1999 Buick Lesabre Engine Problems

MY CAR IS A 1999 BUICK LA SABRE WITH A 3.8L ENGINE. JULY/20/2012 MY CAR HAD 80,000 MILES ON IT WHEN MY ENGINE STARTED TO MISS. WHEN I GOT IT LOOKED AT BY MY FRIEND I WAS TOLD THERE WAS COOLANT IN THE CYLINDERS. THE ENGINE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE INTAKE PLENUM LEAKING COOLANT, BECAUSE OF THE EGR SYSTEM. HE THEN FIXED THE CAR. ON NOVEMBER 20, 2014 MY ENGINE HAD 138,000 MILES WHEN IT OVERHEATED ON THE HIGHWAY. I FOUND NO COOLANT IN THE RESERVOIR WITH COOLANT IN THE OIL. WHEN MY FRIEND LOOKED AT MY CAR HE SAID IT WAS THE PLENUM AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME THE COOLANT IN THE OIL MAY HAVE WIPED THE MAIN BEARINGS. THE OVERHEATING MAY HAVE ALSO WARPED THE CYLINDER HEADS. HE TOLD ME AT THE LEAST THERE WAS DAMAGE DONE TO THE BEARINGS. BEING UPSET I LOOKED ONLINE FOR INFORMATION TO FIND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON WITH THAT ENGINE. ALSO THAT GM DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. HAS GM FINALLY ADMITTED TO FAULTY MANUFACTURING? EVEN IF MY CAR IS FIXED I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT. IT MAY LEAVE ME ON THE ROAD IN WINTER SOMEDAY WITH MY YOUNG SON. OR WORSE, STALLING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP? I AM A SINGLE MOTHER GOING TO COLLEGE AND MONEY IS TIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10663342

Incident

Jul 20, 2012

Mileage

80,000 mi

TRAVELING ABOUT 65 - 70 MPH I NOTICED MY SPEEDOMETER WENT 'WACKY', MEANING IT WENT DOWN TO 0 - 20 MPH AND BACK UP AGAIN TO THE SPEED I WAS TRAVELING. NOTHING ELSE HAPPENED. THE NEXT TIME, MAYBE A WEEK TO A COUPLE WEEKS LATER IT DID I IT AGAIN, ONLY I HEARD THE DOORS UNLOCK AND IT HAD DIED. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO START IT RIGHT BACK UP. I CAN BE OUT ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN TOWN. I USUALLY PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL, START IT AND KEEP GOING. IT HAS HAPPENED AS MANY TIMES AS 3 TIMES A DAY, OR IT WON'T DIE FOR 3-4 DAYS. I DID HAVE ONE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH A SEMI-TRAILER TRUCK BEHIND ME ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE JUST DIED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10637715

Incident

Oct 1, 2013

Mileage

190,000 mi

IN APPROX 2010 MY BUICK LESABRE HAD ISSUES STARTING AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY STOP OPERATING DURING TRAVEL. ALL IGNITION FUNCTIONS WOULD CEASE TO WORK. TOWED TO BUICK DEALERSHIP TO RESOLVE AND REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH. THIS YEAR A SIMILAR ACTION HAPPENED WHERE THE CAR WOULD NOT START. AGAIN AT THE DEALERSHIP THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. IS THIS IGNITION SWITCH ISSUE INCLUDED IN THE GM RECALL? *TR

NHTSA ID

10618484

Incident

Jun 25, 2014

Mileage

164,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AND WHITE SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,000.

NHTSA ID

10585503

Incident

Apr 28, 2014

Mileage

114,000 mi

ANTIFREEZE LEAKING INTO ENGINE THROUGH INTAKE MANIFOLD PLENUM CAUSING EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT ENGINES AND OR PARTS. DANGEROUS IF ENGINE LOCKS UP WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10379255

