1997 Buick Park Avenue Fuel system Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL SENDING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

NHTSA ID

10575200

Incident

Oct 9, 2013

Mileage

110,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE. THE CONTACT STATED BEFORE ENTERING HIS VEHICLE HE NOTICED THERE WAS A PUDDLE UNDERNEATH HIS VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE SPILL HE NOTICED THAT IT WAS COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER NOR HAD IT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 155,000. UPDATED 03/23/12*LJ UPDATED 03/30/12

NHTSA ID

10447927

Incident

Feb 13, 2012

Mileage

155,000 mi

STARTED TO HAVE STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE INSIDE OF CAR WHEN ENGINE WAS RUNNING. I CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS GASOLINE LEAKING FROM MOTOR WHEN I HAD THE ENGINE TURNED OFF WITHOUT ANY LUCK. HAD TO KEEP WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN BECAUSE ODOR WAS SO STRONG FROM THE GASOLINE FUMES. THIS ALL HAPPENED ONE WEEK BEFORE I WAS ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL FOR RESPIRATORY ISSUES. ON JUNE 4TH WAS ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL WITH RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS FOR THREE DAYS IN THE TELEMETRY UNIT FOR RESPIRATORY DISTRESS. ON JUNE 10, 2011, I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HE DISCOVERED A PIN HOLE LEAK IN THE PLASTIC FUEL RAIL ON THIS CAR. MY MECHANIC SAID THIS IS A HIGH PRESSURE FUEL RAIL AND GM MADE THIS OUT OF PLASTIC THAT FAILED. HE SAID THE CAR IS CAN NOT BE DRIVEN THAT WAY IT IS AND THAT THE PART NEED TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS NOT AVAILABLE PER THE GM DEALERS. HE ALSO TOLD ME THIS PART MAY BE UNDER A RECALL NOTICE AND THAT I SHOULD CHECK IT OUT. HE SAID IT WAS A WONDER THE CAR HAD NOT CAUGHT ON FIRE SINCE THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS COVERED IN GASOLINE FROM THE LEAK FROM THE FUEL RAIL. I CONTACTED A BUICK DEALERSHIP CALLED GRAND AUTO, INC. IN THORNTON, CO AND TALKED WITH THE PARTS DEPARTMENT AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I TALKED WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT MANAGER NAMED BRIAN VAUGHN AND HE AND THE PARTS DEPARTMENT SAID THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THIS PART AND THEY REFUSED TO EVEN LISTEN TO ME CONCERNING THE ISSUE. I LOOKED ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE AND FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS SAME PART THAT I HAVE. THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER RECALLS ON THIS YEAR AND MODEL CAR BUT GM NEVER NOTIFIED THE OWNERS ABOUT THE RECALLS UNTIL THEY HAD CLASS ACTION LAW SUITS AGAINST THEM. I NOW RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS ISSUES BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART.

NHTSA ID

10406702

Incident

May 26, 2011

Mileage

118,402 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10406126

Incident

Jun 2, 2011

Mileage

119,000 mi

LEAKING GAS TANK THAT WAS MADE OF PLASTIC THAT WAS MADE FOR THIS SPECIFIC 1997 BUICK PARK AVE. ONLY... *TR

NHTSA ID

10356011

Incident

Sep 16, 2010

Mileage

150,000 mi

DT: THE CONTACT S SMELLED GAS AND IT PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE. A FEW DAYS LATER SHE NOTICED A WET SPOT ON THE GROUND. SHE HAD A HARD TIME STARTING THE VEHICLE, BUT IT DID START. SHE DROVE THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED A BIGGER SPOT ON THE GROUND. SHE THEN CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ,AND TOLD THEM OF THE PROBLEM. THEY SUGGESTED TOWING THE VEHICLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND ALL OF THE FUEL LINES WERE CORRODED. THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THIS WAS COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THE NORTHEAST. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED; THE FUEL LINES ARE BEING REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10141266

