Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||||
| 010601007A | 07/01/2001 | 010601007 | 620835 | Experiencing excessive engine coolant consumption, or an engine coolant leak near or under the throttle body area of the upper intake manifold. *tt | 08/31/2001 |
| 010601007 | 09/01/2007 | 010601007C | 619176 | Engine coolant consumption or coolant leak (inspect for material degradation/replace intake manifolds) *tt updated 11/02/07 *nj | 05/17/2001 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 040601021 | 06/01/2004 | 10012148 | New rear main seal and special tool for installation. *tt | 02/15/2005 | |
| 010601008A | 05/01/2002 | 010601008 | 634813 | Some owners may comment on a repeat engine oil pan leak. *tt | 10/09/2002 |
| 010601008 | 02/01/2001 | 619177 | Some owners may comment on a repeat engine oil pan leak. *tt | 05/17/2001 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||||
| 990605005 | 10/01/1999 | 6088811 | Some vehicles may exhibit a popping type noise heard in the passenger compartment. *tt | 01/08/2000 | |
| 1000 | 04/01/1998 | 601768 | Information on harmonic type noise from vehicle at highway speed. *yc | 08/24/1998 | |
| 98876514 | 04/01/1998 | 601121 | Condition regarding the engine intermittently stalls during a closed throttle deceleration from about 35 mph. *yc | 07/01/1998 | |
| 971201776530 | 04/29/1998 | 600214 | Comments that the engine runs rough, has lack of power, has a knock noise, and/or the mil (malfunction indicator light) is illuminated. *yc | 04/29/1998 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||||
| 040601017 | 06/01/2004 | 10008471 | New upper intake manifold and gasket kits. *tt | 08/02/2004 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | ||||||
| PE02050 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 06/13/2002 | 10/22/2002 | ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES | ||
| Alleged engine compartment fire during startup.loud pops or backfires before the fire started | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 10/26/2011 | 65000 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 07/03/2006 | 3 | 04/20/2006 | |
| 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 | |||
| 10/01/2008 | 78000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 05/15/2007 | 120000 | 1 | 11/14/2006 |
| 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 | |||
| 03/29/2008 | 124 | 1 | 02/29/2008 |
| 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 | |||
| 05/06/2006 | 63368 | 1 | 09/28/1998 |
| 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 | |||
| 08/01/2005 | 1 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 09/01/2004 | 60000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 09/15/2003 | 60000 | ||
| The plastic upper intake manifold developed an internal crack, which leaked coolant into the combustion cylinders. the 3.8l v6 engine shut down and then hydrolocked. it was repaired by a certified buick dealer. the day the vehicle was returned, within 20 miles of driving, the rear main bearing seal failed. the dealer felt it was caused by the coolant mixing with the oil. after this repair, the engine ran approximately 2000 miles and spun a main bearing, due to the coolant/oil mixture. this has been reported to buick. they feel it is not their problem. | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 71930 | ||
| 3.8l engine seized in mid-drive on highway. towed and diagnosed by buick dealer as corroded manifolds from dex cool. replaced both manifolds. replaced all gaskets on pans etc. replaced fluids, oil and coolant, as well as plugs and cleaned all. | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 77000 | ||
| 3.8l engine intake manifold leaked, causing engine coolant to foul spark plugs disabling the vehicle. | |||
| 08/15/2002 | 93000 | ||
| After buying my '98 park avenue, i noticed that after washing it on a couple of occasions that the paint had began to chip. i took it to a couple of paint shops and everyone said that this car should not have paint peeling and it was a defect because they could see the factory primer. my engine died without any warning. the teperature gauge didn't show that it was overheated and no smoke or steam came from under the hood. right before the car stopped the dic showed : check coolant levels and even then it didn't beep as it should have. i have had a problem with my seat belts since purchasing this vehicle. they are continuously tangled and twisted when they cross the body. moreover, my owner's manual has an illustration that states that my seatbelt usage is incorrect. | |||
| 01/29/2004 | 75500 | 1 | |
