Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Buick Park Avenue submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 98 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 98, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 128,000. *TR
LOSS OF COOLANT INTERNALLY TO COMBUSTION/COMPRESSION CHAMBERS, HYDRO LOCKED ENGINE, THICK SMOKE FROM ENGINE EXHAUST, COOLANT MIXING INTO OIL, UNSTABLE TEMPERATURE REQUIRING VEHICLE STOPPAGE TO AVOID OVERHEATING/FIRE, CAR WILL NOT RUN. INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE AND HEAD GASKET DAMAGE. *TR
1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS MADE TO VEHICLE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE BEGAN LEAKING OIL ON JULY 3, 2006. THE DEALER REMOVED AND REPLACED THE INTAKE GASKET. ON JULY 9, 2009 THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THERMOSTAT WERE REPLACED AT A COST OF $ 395.91. TWO MONTHS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM RESURFACED. *JB
CAR OVERHEATED, ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH,I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND COASTED TO A STOP OFF OF THE ROADWAY, ENGINE LOCKED UP. HAD IT TOWED TO BUICK SHOP, WAS TOLD THAT COOLANT HAD GOTTEN INTO THE ENGINE. NEEDED TO REPLACE UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLDS AND GASKETS, VALVE COVER GASKETS, SPARK PLUGS AND CHANGE ENGINE OIL AND FILTER. FLUSH COOLING SYSTEM. RESET TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND TEST CAR. COST ABOUT $1800. 81000 MILES ON THE CAR. *TR
1. ENGINE STALLED - SKIPPED, MISSED. LOSS OF ANTIFREEZE. FINALLY COMPLETELY DIED AND HAD TO BE TOWED. 2. OCCURRED TWICE 3. REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY TWICE IN LESS THAN 1 YEAR. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE. WHENEVER THE CONTACT WOULD START THE VEHICLE, HHE NOTICED THAT IT WOULD TURN ON FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND THEN IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, HE HEARD A LOUD POP COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLDS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2008, WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH , THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GAIN SPEED. THE CONTACT NOTICED SPARKS COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FLAMES BEGAN TO APPEAR UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 10/30/2008. *LJ
THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET CRACKED LIKE IT DOES ON ALL OF THE 3.8 LITRE ENGINES G.M. NEEDS TO COVER THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR WHEN THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS FOR SOME TIME. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE, RUN HOT, AND MAKE SOUNDS AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS GULPING WATER. THE MOTOR LOCKED UP. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, IT WOULD NOT RESTART. A MECHANIC EXPLAINED THAT THE MOTOR LOCKED UP BECAUSE COOLANT WAS ENTERING INTO THE MOTOR. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED TWICE IN THREE YEARS. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. HE PAID FOR THE REPAIRS ON BOTH OCCASIONS. THE PURCHASE DATE, POWERTRAIN, AND MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. UPDATED 03-25-08 *BF THE DEALER STATED PERFORMED FUEL RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE. UPDATED 03/25/08 *TR
