1995 Buick Skylark Electrical Problems

MY HORN STOPPED WORKING. THE PROBLEM WAS TRACED TO THE HORN SWITCH. MY MECHANIC COULD NOT REPLACE THE HORN SWITCH BECAUSE IT IS PART OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY, WHICH HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. I HAD TO HAVE A BYPASS SWITCH INSTALLED ON THE DASHBOARD, WHICH IS INCONVENIENT AND AWKWARD TO USE. IN MY OPINION, THE HORN IS A MORE IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE THAN THE AIR BAG. I AM 71 YEARS OLD AND HAVE NEVER SEEN AN AIR BAG DEPLOY, BUT MY HORN HAS PREVENTED ACCIDENTS MANY TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10650040

Incident

Jan 1, 2008

Mileage

90,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HORN FAILED, THE FUSE WAS INSPECTED AND HAD MELTED. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE HORN SWITCH STUCK CAUSING THE HORN TO SHORT OUT AND THE WIRING HARNESS TO MELT. THE HORN, HORN RELAY, AND WIRING HARNESS WERE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

10148440

Incident

Sep 27, 2005

Mileage

72,000 mi

IN AUG 2001 I HAD TO HAVE THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER ON THE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED DUE THE HEADLIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS BECOMING NON OPERATIVE. IN FEB 2002 I STARTED TO HAVE RANDOM OCCURENCES OF THE HEADLIGHTS BEING NONFUNCTIONAL WHILE THE SWITCH WAS BEING OPERATED, USUALLY AFTER TURNING THE SWITCH ON AND OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD OPERATE NORMALLY. IN JUNE 2003 THE LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNALS STARTED TO RANDOMLY NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. SOMETIMES THE SIGNAL WOULD NOT COME ON AT ALL WHEN ACTIVATED, OTHER TIMES THE SIGNAL WOULD STAY ON, EVEN THOUGH THE TURN WOULD BE COMPLETED. IN SEPT 2003 THE LEFT SIGNAL WILL NOT OPERATE NORMALLY, WHEN THE DRIVER ACTIVATES THE SIGNAL INDICTACTING A LEFT TURN, THE SIGNAL WILL ACTIVATE, BUT IT WILL NOT BLINK, THE LIGHT JUST COMES ON AND STAYS LIKE THAT. THE DRIVER HAS TO MANUALLY MOVE THE SWITCH IN THE ON AND OFF POSISTION IN A CONTINOUS MOTION TO USE THE SIGNAL. THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS OPERATE IN A NORMAL FASHION WHEN ACTIVATED. ALL THE LAMPS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY THE OWNER, AND THE WIRING HAS BEEN INSPECTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10045539

Incident

Nov 5, 2003

Mileage

90,000 mi

DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT MECHANISMS DO NOT LOCK WHEN DRIVER HAS TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP. DEALER STATED SEAT BELTS WORK, JUST NOT TO CONSUMERS WEIGHT.*AK. CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON THE SECOND OCCASION, AND THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN HER FROM HITTING THE WINDSHIELD, CONSUMER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES, CONSUMER REQUESTED THE BATTERY TO BE REPLACED, DUE TO IT BEING WEAK.

NHTSA ID

8009401

Incident

Jan 1, 2001

WOULD BE TRYING TO USE SIGNAL LEVER OR THE HORN AND NEITHER WOULD WORK PROPERLY. HORN WENT OUT FIRST, THEN SIGNAL LIGHTS. ITS AN ONGOING PROBLEM CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. HAVE NOT TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP.*AK CONSUMER ADDS WHEN FLASHERS ARE TURNED ON, THE SIGNALS START TO WORK. *TT

NHTSA ID

8007585

INTERMITTENTLY HORN WILL BLOW BY ITSELF, IT WILL CONTINUE TO BLOW UNTIL FUSE IS REMOVED. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE HORN AIRBAG COMBINATION. *AK *JG

NHTSA ID

898346

THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 YEARS, THE ROTORS HAVE ALSO BEEN REPLACED. NLM

NHTSA ID

785546

THREE MONTHS AFTER RECALL 00V287000 REPAIRS HAD BEEN PERFORMED IGNITION SWITCH FAILED TO TURN ENGINE OVER. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ID

891940

Incident

Jun 30, 2001

THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON SPORADICALLY, THE HORN BLOWS AT VARIOUS TIMES WHILE PARKED AND WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK SOMETIMES FAILS TO OPEN WITH THE KEY AND OFTEN FAILS TO OPERATE WITH THE OTHER DOORS. NOTHING SERIOUS HAS HAPPENED YET, HOWEVER, THE CAR HAS FRIGHTENED OTHER DRIVERS WHEN THE HORN BLEW STEADLILY FOR NO REASON. AT TIMES IT IS VERY DISTRACTING TO HAVE THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAY ON, BUT GO OFF THE NEXT TIME OR SECOND TIME THE CAR IS STARTED.

