1996 Buick Lesabre Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK LESABRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR A TUNE-UP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKETS, UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND THE OIL PAN GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, HE HEARD A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE, THE ENGINE DROPPED, AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE AND BUSHING WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 140,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATELY FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

HAD TO REMOVE DOME LIGHT BULBS BEAUSE IT DOESNT TURN OFF, THE LIGHTS ON THE REAR ST TIMES AND I'V JUST BOUGHT A SECOND BATTERY 3 DAYS AGO BECAUSE THE LIGHTING PROBLEM CAUES THEM TO BURN OUT. SOMETIMES THE LIGHTS WILL FADE OUT. MST TIME IT DOESNT AND I CAN'T TURN THEM OFF MANUALLY EITHER. JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE BRAKE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND MADE A CONSTANT BEEPING NOISE. THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE AND HAD AAA TOW IT TO THE DEALER. SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER IN SEPTEMBER OF 2008 AND NOW SHE NEEDS NEW BRAKES. WITHIN TWO HOURS, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $400. SHE WAS VERY SKEPTICAL OF THE REPAIRS AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CLOGGED. THE REPAIR WOULD COST $500. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000. 4/01/09 *NJ UPDATED 04/09/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK LESABRE. ONE YEAR AGO, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND ON THE VEHICLE WHILE LEAVING THE DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AND STRUCK ANOTHER ONE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS SPLIT IN HALF DUE TO CORROSION. THE CONTACT REMOVED THE LINES AND INSTALLED NEW ONES. RECENTLY, THE BRAKES FAILED TO FUNCTION AGAIN. THE DRIVER STRUCK THE CURB AT 10 MPH IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT BRAKE LINE WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT MADE THE REPAIRS HIMSELF. HE HAS NOT YET NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.

WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP ON A CITY STREET BEHIND A CITY BUS WHICH WAS LOADING PASSENGERS WITH NO COLLISION OR CONTACT, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THE AIRBAG CAUSED BURNS TO THE PASSENGER'S HAND AND BOTH KNEES. IT ALSO CAUSED DEEP CONTUSIONS ON THE LEFT KNEE, CAUSING DIFFICULTIES WITH WALKING.

WHILE WAITING IN A PARKING LOT LANE FOR A PARKING SPACE TO OPEN, THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED. I WAS NOT LEANING FORWARD, BUT I WAS LOOKING SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT. THE BAG JUST HIT ME ON THE RIGHT SIDE FOREHEAD AND COVERED ME IN POWDER. I COULD NOT HEAR OUT OF MY RIGHT EAR, AND STILL CANNOT TODAY. *TR

THERE ARE TWO RECALLS ON YOUR SITE RELATED TO MY VEHICLE. TWO DEALERS TELL ME THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON MY CAR. EVEN THOUGH THERE IS ONE CAMPAIGN STICKER LOCATED UNDER THE HOOD. I HAVE A BUICK LASABRE 1996 IT BACK FIRES WHEN STARTING. CAN YOU CHECK AND SEE IF THE TWO YOU LIST ARE ASSSOCEATED WITH MY VEHICLE. *JB

WHILE CAR WAS PARKED BUT RUNNING, CONTACT NOTICED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING ONTO THE DRIVEWAY. THERE WERE CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME. THE VEHICLE HAS SINCE BEEN REPAIRED. THE FUEL LINE, FUEL PUMP AND FUEL SENDER WERE REPLACED. *AK

VEHICLE COMMENCED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP POSITION WHILE THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. VEHICLE TOOK OFF FROM 0-45 MPH. CONSUMER RODE THE BRAKES, AND DOWN SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION TO GAIN CONTROL. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING OH HIGHWAY VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE COMING OFF AN EXIT RAMP THE RPMS WENT UP. BUT AS CONSUMER REAPPLIED GAS PEDAL, VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO. NO PRIOR WARNING. NO INDICATION OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND DIDN'T WANT TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE .TOOK THE CAR TO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AND REGISTERED A COMPLAINT. *AK

THE SUBFRAME RUSTED AND DROPED OUT OF THE CAR, CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE STEERING AND SENDING IT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC . *TT