GREETINGS, I PROCURED A CAR FROM THE TWIN CITY BUICK DEALERSHIP ON 3046 AIRPORT HIGHWAY [ALCOA TN 37701] TO PURCHASE A NICE USED CAR FOR MY SON. THE SALESMAN, WAS NICE ENOUGH TO SHOW ME / STEER ME IN THE DIRECTION OF A 1998 BUICK PARK AVE WITH 30K ORIGINAL MILES. WE RAN A BACKGROUND CHECK ON THE MILES AND CAR HISTORY REPORT AND WITH A HANDSHAKE CALLED THE DEAL DONE. MY SON USED THE CAR FOR ONE YEAR AND PUT ABOUT 10K MILES ON THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS GETTING A LITTLE WARMER THAN NORMAL. THE CAR WAS CHECKED OUT AT CLIFTON BUICK DEALERSHIP IN ROCKWOOD TENNESSEE MY SON WAS AT SUMMER CAMP IN ROCKWOOD TENNESSEE AS A BOY SCOUT LEADER FOR THE LAST TWO SUMMERS AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PLENUM GASKET DEVICE WAS DEFECTIVE. IN ADDITION, ANTI-FREEZE WAS DISCOVERED LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE AS WELL. THE BILL TO GET BEN'S CAR BACK ON THE ROAD WAS IN $568.06 ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND I HAD TO GO BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS A FAULTY SENSOR DISCOVERED AND MOST LIKELY ATTRIBUTED TO THE ANTI-FREEZE LEAKING THROUGH THE TAILPIPE AS WAS SUGGESTED BY THE DEALER. THIS COST WAS $315.66. FINALLY, ABOUT A WEEK GOES BY AND NOW THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. AGAIN WE ARE AT THE DEALER AND DISCOVERED IT WAS NOT THE ANTI-FREEZE BUT DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE FROM THE PLENUM ISSUE. THE COST TO TROUBLE-SHOOT THE CAR WAS $82.60. ADDITIONAL DETAIL PROVIDED BY THE DEALER IS $3,360.00 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A USED ENGINE THAT HAS 68K MILES AND 1 YEAR WARRANTY OR $4,453.00 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A REBUILT ONE THAT HAS A 3 YEAR 100K MILE WARRANTY. THE DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDED THE REBUILT ONE. *JB UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
4/12/2007. 1998 BUICK PARK AVE. AIR FLOW SENSOR FAILED. *MC *JB
SUPERCHARGER TENSIONOR PULLEY/BEARING ASSEMBLY AND BELT HAS BROKE FOR THE THIRD TIME AT MILEAGES OF 82457, 93720, 139,000. *NM
ON MAY 6, 2006 WE WERE COMING BACK TO SPARTANBURG, SC FROM THE BEACH. WE WERE ABOUT 7 MILES FROM KINGSREE, SC. AFTER LEAVING A SERVICE STATION, WE STARTED GETTING "CHECK ENGINE" MESSAGES. WE WENT BACK TO THE SERVICE STATION TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. WE HAD NO COOLANT. I PUT A GALLON OF COOLANT IN AND DECIDED TO GO INTO KINGSTREE, SC IN CASE THERE WAS MORE TROUBLE. JUST AS WE GOT TO KINGSTREE, SC WE STOPPED AT ANOTHER STATION AFTER GETTING MORE "CHECK ENGINE" MESSAGES. AGAIN, WE WERE OUT OF COOLANT AND NOW THE CAR WOULD NOT START. A WRECKER TOWED IT TO A GARAGE. THE MECHANIC SAID HE WAS FAIRLY CERTAIN OF WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS BECAUSE BUICK HAD BEEN HAVING LOTS OF TROUBLE WITH A PARTICULAR PART. HE THEN CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS THE UPPER INTAKE. HE REPLACED THE UPPER INTAKE PART WITH A REVISED PART FROM BUICK AND ASSURED US WE WOULD NOT HAVE ANY MORE TROUBLE WITH THE COOLANT. THIS COST $571.48 AND A 6 HOUR DELAY. THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SERIOUS IF WE HAD NOT BEEN NEAR A SERVICE STATION. BUICK REFUSES TO PAY OR ACKNOWLEDGE THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE OVERHEATED SEVERAL TIMES AND CONTINUOUSLY REQUIRED ADDITIONAL COOLANT FLUID. THIS WAS ALWAYS PRECEDED BY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATING. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, THEY DETERMINED THERE WAS A PINHOLE SIZED LEAK IN THE MANIFOLD. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS ABLE TO REPAIR THE LEAK.*AK
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED IN MAY 2003 THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO START AT TIMES. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE PLENUM ON THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. TWO WEEKS AGO ON 2-4-06 THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING 65-70 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND DRIVEN HOME. