1997 Buick Park Avenue

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS OR WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IDLE, THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. THE STRONG ODOR CAUSED HER TO BE HOSPITALIZED FOR RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE FUEL RAIL WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE APPROXIMATELY WAS 119,000.

AFTER 20 MILES OF SMOOTH DRIVING WITH NO INDICATION OF ANYTHING GOING WRONG AND WHILE PULLING INTO THE PARKING LOT OF MY OFFICE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I ALWAYS IMMEDIATELY SHUTOFF MY VEHICLE ANY TIME SUCH THING HAPPENS TO PREVENT ANY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, I PROCEEDED TO WALK INTO THE PARTS STORE NEXT TO MY OFFICE TO GET POWER STEERING FLUID DUE TO THE LOW FLUID LEVEL I HAD, HOWEVER WHEN I TRIED TO TURN OVER THE MOTOR THE MOTOR WOULD NOT TURN. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS "HYDROLOCKED" AND THAT THERE IS A COOLANT PASSAGE WHICH IS COMMONLY KNOWN TO LEAK INTO CYLINDER 6 AND LOCKING THE MOTOR REQUIRING THE INTAKE AND GASKETS TO BE REPLACED. THIS HAPPENED LESS THAN 30DAYS AFTER MY VEHICLE PASSED INSPECTION AT A DEALERSHIP. ALSO NOTING THAT THE DEALER WAS TOLD I WAS LOSING ABOUT A GALLON OF COOLANT WEEKLY. A COOLANT ELBOW WAS REPAIRED, THEN TWO DAYS LATER IS WHEN THE MOTOR LOCKED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE SHE HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE, THEN SHE NOTICED SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE INFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 129,000.

1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE WITH A DEFECTIVE ENGINE. DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER OF A MANUFACTURER DEFECT WHICH IS ANTI FREEZE LEAKING ONTO THE OIL CHAMBER CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND CAUSE A FIRE. *KB THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE WATER PUMP LEAKED, WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT LEAKED ONTO THE FAN BELT WHICH CAUSED IT TO BREAK. (CONSUMER WROTE IN ON BEHALF OF HIS AUNT; OWNER OF THE VEHICLE) *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN ACCELERATING WITHOUT DRIVER INTENT. HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKES AND THERE WAS A SLIGHT DECREASE IN SPEED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT ALSO HEARD AN UNUSUALLY LOUD POPPING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE INTO A GRASSY FIELD TO AVOID A CRASH; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE AT 90 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AFTER THE CRASH OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. A STATE TROOPER WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 155,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE. AFTER HAVING NEW TIRES PLACED ON THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DROVE AWAY AND FOUND THAT THE STEERING WHEEL FELT UNEVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS ABOUT TO FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRAME THAT HOLDS THE ENGINE WAS RUSTED OUT. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE FRAME AND THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY OPERATES NORMALLY. THE CONTACT READ IN CONSUMER REPORT THAT THERE WERE RECALLS FOR THE FRAME ON OTHER BUICK MODELS, BUT NOT FOR THE PARK AVENUE. HE FEELS THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,530 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,669.

IN 10 DEGREE WEATHER IN THE MIDWEST, STARTED THE 1997 PARK AVENUE ULTRA TO WARM UP. PUT THE REAR DEFROST ON, ON MY WAY TO WORK ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER HE INITIAL START OF THE VEHICLE, I BEGAN TO SMELL SOMETHING RELATING TO BURNING ELECTRICAL OR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THE MODULE IN THE DRIVERS SIDE "C" PILLAR NEXT TO THE REAR WINDOW APPEARED TO BE MELTING/BURNING. I REMOVED THE MODULE AND FOUND THE POWER CONNECTOR TO THE MODULE HAD COMPLETELY MELTED AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. DUE TO MY EXPERIENCE IN ELECTRONICS AND VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS I WAS ABLE TO REPAIR THE MODULE AND REPLACE THE BURNED CONNECTORS WITH ANOTHER TYPE OF CONNECTOR. I WOULD RECOMMEND ANYONE THAT OWNS A GM WITH THIS MODULE, CHECK CONNECTIONS AND PUT ELECTRIC SAFE DIELECTRIC GREASE ON THE CONNECTIONS TO AVOID ARCING AND POSSIBLE FIRE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ANTILOCK BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. CURRENTLY, THE ANTILOCK BRAKES WILL ENGAGE DURING BRAKING. OCCASIONALLY, THEY ENGAGE BY THEMSELVES. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARS A GRINDING SOUND WHEN SHE IS NOT BRAKING. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY FAILURES AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,800.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL ENGAGE WHEN THEY ARE NOT NEEDED. AS A RESULT, THE BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASES. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V064000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,004 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000. UPDATE 10/01/08 *CW THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL ENGAGED FOR NO REASON. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. UPDATED 10/03/08.*JB