2003 Buick Park Avenue Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK PARK AVENUE. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND NOTICED OIL DRIPPING DOWN ON THE SPARK PLUGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 06/02/17*LJ UPDATED 06/27/18*JB

FRONT CENTER MOTOR MOUNT FAILED @ 66KMILES.

New tires installed on vehicle 12/10/24. Passenger rear tire blew out at 65mph on interstate on 12/16/24. Car was able to be controlled, some damage to vehicle. Could have resulted in severe injury and/or death.

ABNORMAL WEAR PATTERN, LOW MILEAGE, NEW TIRE < 8 MONTHS SERVICE, ALIGNMENT CHECK / GOOD, TIE RODS, BALL JOINTS, SHOCKS LIKE NEW. TIRE CORD/ BELTS BARE EXPOSED ON OUTSIDE EDGE OF TIRE 1/3 OF CIRCUMFERENCE. WORN SMOOTH, NO CUPPING. POSSIBLE RUBBER COMPOUND ISSUE. ONLY ABNORMAL WEAR FOUND ON 1/3 OF TIRE ROTATION. TIRE MANUFACTURE PIRELLI, NEAR ZERO M/S P235/55ZR 17, DOT NS EK F661 5014 ESTIMATED <10,000 MILES PICTURES AVAILABLE

IN SAN DIEGO UNION PAPER DATED 10/28/2015, THERE IS A RECALL ON GM CARS HAVING THE 3.8 LITER ENGINE. IT INVOLVES VEHICLES HAVING THIS ENGINE. THE PROBLEM IS INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKING OIL. THIS WAS FOUND BY THE SMOG STATION. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB

2003 PARK AVENUE S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING-LETTER FROM REGARDING BUICK PROBLEMS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW MUFFLER AT A COST OF $500.00. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. ALSO, THE VIEW SCREEN FOR THE TEMPERATURE/AIR DIRECTION WAS BARELY READABLE. *JB UPDATED 10/22/10*JB

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. SUDDENLY LIGHTS STARTED GOING OFF ON MY DASHBOARD INDICATING THAT MY ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, AND SATIABILITY CONTROL WERE OUT. NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP ON THE HIGHWAY OR CONTACT SOMEONE TO GIVE ME A LIFT HOME I PROCEEDED TO THE NEAREST BUICK DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. DURING THE JOURNEY THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF, BUT THINKING IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM I STILL HEADED TOWARDS THE DEALERSHIP. THE CAR WAS LOOKED AT BY A SERVICE TECH. I WAS TOLD MY BRAKE MODULE COMPUTOR WAS OUT AND I NEEDED A REPLACEMENT. THE COST WAS ROUGHLY $1200, KNOWING I COULDN'T AFFORD IT, I ASKED IF THEIR WAS A SAFELY RECALL. THEIR WAS NOT. I ASKED IF THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE HOME, THE MAN SAID HE DIDN'T SEE WHY NOT. THINKING THIS MEANT MY BRAKES WERE FINE AND NOTING THAT THE LIGHTS WERE NOW OFF, I LEFT AND DROVE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR LESS TOWARDS HOME, I WAS ROUGHLY 9 MILES AWAY FROM MY HOME WHEN I REALIZED I WAS VEERING INTO THE OTHER LANE INTO ANOTHER CAR ON MY RIGHT. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND ATTEMPTED TO STEER MY CAR OUT OF THE WAY, BUT BOTH OF OUR MIRRORS HIT, MY CAR THEN PROCEEDED TO SPIN OUT ON CONTROL COUNTERCLOCKWISE. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT AND NO REPORTABLE DAMAGE WAS DONE. BUT IT WAS STILL VERY UNPLEASANT AND COULD'VE BEEN A LOT WORSE. I KNEW I COULDN'T DRIVE IT BACK 65 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP SO I HAD IT SERVICED AT A LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP IN MY HOME TOWN. I ASKED HIM WHY I SPUN OUT WHEN DOING THE EMERGENCY MANEUVER. HE TOLD ME AS WELL AS THE COMPUTER POWERING THE TRACTION CONTROL, ABS, AND STABILITY CONTROL, IT WAS NEEDED TO OPERATE THE POWER DISK BRAKES. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS COULD'VE BEEN VERY MUCH PREVENTABLE IF THE DEALERSHIP HAD INSTRUCTED ME NOT TO DRIVE HOME.

MY 2003 BUICK PARK AVENUE WITH LESS THAN 6000 MILES ON IT HAS HAD BRAKE FAILURE TWICE. BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURED AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 10 MPH. BOTH INCIDENTS INVOLVED TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE WITH THE PEDAL GOING CLEAR TO THE FLOOR AND NO STOPPING ACTION AT ALL. THE FIRST INCIDENT IN AUGUST 2003 RESULTED IN A CRASH IN WHICH THERE WAS NO FIRE AND NO INJURIES. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT REPORTED TODAY DID NOT RESULT IN A CRASH BUT COULD HAVE EASILY HAD I NOT THROWN THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK. DEALER REPORTS HE "CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM", AND DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO FIX. ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE BETWEEN ME AND THE DEALER AS I FEEL THE CAR IS DEFINITELY UNSAFE AS IS, AND IF THERE IS "NOTHING TO FIX", THEN OBVIOUSLY THE CAR WILL REMAIN UNSAFE AND COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR FATALITIES NOT ONLY TO MYSELF BUT TO OTHERS. I STRONGLY URGE NHTSA GET INVOLVED BEFORE ANY LIVES OR LOST OR SERIOUS INJURIES OCCUR.