| Failure of plastic upper intake manifold on 1998 buick park avenue causing coolant to leak into engine cylinders. the repair bill cost $990. i have not seen any other manufacturer besides general motors construct their intake manifolds out of plastic. the servicing dealership noted that they are replacing an average of 3 plastic intake manifolds each week due to plastic failure and antifreeze leaking into the engine cylinders. i think this needs to be investigated as this engine (3.8 liter) and plastic intake manifold have been and continue to be used in multiple gm vehicles from at least 1996 through the present. *jb | |||
| 12/22/2000 | 2 | 06/08/1998 | |
| Vehicle problems with start up/ vehicle fire in engine compartment. *mr the battery had gone dead overnight. (prior to the day of the incident, the battery appeared to be charged) the engine exploded as soon as the key was turned on. there was slippage in the transmission. the intake plentium, fuel rail, the ignition wires, 2 injectors, engine cover shield, oil filler cap, map sensor, pcv cover, and the battery all were replaced. *scc *jb | |||
| 01/25/2003 | 87711 | ||
| Consumer states that the intake manifold began leaking antifreeze in the vehicle's engine. dealer replaced and the problem occurred again. ph | |||
| 05/06/2001 | 87711 | 4 | 06/01/1998 |
| Intake manifold was leaking, resulting in a anti freeze leak over engine. dealer has been contacted. *ak intake manifold, water pump, front rotors/pads, serpentine belt, tensioner pulley and plugs were replaced. *tt *jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 03/12/2009 | 85150 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 06/15/2005 | 2 | 01/01/1999 | |
| 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 | |||
| 04/28/2001 | 90000 | 1 | 05/08/1998 |
| While driving about 65 mph warning light for coolant came on. consumer pulled off highway and stopped. car stalled and was towed to dealer. dealer found upper manifold plentium, which was made of plastic, had allowed antifreeze to flood engine. *nlm | |||
| 12/13/2002 | 51000 | 09/21/2002 | |
| Engine stalls and water in cylinders. water in cylinders was corrected with a new pletium. the engine stall problem was a known problem when the vehicle was purchased. i was assured that the problem would be corrected. to date it has not been corrected.i gave up on wilkens buick (on the 2nd return of vehicle) when they told me that i would not be given a rental but would have to pay for it myself. agian this was a known problem to them, they are the one's that made me aware of it. car stalls eveytime that you are coming to a stop and on occasion going down a hill and just letting up on gas pedal. this is a very heavy vehicle and at this point extremely dangerous to be on the highway, due to inability to properly control the steering when the engine dies.i currently have had the vehicle at 3 different repair facilities since 12/13/2002, and again to date the problem still presist. | |||
| 04/29/2002 | |||
| Motor coolant is leaking water into the engine.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 03/01/2008 | 133485 | 2 | 12/07/2001 |
| 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 | |||
| 12/28/2005 | 106934 | 2 | 03/15/2003 |
| 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 | |||
| 04/30/2005 | 68179 | 1 | 02/24/2005 |
| 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 | |||
| 07/15/2005 | |||
| 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? | |||
| 09/01/2004 | 60000 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 07/29/2004 | 1 | ||
| While driving at 40 mph consumer heard aloud noise coming from the engine and vehicle stalled. this caused the loss of steering, and the brakes. dealer has been notified. an independent shop determined that engine needed to be replaced. *ak | |||
| 07/14/2004 | 77327 | 1 | 12/10/2000 |
| The consumer stated that intake manifold failed, allowing coolant to get inside the engine. this cost $1200.00 to repair. the consumer called the manufacturer and spoke with a representative, who basically told him that they could not help. the consumer called the buick dealer and was told that this was a common problem and buick will not do anything about it. buick service department told consumer they kept a number of them because of this problem. *ak when the consumer attempted to start the engine, the starter housing broke. the mechanic found the engine full of coolant and traced the problem to an upper intake failure due to heat from the egr passage eroding away the plastic manifold causing coolant to leak into the engine. the consumer requested reimbursement. *sc *jb | |||
| 06/01/2004 | 2 | ||