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 2-6-06 WHERE THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE PLENUM ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AGAIN. COOLANT HAD SEEPED INTO THE ENGINE RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE TWO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST PROBLEM INVOLVED COOLANT LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE. THE NEXT MORNING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE STARTED. UPON INSPECTION THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS FILLED WITH WATER AND THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED. THE SECOND PROBLEM OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING ACROSS A PATCH OF ICE AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE TRACTION STABILITY AND ABS FAILED. THE V TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE FRONT END STARTED TO SLIDE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED,THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS RESET THEMSELVES AND WERE WORKING PROPERLY.*AK UPDATED 3/3/2006 - *NM
I PURCHASED 1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE, FROM SANDERSON LINCOLN-MERCURY DEALERSHIP, GLENDALE, AZ 85301, ON FEBRUARY 24, 2005. SUBSEQUENTLY, I EXPERIENCED A MECHANICAL BREAK-DOWN ON APRIL 30, 2005. HENCE, I HAVE DISCERNED THAT THERE WERE TWO RECALLS ISSUED ON FEBRUARY 24, 2004, CAMPAIGN NUMBER 04V0900000 AND CAMPAIGN NUMBER 00V17000 ON APRIL 18, 2000. I AM WRITING BECAUSE I HAVE EXPERIENCED BOTH DEFECTS. THE FORMER CAMPAIGN CAUSED ME TO EXPEND $900. FOR REPAIRS FOR A CRACKED MANIFOLD AND THE LATTER WAS RECENTLY EXPERIENCE WHEN THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER COULD NOT ATTACH THE SAFETY SEAT BELT BECAUSE IT HAD JAMMED. PLEASE ADVISE AS TO WHAT MY RECOURSES SHOULD BE? POWER BUICK, SCOTTSDALE, AZ, NEVER ADVISE ME OF A RECALL THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE AUTO'S BREAKDOWN...BUT DID CHARGE ME $887.44 FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. *NM
1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE HAD THE WATER PUMP , FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR, OIL PRESSURE SWITCH, LEFT DOOR LOCK CONTROL BEZEL, TENSIONER PULLEY AND BEARING REPLACED.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***.*MR THE GAS GAUGE NEEDLE JUMPED PAST THE FULL MARK THEN ALL THE WAY BACK AROUND TO EMPTY. THE PLASTIC UPPER INTAKE PLENUM WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT HAD WARPED FROM THE HEAT AND STARTED TO LEAK. *NM
MY 1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE WOULDN'T START BECAUSE OF A LINE THAT LEAKED ANTI-FREEZE INTO THE CYLINDERS OF THE ENGINE. AFTER I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANINC AND TALKING WITH A PARTS FOREMAN AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP I FOUND OUT THAT THIS WAS QUITE COMMON. IF IT IS COMMON WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL AND WHY AREN'T THE BEING FIXED FREE OF COST TO US OWNERS?
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE. THE CONTACT STATES THAT THE COOLANT SPILLED INTO THE ENGINE AND VEHICLE OVERHEATED , CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP, AND THEY STATED THAT THE ENGINE SUCKED UP ALL THE COOLANT. APPARENTLY IT WAS SUCKED IN TO THE ENGINE FROM THE EGR PORT HOLE BECAUSE IT HAD BECOME DEGRADED. ALSO NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID 00V117000 WAS ISSUED IN 2000. IT STATED THAT PASSENGER VEHICLES, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE FRONT SEAT SHOULDER BELTS THAT MAY TWIST, ALLOWING THE WEBBING TO BECOME JAMMED IN THE RETRACTOR. THIS IS THE PROBLEM THAT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HAVING, BUT MANUFACTURER INSISTED THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.*AK
1. LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT WITH NO APPARENT EXTERNAL LEAKAGE 2. DIFFICULTY STARTING AND THEN FAILURE TO START ENGINE 3. CORRODED PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ALLOWS ENGINE COOLANT INTO ENGINE DESTROYING ENGINE. *AK