1. WHILE DRIVING A BUICK LESABRE ON DRY, SMOOTH, HARD-SURFACE ROAD... IN AN INSTANT... 2. ALL STEERING CONTROL WAS LOST. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP WITH BRAKES. NO DEATH, NO INJURY, NO ADDITIONAL DAMAGE 3. THE ENGINE CRADLE BOLTS WERE FOUND BROKEN... THIS ALLOWED THE STEERING MECHANISM TO BECOME DISCONNECTED.... THE BOLTS WERE REPLACED, THE MECHANISM WAS CONNECTED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE 4. I CONTACTED THE PEOPLE AT BUICK 25 MAY.... AFTER FOUR DAYS OF DELAYS, THEY INFORMED ME OF THEIR DISINTEREST IN THIS CRITICAL FAILURE, REGARDLESS OF IT'S CERTAINTY TO RESULT IN FATALITIES.... PLEASE DISSEMINATE AN IMMEDIATE ALERT/RECALL/NOTICE/OTHER FYI..... YOUR FORM IS ENTITLED 'COMPLAINT'..... UNDERSTAND THIS IS AN OBJECTIVE, FACTUAL REPORT, NOT A COMPLAINT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING BACK HOME FROM A FRIENDS HOUSE AND HAD THE CAR PARKED IN MY DRIVE WAY AND IT WAS LEFT RUNNING AND IT WAS IN PARK THEN I WENT OUT TO LEAVE AND THE CAR WAS RUNNING FOR ABOUT 3 MIN SITTING THERE AND I PUT IT INTO REVERSE AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE NO MATTER WHAT SO I TRIED ALL THE GEARS IT WOULDN'T WORK SO I SHUT OFF THE CAR LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 5 MIN AND STARTED IT UP THEN PUT IT INTO REVERSE AGAIN AND IT DID THEN I DROVE ABOUT 50-100 FT AND IT FELT LIKE IT WAS SLIPPING AND THEN JUST THE OTHER DAY I WENT OUT TO START IT AND IT WAS STILL IN PARK AND IT SOUNDS LIKE A POWERSTEERING PUMP WITH NO FLUID AND IT SOUNDS LIKE A BIG NEST OF BEES AND I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVEL AND THE FLUID WAS BURNT AND THERE WAS DEBRIS IN THE FLUID SO THE CAR DON'T WORK. SO MY FAMILY HAD TO GO BUY A NEW CAR WHEN WE ARE BROKE AND NOW I HAVE NO WAY TO GET TO WORK. THERE WAS NOTHING DONE TO RESOLVE THE FAILURE YET IM GOING TO GO BUY A NEW TRANSMISSION. *TR

I HAD A PREVIOUS TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON THIS CAR IN 1996, AFTER ABOUT 12,000 MILES. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. CURRENT FAILURE OCCURED AS I WAS STARTING TO GO UP A STEEP GRADE. CAR SHUDDERED, AND ENGINE REVED WITHOUT ANY INCREASE IN SPEED. THERE WAS LOSS OF DRIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN ENGINE AND WHEELS. I DOWNSHIFTED TO LOWER GEAR MANUALLY, AND MANAGED TO KEEP CAR MOVING FORWARD. AFTER REACHING TOP OF GRADE, I RESUMED DRIVING IN HIGH GEAR. AS I WOULD START ON SLIGHT UPGRADES, OR TRY TO ACCELERATE SPEED, ENGINE WOULD REV TEMPORARILY WITHOUT ACCELERATION OF CAR. AFTER STOPPING ON SIDE OF ROAD TO CHECK TRANSMISSION FLUID, I RESUMED TRANVEL. PROBLEM SEEMED TO RESOLVE ITSELF, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS SOME "HUNTING" OF THE TRANSMISSION AS IT UPSHIFTED GEARS. WHEN I RETURNED TO HOME AREA, I TOOK CAR INTO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED, PLANETARY GEAR HAS BROKEN OFF AND "GROUND UP" TRANSMISSION. NEED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. THIS IS SECOND FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION ON THIS VEHICLE,

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH OR ABOVE ENTIRE VEHICLE VIBRATES, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

VEHICLE DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT CONTINUALLY EVEN AFTER ALIGNMENT WORK COMPLETED.