| Consumer requesting reimbursement for repairs made to 1998 buick park avenue. *mr the engine cranked and there was a loud bang exactly as the recall stated. following the bang was a loud noise and white smoke that had come from the tail pipe. anti freeze entered the engine and mixed with the oil. the engine was re-manufactured. the service dealer stated that the intake manifold was defective. the fuel pressure regulator was defective as well. *sc *jb | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 48710 | 5 | 10/01/1999 |
| When making a turn in either on a straight direction the vehicle stalled. but the vehicle was restarted without a problem. *ak *sc | |||
| 07/08/2003 | 81571 | 1 | 01/12/2000 |
| Leaky intake gasket on 3.8k engine, leaked coolant and foulded plugs, engine quit running. had to be towed to dealer at 81,000 miles.*ak | |||
| 08/15/2002 | 1 | 05/27/1998 | |
| While driving at 25 mph and with no warning, the engine locked up. consumer made contact with dealer. *ak the consumer noticed that both the engine and the transmission had problems early on. *scc *jb | |||
| 09/05/2002 | 82000 | 1 | |
| While driving in traffic, engine ligght came on and began to lose power. susequent findings were that the composite intake plenum had several pin hole leaks which resulted in dumping of coolant into engine and seizure very shortly after light came on. had to replace engine. new engine seems to have other problems now with power and smooth operation and excessive rattling.*ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| When the consumer started the vehicle, the engine exploded and a fire started under the hood. *mr *scc *jb | |||
| 04/27/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving, the engine light illuminated on the dash board, and suddenly the vehicle started to lose power. *jb | |||
| 01/11/2002 | 1 | ||
| Engine fire resulted in extensive damage. *ak referenced in ea02-030 | |||
| 02/27/2003 | 81820 | 2 | |
| Lifters damaged from apparent coolant leak in upper intake manifold at 80,000 miles. rod bearing knock occurred at 81,820 miles. cause as yet unknown. possibly related to earlier coolant leak problem. now in need of a new engine.*jb | |||
| 12/09/2002 | 71000 | 1 | 06/26/1999 |
| Turned on igniion key of 1998 buick park avenue to start and heard loud bang and then noticed grey smoke at rear of hood area. turned off key, got out and closed door, proceeded to house to call 911 and got kitchen fire extinguisher. i went back to burning car, opened hood, observed fire at side of engine next to firewall. i used fire extinguisher to get most of fire out. there was some fire under engine on ground which the extinguisher did not get out. the extinguisher was now empty so i went back to house and got baking soda from kitchen and threw it under engine to extenguish the fire under the engine. fire department came but i had fire out by then. | |||
| 05/06/2001 | 1 | 06/01/1998 | |
| While driving about 55 mph warning light for coolant came on. consumer went to mechanic, who found upper manifold plentium, which was made of plastic, had allowed antifreeze to flood engine. *ak *jb | |||
| 10/30/2000 | 02/01/1999 | ||
| Cracked head gasket and oil back into the cooling system. therefore causing me to need another engine.*ak | |||
| 10/30/2000 | 1 | 02/01/1999 | |
| Cracked head gasket, and oil back into the cooling system. therefore, causing me to need another engine. *ak | |||
| 01/20/1999 | |||
| While driving at approximately 25-35mph vehicle would stall out. would have no prior warning. nearly rearended. need to shift into neutral to restart. an intermittent problem. took to dealership & mechanic placed a monitor on vehicle. nothing happened. was road tested & battery died. found a short in battery & it was changed. the vehicle finally stalled again while at stop light.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 01/25/2005 | 38000 | 2 | 01/09/2000 |
| 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 | |||
| 12/05/2002 | 2 | 03/01/2001 | |
| The first incident of this problem occurred in 2001 at 48,000 miles. to correct the coolant loss the upper intake manifold had to be replaced at a cost of approx. $500.00. the second occurance was at 103,000 miles, this time gm had issued a technical bulletin no. 01-06-01-007a describing the problem and indicating that now both the upper and lower intake manifolds need tobe replaced to correct the problem, cost $750.00. it is my feeling that since gm knows the problem is one of faulty material they should cover at least the cost of the parts, which they have failed to do. dt | |||
| 10/08/2002 | 10/01/2098 | ||