NHTSA ID

746570

Incident

Oct 29, 2000

HORN FAILED TO OPERATE ON A RANDOM BASIS FOR PAST MONTH. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF FAILURE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

889534

Incident

May 1, 2001

IGNITION WAS TURNED TO OFF POSITION, BUT CAR WAS STILL RUNNING.*AK

NHTSA ID

887799

Incident

Feb 9, 2001

THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HAVE RECALL 00V-287 PERFORMED, THE RECALL WORK DID NOT SOLVE THE VEHICLES PROBLEM AND THE DEALER CHARGED THE CONSUMER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM WITHOUT THE CONSUMERS CONSENT, THE CONSUMER FEELS THE DEALER WAS TRYING TO MAKE MONEY FROM THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. NLM

NHTSA ID

560501

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE THAT ORIGINATED ON DRIVER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE IN CAB. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ISSUE, AND A COPY OF THE REPORT MADE BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

883516

Incident

Sep 16, 2000

HORN WAS CONTINUALLY BLOWING. CONSUMER HAD TO DISCONNECT FUSE. *AK HORN HAD WORKED INTERMITTENTLY SINCE 6000 MILES AND FAILED AT 115000 MILES. *YH

NHTSA ID

881129

Incident

Sep 1, 1999

HORN BLOWS ON ITS OWN. MANUFACTURER INDICATED IT WOULD SPLIT COST OF REPAIRS. 1ST TIME NO PROBLEM WITH SOUND. 2ND TIME A PROBLEM WITH MODULAR.*AK

NHTSA ID

879704

Incident

Aug 9, 1999

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER 00V287000 CONCERNING ENGINE STARTER . CONTACTED DEALER, NO PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE UNTIL MARCH 2001. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

879405

CONSUMER SMELLED FUMES IN PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, AND NOTICED A FUEL INJECTION LEAK. ALSO, BATTERY WAS GETTING VERY HOT, AND BURNING SMELL APPEARED IN PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT; AND SPARKS WERE COMING FROM LEFT SIDE OF IGNITION SWITCH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

879064

RECALL 00V287000. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER RALPH BUICK, 2501 SOUTH FEDERAL HIGHWAY, DEL RAY BEACH, FL 33483, 561-278-3292; AND DEALER SAID NO PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE UNTIL FEBRUARY 2001. HOWEVER, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYED ON, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH ENGINE SYSTEM. VEHICLE KEPT STALLING WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. OCCUPANT WAS UNABLE TO JUMP START VEHICLE BECAUSE OF DEFECT WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED VEHICLE TO EXPLODE. BUICK WILL NOT PROVIDE A RENTAL CAR. *AK CONSUMER STATES RECALL WOULD NOT BE PERFORMED DUE TO MILEAGE ON VEHICLE. SIGNAL LIGHTS AND HORN ARE INOPERABLE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

877475

HORN SOUNDS WITHOUT BEING ACTIVATED,OCCURS WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN STOPPED WITH IGNITION OFF. DEALER HAS ADVISED THAT HORN ASSEMBLY IS PART OF THE DRIVER AIR BAG ASSY. I ALSO NOTICE WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE (SMELLS LIKE HOT ELECTRICAL WIRING). *AK

NHTSA ID

727805

Incident

Aug 9, 2000

INTERMITTENTLY HORN ASSEMBLY BECAME INOPERABLE. DEALER INFORMED OWNER THAT THE HORN ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT, THE ENTIRE UNIT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK THIS PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY FLAW IN DESIGN REPLACING THE AIR BAG SYSTEM DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE HORN CONTACTS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF IT. THE DRIVER THINKS A SIMPLE PROCEDURE TO CLEAN OR REPLACE THE CONTACT ACTIVATING THE HORN.

NHTSA ID

865508

THE HORN BLOWS CONTINUOUSLY WHILE THE IGNITION IS OFF BECAUSE DEFECTIVE HORN PAD IS SHORTING. YH

NHTSA ID

550887

Incident

Dec 1, 1999

THE HORN AND AIR BAG DEVICES ARE BUILT AS ONE UNIT ON THIS VEHICLE, THE HORN HAS GONE OUT AND CONSUMER HAS TO REPLACE BOTH UNITS TO RESTORE THE HORN UNIT. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THIS WOULD COST $950.00 TO REPLACE. *AK

NHTSA ID

855545

HORN BLOWS AND WILL NOT STOP BLOWING. CONSUMER HAD TO DISCONNECT FUSE. *AK

NHTSA ID

850411

Incident

Jul 1, 1999

POWER SEAT IS HAVING RECLINING FAILURE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

782514

HAD TO HAVE HORN FIXED TO PASS STATE INSPECTION. CAR MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO MAKE HORN PAD AND AIR BAG ON EPIECE ASSEMBLIES. *AK

NHTSA ID

831801