THE GENERAL (TPCSPEC10T2MS) TIRES TREAD SEPARATION FROM THE SIDEWALL. *MJS

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH AND VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE/ IT WAS HARD TO CONTROL VEHICLE. RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. FIRESTONE # P205/P0R15/70R15 CONSUMER NOTIFIED FIRESTONE. *AK BEFORE THE TIRE WAS SEPARATED COMPLETELY, PIECE OF CHROME TRIM WAS RIPPED OFF. DOOR HANDLE ON FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WAS DAMAGED TOO. *YH

THE GROMMETS AND/OR WASHERS THAT HOLD UP THE ENGINE FRAME CRADLE RUSTED OUT AND ALLOWED THIS PART TO DROP THROUGH THE RETAINING BOLTS, ONCE THIS HAPPENED THERE WAS A TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING. HAD I BEEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE OR 60 MPH ON A STATE HIGHWAY THIS WOULD HAVE TURNED INTO A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I WAS SITTING AT A STOPLIGHT AND THE MOMENT I ACCELERATED I HEARD A VERY LOUD METALLIC THUD/SOUND, WHICH I ASSUME WAS THE CRADLE DROPPING DOWN. I'M AMAZED THAT THIS ALL HAPPENED WITH ZERO WARNING THAT THEY WERE ANY ISSUES WITH THE STEERING. THERE WAS NEVER ANY INDICATION THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, MEANING NO LOOSENESS, NO VIBRATION, NO SENSORY CHANGES IN HOW THE STEERING FELT BUT ALL IN A MATTER OF 2 SECONDS, A LOUD NOISE AND THEN I COULDN'T STEER OR GUIDE THE CAR. I HIT THE BRAKES BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO TURN RIGHT AND THE CAR WAS MOVING LEFT SO I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I LIVE IN THE MIDWEST AND I BELIEVE THAT THE CORROSION WAS ADVANCED DUE TO ALL THE SALT THAT IS PLACED ON THE ROADS TO MELT THE ICE/SNOW DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. I'M WRITING THIS IN HOPE THAT OTHERS WILL BE NOTIFIED AND POSSIBLY HAVE THE CONDITION OF THEIR CRADLES CHECKED OUT TO AVOID LOSING THEIR STEERING. *TR

WHEN PARKING BOLTS SHREDDED OFF THE FRONT RACK AND PINION. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WINDSHIELD HAS CRACKED THREE TIMES UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, AND HAS BEEN REPLACED ON EACH OCCASION. *AK

ELECTRIC WINDOW FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING COURTESY LIGHTS INSIDE VEHICLE WILL FLICKER ON AND OFF, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HAVE VISUAL PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

WHEN TAKING IT OUT OF ANY GEAR ,ALL 3 DOORS WILL UNLOCK EXCEPT FOR FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. ,IT MUST BE MANUALLY UNLOCKED BEFORE PASSENGER CAN GET OUT. *AK

HAD TO REMOVE DOME LIGHT BULBS BEAUSE IT DOESNT TURN OFF, THE LIGHTS ON THE REAR ST TIMES AND I'V JUST BOUGHT A SECOND BATTERY 3 DAYS AGO BECAUSE THE LIGHTING PROBLEM CAUES THEM TO BURN OUT. SOMETIMES THE LIGHTS WILL FADE OUT. MST TIME IT DOESNT AND I CAN'T TURN THEM OFF MANUALLY EITHER. JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COURTESY LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE AT ANY TIME EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO EXHIBIT A CHIMING NOISE, CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

DRIVER WENT TO CHANGE TIRE BY USING JACK THAT CAME EQUIPPED WITH VEHICLE WHEN IT FOLDED OVER WHILE SUPPORTING VEHICLE, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJUIRES. *AK

WHEN CHECKING THE TIRE PRESSURE NOTICED WHEELS WERE RIPPED AROUND THE RIM, BIG CRACKS. *AK

HEAD RESTS ARE DESIGNED TO LOW FOR PROTECTION.

AFTER ADJUSTING, HEAD REST DOESN'T PROVIDE NECK PROTECTION. OWNER HAS CONTACTED GM MOBILITY GROUP. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

AIR CONDITIONER FAILED CAUSING LEAK.

AIR CONDITIONER EVAPORATOR FAILED.