| Intake manifold developed a crack or hole. coolant leaked into cylinders and oil causing engine not to run. repair cost $966.23. fuel regulator failed causing engine to back fire and blow vaccum hoses off of engine. replacement of same cost $114.94. dt | |||
| 11/01/2002 | |||
| Consumer states the motor locked up while driving at highway speeds. mechanic diagnosed that antifreeze is leaking into engine cylinders. ts | |||
| 10/25/2002 | 1 | 08/01/2000 | |
| The car was parked for 6 days. weather was slight drizzle, with temperature about 50 degrees. at approximately 8:30 pm on 10/25/2002, i placed the key in the ignition and turned it. i heard a lot pop from the engine. the pop was so loud that neighbors approximately 100 feet down the street came out of their closed houses to discover what happened. smoke begin to pour from the engine compartment and then flames appeared. fire department came to extinguished the flames. car will probably be totalled. dt | |||
| 10/24/2002 | |||
| While slowing down vehicle to pull into a gas station, consumer states there was a big explosion under hood, popped hood and saw flames, went for help. cause is unknown. please provide any further information. ts | |||
| 08/20/2002 | 9 | ||
| Vehicle has stalled 9 times within last two months. car checked by first dealer who could not determine problem origin. consumer had vehicle checked by 2nd dealer who replaced computer and electronic control module. vehicle continued to stall intermittently. consumer very concerned about safety of vehicle on road with stalling problems. *ak consumer stated that he had the vehicle towed to mack brown (buick dealer), but they couldn't find anyting wrong. the vehicle had stopped several times. the consumer had driven 150 miles and it stopped again, and at 200 miles the vehicle was taken back to tom brooks (dealer). the problem still may not be solved. *scc | |||
| 12/04/2000 | 1 | ||
| Insured entered the vehicle and turned the ignition on and heard an explosion and vehicle caught on fire inside her neighbors garage. damage was done to the garage, claim 36-a152-007. *jg | |||
| 09/28/2001 | 1 | ||
| Consumer turned key, there was a loud pop and the engine caught on fire, claim 13-7487-154. *slc | |||
| 03/07/2001 | 1 | ||
| Engine compartment fire, origin appears near left front apron, vehicle had been sitting all night, consumer started vehicle and a puff of smoke appeared, consumer turned vehicle off and fire began, claim 49-3261-220. *slc | |||
| 12/23/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle would not start, consumer had vehicle jumped and when he hooked up the battery cable and turned the key to start the vehicle, the engine blew up and a fire started, claim 59-v656-995. *slc | |||
| 12/12/2000 | 1 | ||
| Consumer started up vehicle and it caught fire in the engine compartment, claim 42-1319-967. *slc | |||
| 11/04/2000 | 1 | ||
| Consumer jump started vehicle with cables when engine blew and a fire started, claim 23-1290-238. *slc | |||
| 09/28/2001 | 1 | ||
| Insured turned the key and there was a loud pop and the engine caught on fire, claim 13-7487-154. *jg | |||
| 03/07/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle had been sitting overnight, insured started vehicle, puff of smoke appeared. insured turned vehicle off and fire errupted, claim 49-3261-220. *jg referenced in ea02-030 | |||
| 12/23/2000 | 1 | ||
| Insured wasn't able to start car. triple a came to start the car, when driver hooked up the battery cable and turned the ignition, the engine blew up and a fire began, claim 59-v656-995. *jg | |||
| 12/12/2000 | 1 | ||
| Insured started up the vehicle and the vehicle caught on fire, claim 42-1319-967. *jg | |||
| 11/04/2000 | 1 | ||
| Insured was jump starting vehicle with cables, engine blew, fire started, claim 23-1290-238. *jg | |||
| 01/05/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer was starting vehicle when he heard a big boom, smoke came out of the engine and caught on fire, claim 25-5607-676. *slc | |||
| 12/04/2000 | 1 | ||
| Consumer turned the ignition on and heard an explosion, vehicle caught fire in the engine compartment inside her neighbors garage, claim 36-a152-007. *slc | |||
| 12/04/2000 | 1 | ||
| Insured entered the vehicle and turned the ignition on and heard an explosion and vehicle caught on fire inside her neighbors garage. damage was done to the garage, claim 36-a152-007. *jg | |||
| 09/28/2001 | 1 | ||
| Insured turned the key and there was a loud pop and the engine caught on fire, claim 13-7487-154. *jg | |||