Incident

Jan 10, 2011

Mileage

89,400 mi

CAR WAS GETTING HARDER TO START EACH TIME- RED LIGHT (OVERHEATING) CAME ON WHILE ON A TRIP- ADDED 4 + QTS OF WATER- DROVE 15 MILES- CAR WOULD NOT START--ADDED 3 + QTS OF WATER--TRIED SEVERAL THINGS TO TRY TO START--NOTICED OIL LEVEL WAS UP-- ASSUMED COOLANT WENT INTO ENGINE- REMOVED 3 FRONT SPARK PLUGS--COOLANT RAN OUT OF SPARK PLUG OPENINGS- CAR WAS TOWED 60 MILES- INTAKE MANIFOLD (WARPED), GASKETS, & THERMOSTAT WERE REPLACED- STARTER REPLACED DUE TO BROKEN HOUSING (FROM ATTEMPTING TO START WATER LOGGED ENGINE)- TOTAL EXPENSE APPROX $ 1,000

NHTSA ID

10368818

Incident

Nov 3, 2010

Mileage

94,735 mi

ENGINE SEIZED AND WOULDN'T START. FOUND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FULL OF ANTIFREEZE. CAUSED BY A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD. REPLACED MANIFOLD, CHANGED OIL AND ANTIFREEZE AND REPLACED CRACKED STARTER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10253595

Incident

Sep 15, 2008

Mileage

68,628 mi

THIS CONCERNS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD USED BY GM ON 1998, 1999, 2000, AND SOME 2001 BUICK LESABRE'S EQUIPPED WITH THE 3800 SERIES II V6 ENGINE. FOLLOWING THE FAILURE AND RESULTANT HYDRAULIC ENGINE LOCK OF A NEIGHBOR'S 1999 BUICK LESABRE WITH APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, I VISITED OUR LOCAL BUICK DEALER (LEE CHEVORLET/BUICK - WASHINGTON, NC) TO DISCUSS WHAT APPEARS FROM RESEARCH DONE VIA THE INTERNET TO BE A FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES SO EQUIPPED. IT SEEMS THAT A FAILURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON VEHICLES WITH ABOUT 80K MILES ON THEM, MY WIFE DRIVES SUCH A VEHICLE - A BUICK LESABRE LIMITED PURCHASED FROM LEE CHEVORLET, WASHINGTON, NC ON 2/24/99 IT CURRENTLY HAS 78,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE DEALERSHIP OWNER, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER FREELY REVEALED THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS AND CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES AND IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF A POORLY DESIGNED PART USED ON THEM. THEY ARE PRONE TO FAILURE AT ABOUT THE 80K MILE POINT WHICH RESULTS FROM AN INTERNAL (NOT APPARENT) FAILURE DUE TO MATERIALS DEGRADATION. THE RESULT IS VERY FREQUENTLY THE DISCHARGE OF ENGINE COOLANT INTO THE CYLINDER(S) RESULTING IN A HYDRAULIC LOCK UP WITH FREQUENTLY DISASTROUS RESULTS INVOLVING NOT ONLY AN ENGINE SEIZURE WHILE IN OPERATION BUT ALSO ASSOCIATED SIGNIFICANT ENGINE PARTS DAMAGE. THEIR RECOMMENDATION FOR A REMEDY TO HANDLE THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION IS TO HAVE THE INVOLVED PARTS (TOP AND BOTTOM INTAKE MANIFOLDS) REPLACED WITH "THE GM REPLACEMENT DESIGN RESULTING FROM THE PROBLEM. THESE VEHICLES ARE ALL +/- 10 YEARS OLD AND HAVE OUTLIVED THEIR ORIGINAL 3YR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY. THEY INDICATED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO PERHAPS GET GM TO PARTICIPATE IN A REMEDIATION OF THIS PROBLEM IS TO SPEAK WITH THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE GROUP WHICH I DID YESTERDAY. THEY DENY EXISTENCE OF THE PROBLEM AND WILL PROVIDE NO ASSISTANCE IN THE $800-900 REPAIR. FAILURE OF THIS PART IN OPERATION COULD BE FATAL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10246201

Incident

Oct 20, 2008

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE SHUTS OFF AND FAILS TO RESTART. HOWEVER, WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND THEN RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY. LATER THAT SAME DAY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART FOR APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR AND A HALF. WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND TOOK 15 MINUTES BEFORE IT RESTARTED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN ELECTRICAL MECHANIC SHOP, BUT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO FIRESTONE AND REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,439.

