTURING. *JB

UPON ENTERING THE HIGHWAY AND APPROACHING THE 55 MPH SPEED LIMIT THE CAR SEEMED TO STALL. THE ENGINE ACTED LIKE IT LOST ALL POWER. LETTING UP ON THE GAS PEDAL CAUSED THE ENGINE TO REGAIN POWER UNTIL THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED AGAIN. I DID THIS NUMEROUS TIMES UNTIL THE CAR FINALLY DIED AND I HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. AFTER THE LONG LINE OF CARS PASSED BY I GOT THE CAR STARTED AND KEPT IT IN FIRST GEAR UNTIL I WAS MORE SURE IT COULD KEEP RUNNING. IT BEHAVED NORMALLY AFTER THAT. WHEN I GOT HOME MY WIFE CONFIDED IT HAPPENED TO HER ONCE TOO.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER THREE TIMES TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. ON THE LAST VISIT TO THE SERVICE DEALER, THEY DETERMINED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW SENSOR. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD AN OIL LEAK, THE FRONT ROTORS WERE MACHINED. THE GAS CAP ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR WAS REPLACED, BECAUSE WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE TURNED ON, THE HEAT WOULD CUT OFF. UPDATED 12/12/06 *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH TOWARD AN INTERSECTION ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. NO WARNING LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE ROTORS MUST BE MACHINED. AFTER A VISUAL INSPECTION THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE OF A DIFFERENT BRAND; THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THERE WAS NO CONCERN ABOUT THE DIFFERENT TIRE BRANDS. ALSO, THE VEHICLE HAD AN OIL LEAK. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE LEAK WAS FROM THE OIL FILTER AND CORRECTED IT. AFTER A FEW MILES DRIVEN, THE VEHICLE PRESENTED PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL PUMP AND THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE IT. ALSO, AN EXTERIOR LIGHTING PROBLEM WAS NOTICED WHICH WAS DETECTED DUE TO WIRING CORROSION LOCATED IN THE TRUNK. AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED; THE DEALERSHIP CORRECTED THE DEFECT BUT AFTER FEW MILES, THE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO PROVIDED THE NHTSA PHONE NUMBER WHEN ASKED FOR A RESOLUTION.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HORN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT SOUND . THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE AIR BAG TWICE AND WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED AND OFFERED TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY CONCERNING THE AIR BAG AND THE HORN. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE OFFER IS UNSATISFACTORY.