| 03/07/2001 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle had been sitting overnight, insured started vehicle, puff of smoke appeared. insured turned vehicle off and fire errupted, claim 49-3261-220. *jg | |||
| 12/23/2000 | 1 | ||
| Insured wasn't able to start car. triple a came to start the car, when driver hooked up the battery cable and turned the ignition, the engine blew up and a fire began, claim 59-v656-995. *jg | |||
| 12/12/2000 | 1 | ||
| Insured started up the vehicle and the vehicle caught on fire, claim 42-1319-967. *jg | |||
| 11/04/2000 | 1 | ||
| Insured was jump starting vehicle with cables, engine blew, fire started, claim 23-1290-238. *jg | |||
| 04/14/2002 | 1 | 06/28/2001 | |
| While turning on vehicle, there was an explosion that came from engine, causing cabinet door to blow open. contacted dealer who was not willing to do anything.*ak the fuel regulator was faulty, too much press. *jg | |||
| 01/05/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer was starting vehicle when he heard a big boom, smoke came out of the engine and caught on fire, claim 25-5607-676. *slc | |||
| 12/04/2000 | 1 | ||
| Consumer turned the ignition on and heard an explosion, vehicle caught fire in the engine compartment inside her neighbors garage, claim 36-a152-007. *slc | |||
| 09/28/2001 | 1 | ||
| Consumer turned key, there was a loud pop and the engine caught on fire, claim 13-7487-154. *slc | |||
| 03/07/2001 | 1 | ||
| Engine compartment fire, origin appears near left front apron, vehicle had been sitting all night, consumer started vehicle and a puff of smoke appeared, consumer turned vehicle off and fire began, claim 49-3261-220. *slc | |||
| 12/23/2000 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle would not start, consumer had vehicle jumped and when he hooked up the battery cable and turned the key to start the vehicle, the engine blew up and a fire started, claim 59-v656-995. *slc | |||
| 12/12/2000 | 1 | ||
| Consumer started up vehicle and it caught fire in the engine compartment, claim 42-1319-967. *slc | |||
| 11/04/2000 | 1 | ||
| Consumer jump started vehicle with cables when engine blew and a fire started, claim 23-1290-238. *slc | |||
| 09/27/2001 | 1 | 10/02/2000 | |
| While traveling at highway speed low coolant message flashed on while low temperature gauge was reading cool. soon after, noticed engine running hard. consumer pulled vehicle over, and engine stalled and would not restart. *ak dealer found plenum leaking, dealer replaced intake manifolds upper and lower, plenum, coolant bypass hose, and head gasket seal. *tt | |||
| 12/01/2000 | 1 | 12/03/1998 | |
| The driver put the key in the ignition, turned it and heard a loud boom, then the car was on fire under the hood, this failure could possibly be to and engine failure. | |||
| 02/11/2001 | 1 | 01/01/1999 | |
| No summary for this vehicle. *ak | |||
| 1 | |||
| As advised by the service rep the consumer shifter from fourth to third to second and to first but the engine still died while going down a long hill. nlm | |||
| 10/07/2000 | 1 | 04/01/1998 | |
| Plastic case on intake manifold - holes burn through case and water goes into cylinder | |||
| 2 | |||
| When going downhill the consumer places the vehicle in first gear and the engine dies the mechanic believes that shifting down effects the engine's computer so that it shuts down but the consumer is conserned about what's in the owners manual which states if you dont downshift the brakes could get hot and cause poor or no braking ability. nlm | |||
| 05/11/2000 | 1 | 01/01/1998 | |
| Vehicle was parked overnight, just had vehicle serviced for an oil change. started vehicle and engine exploded, flames engulfed vehicle. buick had recall for same problem in 96 & 97 models. *ak *ml | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 01/20/2005 | 75741 | 1 | 02/27/1998 |
| 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 | |||
| 09/26/1998 | 2 | ||
| Serpentine belt broke, causing loss of power steering, which could have resulted in an accident. dealer has replaced belt twice. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 12/22/2000 | 2 | 06/08/1998 | |
| Vehicle problems with start up/ vehicle fire in engine compartment. *mr the battery had gone dead overnight. (prior to the day of the incident, the battery appeared to be charged) the engine exploded as soon as the key was turned on. there was slippage in the transmission. the intake plentium, fuel rail, the ignition wires, 2 injectors, engine cover shield, oil filler cap, map sensor, pcv cover, and the battery all were replaced. *scc *jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||
| 03/31/2001 | 112154 | 1 | 07/01/1998 |
| 4/12/2007. 1998 buick park ave. air flow sensor failed. *mc *jb | |||
