1997 Buick Lesabre

ENGINE STALLED AND THEN STARTED "USING" ANTIFREEZE AND OVERHEATED. THE UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLDS WERE CRACKED AND THE LOCAL GM DEALER COULDN'T DIAGNOSE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REFERRED TO RECALL#97-C-02 GM (NHTSA #96V116000), AND WENT RIGHT TO THE PROBLEM. GM DENIES A DEFECT OR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEMS. SEE COMPLAINT #758801, THIS IS ADDRESSED IN THE RECALL AND PERSONAL INJURY WARNING GIVEN TO GM MECHANICS. PUBLIC NOT WARNED OR REIMBURSED. *JB

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WARPED RESULTING IN A COOLANT LEAK, ALSO RESULTING IN A REPAIR COSTING $655.00. THE CONSUMER STATES THAT GM WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT NOR OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER ELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROMOTION OF THE PETITION AND IS SIGNEE #570, BASED UPON THE FAILURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IN THIS VEHICLE, AS WELL AS THE HIGH INCIDENCE OF FAILURE REPORTED BY OTHER GM CONSUMERS. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE FAILURE, THERE APPEARS TO BE A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD WHICH MAY IMPACT THE GENERAL POPULATION. THE CONSUMER ATTACHED A COPY OF THE WARRANTY AND OWNERS ASSISTANCE MANUAL WHICH STATES THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS GUARANTEED 7 YEARS OR 70K MILES IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DUE TO THE EMISSIONS STANDARDS IN THAT STATE. THE CONSUMER ADDS THAT; TO HIS BELIEF THAT BY THE VIRTUE OF THIS STATEMENT, THAT GM HAS DEFINED THE PROJECTED LIFE OF THIS VEHICLE PART REGARDLESS OF THE STATE OF RESIDENCE. (NHTSA# 96V116000) *SCC

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IT BACKFIRED AND BROKE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD INTO SEVERAL PIECES. I FOUND A RECALL INDICATING WHAT HAD HAPPENED DUE TO THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. I GAVE THIS INFO TO THE DEALER AT GAMBACORTA BUICK AT 427 W. SEVENTH ST. NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE 19720 TEL. NO 302 323 3026. THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS A FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR LEAK CAUSING THE INTAKE TO CRACK. I HAVE PHOTOS SHOWING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BROKEN IN TWO END TO END ABOUT AN INCH WIDE. THIS SEEMS TO BE MORE THAN A CRACK. WHEN THIS HAPPENED IT WAS AN EXPLOSION. IT WAS VERY LOUD INSIDE THE CAR.*AK REFERENCED IN EA02-030

DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY MADE OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL CAN DEGRADE AND ALLOW COOLANT TO ENTER THE CYLINDERS TO CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. THE REPAIR IS REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPOSITE INTAKE MANIFOLD WITH A METAL ONE, IMPLYING A DEFECT IN THE ORIGINAL DESIGN. THE REPAIR COSTS OVER $900, AND INVOLVES THE VIN K- RPO L36 ENGINE USED IN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF BUICKS, PONTIACS, CHEVROLETS AND OLDSMOBILES FROM 1995 TO 1998. I BELIEVE A RECALL IS WARRANTED FOR THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. PLEASE NOTE: THE DEALER LISTED IS NOT THE ORIGINAL SELLER OF MY VEHICLE, BUT THEY PERFORMED THE RECOMMENDED REPAIRS AS SPECIFIED IN GM TSB #01-06-01-007A PROMPTLY AND TO MY SATISFACTION.