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. SUDDENLY LIGHTS STARTED GOING OFF ON MY DASHBOARD INDICATING THAT MY ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, AND SATIABILITY CONTROL WERE OUT. NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP ON THE HIGHWAY OR CONTACT SOMEONE TO GIVE ME A LIFT HOME I PROCEEDED TO THE NEAREST BUICK DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. DURING THE JOURNEY THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF, BUT THINKING IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM I STILL HEADED TOWARDS THE DEALERSHIP. THE CAR WAS LOOKED AT BY A SERVICE TECH. I WAS TOLD MY BRAKE MODULE COMPUTOR WAS OUT AND I NEEDED A REPLACEMENT. THE COST WAS ROUGHLY $1200, KNOWING I COULDN'T AFFORD IT, I ASKED IF THEIR WAS A SAFELY RECALL. THEIR WAS NOT. I ASKED IF THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE HOME, THE MAN SAID HE DIDN'T SEE WHY NOT. THINKING THIS MEANT MY BRAKES WERE FINE AND NOTING THAT THE LIGHTS WERE NOW OFF, I LEFT AND DROVE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR LESS TOWARDS HOME, I WAS ROUGHLY 9 MILES AWAY FROM MY HOME WHEN I REALIZED I WAS VEERING INTO THE OTHER LANE INTO ANOTHER CAR ON MY RIGHT. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND ATTEMPTED TO STEER MY CAR OUT OF THE WAY, BUT BOTH OF OUR MIRRORS HIT, MY CAR THEN PROCEEDED TO SPIN OUT ON CONTROL COUNTERCLOCKWISE. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT AND NO REPORTABLE DAMAGE WAS DONE. BUT IT WAS STILL VERY UNPLEASANT AND COULD'VE BEEN A LOT WORSE. I KNEW I COULDN'T DRIVE IT BACK 65 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP SO I HAD IT SERVICED AT A LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP IN MY HOME TOWN. I ASKED HIM WHY I SPUN OUT WHEN DOING THE EMERGENCY MANEUVER. HE TOLD ME AS WELL AS THE COMPUTER POWERING THE TRACTION CONTROL, ABS, AND STABILITY CONTROL, IT WAS NEEDED TO OPERATE THE POWER DISK BRAKES. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS COULD'VE BEEN VERY MUCH PREVENTABLE IF THE DEALERSHIP HAD INSTRUCTED ME NOT TO DRIVE HOME.

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE STABILITY SYSTEM LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THIS INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED BY KELLY'S WIFE ALICE JOHNSON. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THERE WAS A WIND-LIKE NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. AS THE VEHICLE SPEED INCREASED, THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER. THERE WAS ALSO A TIGHTNESS IN THE STEERING WHEN TURNING TO EITHER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE HUB ASSEMBLY WAS OUT OF BALANCE. BOTH HUB ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED.

MY 2003 PARK AVENUE ULTRA HAS A VIBRATION AT 65 - 70 MPH THAT SEEMS TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO DIAGNOSIS AND FIX; BUICK DEALER CAN NOT FIX. *NM

TOOK CAR IN FOR ALLIGNMENT AND WAS INFORMED THAT FRONT OUTER TIE ROD ENDS WHICH ARE SUPPOSED TO BE LIFETIME LUBRICATED HAD FAILED. HAD NOTICED SOME SMALL PROBLEMS WITH STEERING WHICH IS WHY I TOOK IT TO DEALER. LEARNED THAT THEY HAVE HAD OTHER CARS WITH SAME PROBLEM. A STEERING DEFECT IS SERIOUS TO ME AND I BELIEVE SOMEONE SHOULD LOOK IN TO THIS AND SEE HOW MANY CARS LIKE MINE MAY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT UNLESS YOU TAKE IT IN FOR AN ALLIGNMENT.

AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND DRIVING IT OFF THE LOT, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A VIBRATION WHILE DRIVING. THE VIBRATION FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS LOOSE OR BROKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE PROBLEM SIX TIMES. *AK DEALER STATED VEHICLE COULDN'T BE REPAIRED AND AGREED TO REPURCHASE THE VEHICLE FROM THE CONSUMER. *PH *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER DOES NOT ALWAYS DEFROST THE ENTIRE WINDOW. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE REAR WINDOW AND DEFROSTER UNIT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 3/9/2006 - *NM

MY SISTER WAS THE PREVIOUS OWNER. THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY. THIS HAS OCCURRED WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH DOWN A CITY STREET. FORTUNATELY, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PULL OVER OR THE MIRACULOUSLY THE VEHICLE RE-STARTED QUICKLY. THESE SYMPTOMS ARE IDENTICAL TO THE SYMPTOMS OF THE OTHER GM RECALLED VEHICLES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK PARK AVENUE. THE POWER LOCK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR MALFUNCTIONS. THE LOCK IS MOUNTED IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND HAS BECOME LOOSE, WHICH CAUSES THE SWITCH TO FLOAT AROUND IN THE DOOR. HE HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD NOT REPLACE THE SWITCH OR REPAIR IT FOR FREE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 25,864. UPDATED 03-04-08 *BF

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK PARK AVENUE. THE CHROME ON THE RIMS IS PEELING OFF ALL FOUR TIRES WHICH HAS ALSO CAUSED THE TIRES TO LOSE AIR CONTINUOUSLY. THE TIRES AND RIMS WERE REPLACED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK PARK AVENUE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 84,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK PARK AVENUE. THE CONTACT IS EXPERIENCING FAILURE WITH THE RETRACTOR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT LAP BELTS. THE SEAT BELT MUST BE ISOLATED IN ORDER TO BE RELEASED. THE RETRACTOR WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY IN AUGUST OF 2006, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS MECHANICAL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT COULD BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE COST FOR THE REPAIR WOULD BE $296. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.