VEHICLE IS A 1998 BUICK PARK AVE. THE PLASTIC IDLER PULLEY AND ASSEMBLY FAILED AND THE SURPENTINE BELT NO LONGER TURNED SO THE POWER STEERING WAS LOST (AND MAYBE POWER BRAKES ALSO). THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON I 45 IN HOUSTON AND EXITING OVER A CLOVERLEAF ONTO BELTWAY 8. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO USE MY MUSCLE TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE AND THE PULLEY ASSEMBLY AND BELT WAS REPLACED.*AK
I AM SUBMITTING THIS FOR MY FATHER-IN-LAW WHO IS 85 YEARS OLD. THERE IS A DEFECT IN GM 3800 ENGINES (VIN K-RPO L36) AT LEAST FROM 1995 TO 2003. GM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS DEFECT WHICH MAY HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR CAUSING CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENTS. MY FATHER-IN-LAW WAS PASSING ANOTHER CAR AT ABOUT 70 MPH ON A TWO LANE COUNTRY ROAD WHEN THE ENGINE IN HIS 1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE LOCKED-UP. THE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE WAS SEVERE ENOUGH TO REQUIRE THAT THE ENGINE BE REPLACED. THE LOCAL BUICK DEALER STATED THAT GM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES (IN FACT, IT'S RATHER WELL KNOWN AMONG AUTO MECHANICS), BUT HAS A POLICY OF NOT ASSISTING WITH REPAIRS AND HAS NOT RECALLED THE ENGINES. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT IN THIS CASE, HOWEVER, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT TO OCCUR ANYTIME AN ENGINE LOCKS UP AT SPEED. I FEEL THAT THESE ENGINES SHOULD BE RECALLED AND MODIFIED/REPAIRED AT GM'S EXPENSE (THERE IS AN AFTER-MARKET KIT AVAILABLE WHICH IS AN INDICATOR OF THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM). THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE ENGINES CAN DEVELOP A LEAK NEAR OR UNDER THE THROTTLE BODY AREA OF THE UPPER (PLASTIC) INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE EGR PASSAGE MELTS THE UPPER INTAKE PLENUM WHICH RESULTS IN AN EXTERNAL (IF YOU ARE LUCKY) OR AN INTERNAL WATER LEAK. IF THE LEAK IS INTERNAL, THE ENGINE CAN ALMOST INSTANTLY LOCK-UP CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND POTENTIALLY CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENT. MY FATHER-IN-LAW'S CONNECTING RODS WERE BENT. *AK
THE CONSUMER STATED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD DISINTEGRATED. AS A RESULT ANTI- FREEZE LEAKED INTO THE MANIFOLD AND STARTED TO BURN. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
I NOTICED COOLANT IN RESERVOIR WAS DISAPPEARING WITH NO VISIBLE EXTERIOR LEAKING. I FILLED IT AND WATCHED IT CAREFULLY OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS. WITHIN 20 MILES I HAD USED 2 QUARTS OF COOLANT AND THEN MY SES LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY CAR TO THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC CHECKED IT OUT AND DETERMINED THAT NO. 6 CYLINDER WAS TAKING IN COOLANT. AFTER REMOVING THE INTAKE PLENIM HE FOUND A HOLE BURNED THROUGH THE COOLANT JACKET BY THE EGR VALVE. HOPEFULLY, MY ENGINE IS O.K. BUT SEEMS TO HAVE LOST SOME MILEAGE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECTIVE PART AND I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED. MY TOTAL BILL CAME TO ONLY $382.00 INCLUDING THE NEW PLENIM AND GASKET. (LABOR IN TOWN IS A BARGAIN). I HAVE THE OLD PART AND WILL PROVIDE IT IF REQUESTED.*AK
ANTI-FREEZE LEAK THROUGH THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD PAST THE EGR VALVE AND THROTTLE BODY, ENGINE RAN HOT, HYDROSTATIC ENGINE LOCK. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED, UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REPLACED, SPARK PLUGS, AND THERMOSTAT. OTAL COST $685.75. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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