Incident

Oct 24, 2005

DT: CONTACT STATES IN HOT WEATHER 75 DEGREES OR ABOVE AND WITHIN ONE MILE THE CAR WILL DIE. CAN WAIT IT 10-15 MINUTES AND THE CAR WILL RESTART. HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR THE LAST 3 SUMMERS. IT USUALLY HAPPENED IN SLOW TRAFFIC, BUT CONSUMER DID NOT GET OUT ON THE INTERSTATE VERY MUCH; BUT WAS CONCERNED THAT IF HE DID. THE CAR WOULD DIE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THEY SUGGESTED THAT IT MAY BE THE FUEL PUMP OR THE SENSOR IN THE CRANK CASE. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT SOMETIMES CAM EON. . THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON IT. HE HAS NOT TALKED TO THE MANUFACTURER. *AK *TT

NHTSA ID

10129104

Incident

Jul 18, 2005

Mileage

28,501 mi

FAILURE OF GAS GAUGE. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10018683

Incident

May 3, 2003

Mileage

49,300 mi

INSURED TRIED TO CRANK THE VEHICLE WHEN IMMEDIATELY IT POPPED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. INSURED HAD NOTICED THE SMELL OF GAS, BUT REPAIR SHOP COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE. CHECK FOR POSSIBLE LOSS WITH THE FUEL INJECTIONS, CLAIM 24-5198-330. *JG

NHTSA ID

6900845

Incident

Nov 18, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING, AND CHIMMING. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD STOPPED AND RAISE THE HOOD. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH. STOPPED THE ENGINE SAW THAT IT WAS NOT OVERHEATED. ATTEMPTED TO START. IT WOULDN'T. WRECKER TOOTO BRIAN HARRIS DEALER. DEALER REPACED BOTH INTAKE MANIFOLDS BECAUSE THEY WERE PITTED AND ALLOWED COOLANT TO ENTER INTO CYLINDERS AND LOCK THE ENGINE. DEALER SAID BOTH MANIFOLDS HAD TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

751819

Incident

Sep 2, 2001

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN A TIRE BLEWOUT, VEHICLE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL INTO A DITCH AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE, CAUSING INJURIES TO FIVE PEOPLE, FIRESTONE AFFINITY, P215/60R15, CLAIM 32-V322-572. *SLC

NHTSA ID

6900300

Incident

Sep 3, 2000

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR MISADJUSTED. NLM

NHTSA ID

549153

SWAY BAR LINK MISSING. FUEL GAUGE REPLACED, STRONG FUMES WHEN FULL. WEATHERSTRIPPING ON DOOR REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

609701

Incident

Oct 1, 1998

SHOULDER BELTS ROLL AND JAM IN RETRACTOR OPENING IF LEAN FORWARD, OR AS RETRACTING. FUEL EXPELLED FROM FILLER WHEN FUELING - REPEATEDLY, EVEN AT SLOW PUMP SPEEDS IF USE AUTO SHUTOFF - SEVERAL DIFFERENT STATIONS/PUMPS. MUST SLOWLY NURSE FUEL BY HAND TO AVOID - APPROX 1 CUP FUEL SPLASHES OVER VEHICLE, ONTO GROUND OR OPERATOR.

NHTSA ID

709709

Incident

Jul 2, 1999

WHEN FILLING GAS TANK AND REACHES FULL CAPACITY, IT KICKS OFF THE AUTOMATIC NOZZLE AND GASOLINE WILL SPILL ONTO VEHICLE AND GROUND. IN ADDITION, WINDSHIELD HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A VISUAL DEFECT IN THE DRIVER'S AREA. THE REPLACEMENT WINDHSHIELD CAUSES A DOUBLE IMAGE AND IS VERY DISTRACTING. *AK

NHTSA ID

523853

DEALERSHIP SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE FUEL GAUGE, BUT WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE READS EMPTY THERE'S REALLY 8 OR 9 GALLONS IN THE TANK. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

815853

Incident

Apr 1, 1997

GAS EXPULSION AFTER FILLING TANK.

NHTSA ID

514690

Incident

Feb 4, 1997