1994 Buick Lesabre

MULTIPLE COMPUTER FAILURES - AND WIRE HARNESS PROBLEMS. SINCE DEC 1998. ABS BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE IN NOVEMBER. A WIRE HARNESS PROBLEM ALSO. CAR IN SEVERAL TIMES FOR A WEEK AT A TIME LATE APR - JUN. $1800 PLUS DEALER COST ON WIRING ALONE. WEEK 2 AUGUST - CAR BACK FROM SHOP FOR 2 WKKS, ALTERNATOR (MORE ELECTRICAL ) FAILS ($280). AUG 24TH FUEL PUMP FAILS (ELECTRICAL??) (EST $600) I GIVE UP..

WHILE DRIVING ON AN URBAN HIGHWAY, MY WIFE NOTED THE STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE CAR. SHE WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT AT THE TIME. SHE THOUGHT THE SMELL MIGHT BE COMING FROM A SOURCE EXTERNAL TO THE CAR SO SHE SHUT THE AIR VENT AND STARTED THE AIR CONDITIONER. SHE STARTED TO FEEL FAINT AND NAUSEAS SO SHE LOOKED FOR THE NEAREST EXIT TO SAFELY GET OFF THE HIGHWAY. THE ODOR OF GASOLINE AT THIS POINT WAS CAUSING BLURRED VISION AND DIFFICULTY WITH HER MOTOR CONTROLS. SHE STOPPED ON A SIDE STREET AND IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE CAR TO GET SOME FRESH AIR. SHE WAS HELPED BY SEVERAL BYSTANDERS WHO ENSURED THAT SHE WAS A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE CAR AS THE GASOLINE ODOR WAS EXTREMELY STRONG. SHE DECLINED AN AMBULANCE BUT IN RETROSPECT SHOULD HAVE ACCEPTED AS SHE HAD HEALTH PROBLEMS FOR THE NEXT 12 HOURS. HER HUSBAND, WRITING THIS REPORT, ARRIVED AT THE SCENE WITHIN ONE HALF HOUR. WHAT I FOUND WAS THE HOOD UP AND JUST A FAINT SMELL OF GASOLINE. AFTER HELPING MY WIFE AND GETTING HER COMFORTABLE, I WENT BACK TO THE BUICK LESABRE TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM WAS OBVIOUS. SEEING NOTHING, I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR WITH THE HOOD UP. BEFORE THE CAR STARTED, A SPRAY OF GASOLINE WAS OBSERVED UNDER THE HOOD AND I IMMEDIATELY ABANDONED ANY FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE GASOLINE VAPORS DISSIPATED, I INSPECTED THE ENGINE FOR FUEL LINE LEAKS. DIRECTLY ABOVE THE ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, I COULD SEE LEAKAGE COMING FROM THE GASOLINE RETURN LINE. THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF FAILURE OF THE LINE WHICH ALLOWED GASOLINE TO SPRAY INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP IDENTIFIED ON THIS FORM. THEY HAVE THE PART AS I ASKED THEM TO TRY AND DETERMINE WHY THE LINE FAILED. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT. I STILL CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THE CAR DIDN'T CATCH ON FIRE! ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS FAILURE, YOU CAN CONTACT ME AT MY STATED PHONE NUMBERS. AS AN ASIDE, THE CAR HAD JUST RECEIVED (ONE MONTH EARLIER) AN ENGINE TUNE UP

THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION HAS TWO MAJOR PROBLEMS, ONE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO BACKFIRE EACH TIME THE CAR IS DRIVEN AT APPROIXMATELY 35 MILLES PER HOUR. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS; EVERY TIME THE THE VEHICLE IS STARTED THERE IS A POPPING SOUND FROM THE FUEL TANK AREA. OR EACH TIME YOU STOP YOU TEMPORARLY THRE FUEL TANK WILL POP. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT NO REPAIRS ARE AVAILABLE CONCERNING THE ENGINE BACKFIRING, OR INTHE CASE OF THE FUEL TANK POPPING THE MECHANICS INFORMED ME THAT GM HAS CHANGED THE TYPE OF METAL /MATERIAL THAT USED TO MAKE FUEL TANKS SINCE 1996 BECAUSE OF THE FUEL TANK POPPING. BUYERS GUIDE , 1998, ADDRESSED TH BACKFIRING PROBLEM BUT, GM HAS NEVER SENT A NOTICE TO ME TO INFORM ME OF THE CORRECTIVE ACTION THAT IS PREFORMED BY THE DEALERS OR GM. I AM CONCERED OF A POSSIBLE EXHAUST PROBLEM OR THE FUEL TANK MIGHT RUPUTER PLEASE ADVISE ME IF THERE IS AN ONGOING FIX THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN INFORMED ABOUT. THANK YOU. P.L. KING.