NHTSA ID

10225686

Incident

Oct 9, 2007

Mileage

55,000 mi

WIFE'S 1999 BUICK LESABRE WITH 90,000 MILES ON IT WAS BURNING ANTIFREEZE IN ENGINE. I WAS TOLD BY A CERTIFIED GM MECHANIC TO TRY TIGHTENING THROTTLE BODY MOUNTING NUTS BECAUSE BEING TOO LOOSE WAS A COMMON PROBLEM FROM THE FACTORY. DID THAT 6 MONTHS AGO AND IT SEEMED TO HELP EVEN THOUGH THE MANIFOLD THROTTLE BODY MOUNTING SURFACE WAS WARPED DUE TO THE ENGINE HEAT. OVER THE PAST MONTH THE CAR BECAME INCREASINGLY HARD TO START, BURNED LARGE AMOUNTS OF ANTIFREEZE, AND WOULD STALL INTERMITTENTLY. ON MARCH 13, 2008 I TOOK THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OFF THE ENGINE AND FOUND ANTIFREEZE IN THE INTAKE DUCT GOING TO THE AIR FILTER AND ANTIFREEZE POOLED IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THIS WAS CAUSED BY TWO SEPARATE DEFECTS, THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NOT SEALING PROPERLY TO THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD (WAS LEAKING IN TWO DIFFERENT SPOTS) AND THE LEAKING THROTTLE BODY TO INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET (WAS LEAKING COOLANT INTO THE INTAKE DUCT TO AIR FILTER), WHICH WAS CAUSED BY EXCESS HEAT FROM THE EGR PIPE WARPING THE UPPER MANIFOLD. ANOTHER SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS THE HEAT FROM THE EGR PIPE ERODED THE MANIFOLD TO A POINT THAT IT WOULD CAUSE LEAKING COOLANT TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THIS SEEMS TO ME TO BE A SAFETY CONCERN NOT ONLY FROM A STANDPOINT OF THE CAR STALLING AND BECOMING HARD TO STEER BUT I WORK IN THE OUTDOORS IN REMOTE LOCATIONS IN SUB ZERO WEATHER IN THE WINTER. I AM ALWAYS PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY THAT MY CAR WON'T START AND I WILL HAVE TO WALK MILES TO THE NEAREST PHONE BUT SOMEBODY ELSE MAY NOT BE PREPARED AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS DEFECT MIGHT BE DANGEROUS IF NOT FIXED. I REPLACED THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD AND GASKETS WITH AN AFTERMARKET ONE AND THE CAR IS FINE NOW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10221825

Incident

Mar 8, 2008

Mileage

85,000 mi

1999 BUICK LESABRE WITH STALLING PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL WHILE TURNING OR STOPPING. HE STATES THAT NO CODES SHOWED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TESTED. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED SEVERAL PARTS WERE REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE SUCH AS; THE FUEL PUMP, AND BATTERY BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10214991

Incident

Jul 1, 2006

1999 BUICK LESABRE WITH A AIR FLOW SENSOR MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED SPORADICALLY. THEN THE ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY. *KB

NHTSA ID

10205028

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

1998 BUICK LESABRE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE UPPER MANIFOLD PLENUM WHICH BUICK CHANGED TO PLASTIC OVERHEATED AND MELTED CAUSING A HOLE WHICH ALLOWED ANTIFREEZE TO COMBINE WITH THE OIL. *MC *JB

NHTSA ID

10196933

Incident

Jul 1, 2006

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MILES PER HOUR, THE CONTACT'S CHECK ENGINE AND OIL WARNING LIGHTS TURNED ON, AT WHICH POINT, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE CONTACT'S CURRENT MILEAGE IS 37,000 MILES. PER THE CONTACT THE NHTSA WEBSITE SITED THE INCIDENT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. PER THE MECHANIC, THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FLOODING THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL COMPONENTS WERE DAMAGED INCLUDING THE STARTER, SPARK PLUGS, AND A GASKET. THE CONTACT CALLED GENERAL MOTORS AND WAS TOLD THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED IN 2004. *NM

