1996 Buick Regal

GM'S LETTER TO NHTSA DATED DECEMBER 11, 2003, EXPANDS ITS ORIGINAL RECALL (NHTSA 02V286) TO INCLUDE CERTAIN W-BODY VEHICLES: 96-97 OLDS CUTLASS SUPREME; 98 OLDS INTRIGUE; 97-98 OLDS CUTLASS; 97-98 CHEVY LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND MALIBU; 96 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX; AND 96-98 BUICK REGAL.THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES RECALLED IS 750,283.GM DETERMINED THAT FAILURE OF THE RACK AND PINION IS RELATED TO DAMAGE OF THE LOWER PINION BEARING AND THE LEVEL OF THE PINION BEARING PRE-LOAD SPRING FORCE.GM STATES, HIGHER RACK PRE-LOAD SPRING FORCE (133 LB.) IS THE DESIGN CHARACTERISTIC MOST CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER BEARING DAMAGE RATES IN MOST OF THE VEHICLE APPLICATIONS THAT USED THE GENERAL BEARING COMPANY (GBC) BEARING.ALL OF THE VEHICLES COVERED IN THE EXPANDED RECALL HAVE THE 133 LB SPRING FORCE.THE 96 LUMINA/MONTE CARLO AND 97-98 CENTURY W-BODY VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THIS INVESTIGATION UTILIZE A LOWER SPRING FORCE AND ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.

GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED VEHICLES.THUS, ODI WILL FURTHER EXAMINE THE W-CARS (1996-1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME, 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL, CHEVROLET LUMINA, CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO, 1997-1998 BUICK CENTURY, AND 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE) UNDER A NEW INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA)03-019.

EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

ON JULY 17, 2019 AT 8:40AM, I GOT INTO MY CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY. I TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE AIRBAG EXPLODED. (THE CAR WAS NOT STARTED.) THE AIRBAG SOUNDED LIKE A SHOTGUN BEING FIRED AND A POWDER LIKE SUBSTANCE IMMEDIATELY FILLED THE CAR. THE AIRBAG ITSELF HIT ME IN THE ABDOMINAL AREA. I FOUND THE DOOR HANDLE, OPENED THE DOOR, AND ROLLED OUT OF THE CAR ONTO THE GROUND. AT THIS TIME, I YELLED FOR MY SON. MY SON PICKED ME UP OFF THE GROUND AND CALLED AN AMBULANCE DUE TO ME BEING IN A SEVERE AMOUNT OF PAIN AND IN SHOCK. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE AND OBSERVED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. I HAD SEVERAL FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS THAT CONTINUE TO THIS DAY. INSURANCE CAME TO LOOK AT CAR, FILLED OUT PAPERWORK, AND SAID THEY WERE GOING TO TOTAL THE VEHICLE. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN MOVED SINCE THIS INCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

11265621

Incident

Jul 17, 2019

Mileage

102,931 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND ABS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT FACILITY FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND FAILURE CODES: C1265 (REAR ABS MOTOR CIRCUIT SHORTED TO GROUND) AND C1286 (EBCM/EBTCM FAILED TO ILLUMINATE THE RED BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR) WERE LOCATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (DON BROWN CHEVROLET, 2244 S KINGS HIGHWAY BLVD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63110, (314) 282-7887) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CODES INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A REAR MOTOR SHORT TO THE GROUND AND THE ELECTRIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE ACTIVATED THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS. FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WOULD BE PERFORMED BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11088823

Incident

Apr 2, 2018

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR DOES NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE DOOR DOES NOT WORK WITH KEY EITHER. LOCK SEEMS TO WORKING BUT DOOR DOES NOT OPEN. THE CAR ONLY HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND SHOULD BE A RECALL.

NHTSA ID

10824631

Incident

Feb 5, 2016

Mileage

60,000 mi

WHILE MERGING ONTO THE FREEWAY, I WAS TAKING MY CAR TO BE SMOGGED. AT SPEED, I NOTICED A LITTLE WHITE PUFF OF SMOKE EMIT FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE BAY. AS I PROCEEDED TO START MOVING TO THE SHOULDER, THIS PUFF HAD TURNED INTO A GRAY PLUME. AS I FINALLY REACHED THE SHOULDER, THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE ENGINE BAY WAS BILLOWING BLACK SMOKE. AS I TRIED TO STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, SO IT SEEMED THE FIRE HAD BURNT THROUGH A BRAKE LINE. I MANAGED TO ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SLOWLY AND MANAGED TO STOP ON THE SHOULDER. OPENING THE HOOD, I FOUND A SMALL FIRE BURNING AT THE REAR OF THE ENGINE, BUT IN FRONT OF THE FIREWALL. I HAD NOTHING WITH ME, SO I CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND IT WAS EXTINGUISHED. HOWEVER, BY THE TIME THEY GOT THERE, THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS TOTALED BEYOND EXTENSIVE REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

10786585

Incident

Oct 15, 2015

Mileage

195,000 mi

MY CAR STARTED TO NOT START AFTER BEING DRIVEN AND SHORTLY AFTER DID NOT WANT TO START IN A SIMPLE IDLE. SOMEHOW FUEL HAS BEEN GETTING TRAPPED IN A PRESSURIZED LINE AND I'M HAVING TO RELEASE THE FUEL OUT. OIL LEAKED INTO THE SPARK PLUGS CAUSED A PILOT FLAME. I HAVE READ MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS OF THIS HAPPENING TO THAT SPECIFIC MAKE AND YEAR AS WELL A FEW OF THE OTHER 90 MODELS. EVERY ACCOUNT SAYS IT IS A FLAW IN THE ENGINE AND FUEL SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10703743

Incident

Mar 3, 2015

Mileage

238,256 mi

1996 BUICK REGAL. CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THE BALL BEARING WENT THROUGH THE GEAR BOX WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL, ON THE STEERING. HOWEVER, HE WAS INFORMED HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10660661

Incident

Feb 2, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ERRONEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,035.

NHTSA ID

10463618

Incident

Jun 29, 2012

Mileage

55,035 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, WEN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY WITHOUT IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED ABRASIONS TO THE LEFT FOREARM. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN WITH CAUTION TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 182,000. UPDATED 10/20/10 *BF UPDATED 10/26/10*JB

NHTSA ID

10344035

Incident

Jul 17, 2010

Mileage

182,000 mi

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to Unlock Delco Radio with Theftlock.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.  E version update is to add administrative details.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco Theft Lock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.