NHTSA ID

10178570

Incident

Dec 25, 2006

Mileage

38,000 mi

1998 LESABRE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *TS THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE STALLED, THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD AND DAMAGED PLENUM. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED, THE MECHANIC FORGOT TO RECONNECT THE ALTERNATOR. THE DEALER STATED ANOTHER REASON WHY THE VEHICLE STALLED ON ONE OF SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WAS BECAUSE A CRANKSHAFT SENSOR HAD FAILED, BUT WAS NOT RELATED TO THE PREVIOUS PROBLEMS, HOWEVER LATER THAT DAY THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN. THE SERPENTINE BELT FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE POWER STEERING. *JB

NHTSA ID

10151940

Incident

Sep 15, 2004

1999 BUICK LESABRE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED. *TS *JB

NHTSA ID

10148632

Incident

Dec 19, 2005

1999 BUICK LESABRE V6 3.8L ENGINE, 82,000 MI. HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING SOME SURGING, NO OTHER SYMPTOMS. 8/05 DROVE HOME, PARKED CAR, WENT OUT NEXT MORNING AND AUTO WOULD NOT START. TOWED TO DEALER SERVICE DEPT. WHO FOUND "WATER IN CYLINDERS". USED "STOP LEAK" AS TEMPORARY REPAIR. 11/05 ENGINE AGAIN LOCKED, UNABLE TO START. WATER IN CYLINDERS, WATER IN OIL. CONTACTED BUICK CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO SUGGESTED ENGINE REPLACEMENT OR PURCHASE OF NEW VEHICLE. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED ME OF "CLASS ACTION" SUIT DUE TO FAULTY MANIFOLD INTAKE AND OTHER ENGINE DEFECTS. HAVE CONTACTED ATTORNEY HANDLING THE SUIT. SUIT INVOLVES "K" SERIES 3.8L ENGINES, VARIOUS MODELS AND YEARS. FOR NOW, I NEED A NEW ENGINE. AS REALTOR AND MORTGAGE LENDER, I WORK THROUGH MY CAR! *NM

NHTSA ID

10147084

Incident

Aug 15, 2005

Mileage

80,000 mi

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL IT HESITATED. ALSO, REAR SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN. THE WINDOW ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WILL NOT GO ALL THE WAY UP AND IT WILL NOT SEAL. ALSO ,THE HEADLIGHTS CAME ON AND STAYED ON. THE DEALERSHIP REPROGRAMMED THE LIGHT AND IT CAME BACK ON. THE MANIFOLD INTAKE BLEW OUT, COSTING THE CONTACT $150 TO REPLACE THE INTAKE GASKETS. THE BRAKES WERE NOISY ALL THE TIME. WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN THE FLAP WILL RUB THE TIRE, AND IT CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT .*AK

NHTSA ID

10140633

Incident

May 15, 1999

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT. VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS REPLACED UNDER RECALL 03054 AND THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE WAS ALSO REPLACE BUT NEITHER OF THESE REPAIRS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. *BF *NM

NHTSA ID

10117747

Incident

Apr 11, 2005

Mileage

31,014 mi

THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE BLEW WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS SLOWING FOR A STOP LIGHT. *NM THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED A HARD START AND WAS MISSING. THE COIL PACK WAS REPLACED. THE INTAKE PLENTUM LEAKED WATER INTO THE CYLINDERS. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10095139

Incident

Apr 1, 2004

THERE IS A PART WHICH IS CALLED THE PLENUM. IT CAUSES A PROBLEM WITH THE GASKET, WHICH MESSED UP THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. TOOK TO THE DEALER, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED.

NHTSA ID

10089922

Incident

Aug 1, 2004

PROBLEMS WITH INTAKE MANIFOLD AND FUEL INTAKE.*MR THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BACKFIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE COMPUTER WAS SCANNED. THE COMPUTER INDICATED THAT COOLANT THERE WAS COOLANT IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *NM

NHTSA ID

10089166

Incident

Aug 1, 2004

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKENTO DEALER ON A RECALL AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.*AK

NHTSA ID

10087729

Incident

Aug 2, 2004

Mileage

98,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED OR RESOLVED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10087539

Incident

Aug 9, 2004

THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO INDICATED THAT TWO OF THE ENGINE CYLINDERS WERE DEAD. THIS OCCURRED DUE TO A FACTORY DEFECT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10082029

Incident

Jul 5, 2004

Mileage

64,343 mi