| 07/14/2004 | 68000 | 2 | |
| 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 | |||
| 11/21/1998 | 2 | 09/07/1998 | |
| Map sensor loose. yh | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | |||
| 07/03/2006 | 3 | 04/20/2006 | |
| 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 | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 04/30/2006 | 63000 | 1 | 04/16/1998 |
| 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 | |||
| 02/04/2006 | 71967 | 2 | 12/05/2000 |
| 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. | |||
| 09/20/2004 | 110619 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 10/01/2004 | 79856 | 1 | 02/26/2004 |
| 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 | |||
| 08/25/2004 | 83460 | 1 | 07/18/2004 |
| The sevice engine light came on and within a day or two my car kept needing coolant. i scheduled an appointment with a buick dealer but the next day the car wouldn't start. i had it towed to the dealer and within hours of getting there i was told there was an upper and lower internal manifold leak. the service person told me that he was familiar with the problem but would not say it was a design flaw. why would a dealer carry a manifold that is a non-moving part but a cast piece of iron if this was not continual problem? i work in a foundry for caterpillar that makes cast blocks and heads and was told by an engineer this is a bad design.*ak | |||
| 07/14/2004 | 77327 | 1 | 12/10/2000 |
| The consumer stated that intake manifold failed, allowing coolant to get inside the engine. this cost $1200.00 to repair. the consumer called the manufacturer and spoke with a representative, who basically told him that they could not help. the consumer called the buick dealer and was told that this was a common problem and buick will not do anything about it. buick service department told consumer they kept a number of them because of this problem. *ak when the consumer attempted to start the engine, the starter housing broke. the mechanic found the engine full of coolant and traced the problem to an upper intake failure due to heat from the egr passage eroding away the plastic manifold causing coolant to leak into the engine. the consumer requested reimbursement. *sc *jb | |||
| 06/01/2004 | 85900 | 2 | |
| While driving at 50 mph check engine light came on, showing that the coolant was low. dealer examined the vehicle, and filled the reservoir with coolant. between the dealership and the consumer's home coolant drained from the reservoir and the radiator. vehicle was towed back to the dealer, who replaced the manifold, the gasket, and upper plenum on the engine. *ak | |||
| 04/26/2004 | 88947 | 1 | 08/15/2001 |
| Intake manifold defect causing engine destruction and failure, resulting in replacement of engine. 1998 buick park avenue 88947 miles. *ak | |||
| 03/17/2004 | 1 | ||
| Vehicle was parked in the garage and consumer noticed that coolant was leaking from underneath the vehicle. consumer was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the intake manifold needed replacing due to a hole inside of the tube. *ak | |||
| 02/16/2004 | 64244 | 1 | 09/01/1998 |
| While enroute home from vacation low coolant warning light came on. within a few miles the engine temperature gauge went to hot. i was able to limp back a mile or so to a chevrolet dealer i had passed. the intake manifold gasket had failed, costing $593 to replace along with the spark plugs, oil and filter. however, upon returning home, i opened the oil filler cap to find a glob of water contaminated oil inside. now even short trips result in water droplets on the underside of the oil filler cap. also, the engine idle is down about 100 rpm, it doesn't sound or run as smoothly as beore and there's a slightly detectable metallic knock from the engine. i believe the plastic intake manifold has also failed and should have been replaced. as a result of the defective manifold and gasket design, a $34,000 vehicle has a sick engine at only 64,000 miles. the mechanic that replaced the gasket said he had only worked at the dealership for three weeks, but replacing these intake manifold gaskets had been a continuous job. the service manager said i was lucky, because another customer had seized the starter and broken the flywheel trying to jump start her car full of coolant from a failed intake gasket.*ak this problem with the intake manifold and gasket design is a manufacturer's defect that should be corrected by gm and not borne by the customer. i've also experienced most of the other characteristic failures with this car such as, warped brake rotors, failed ignition control module, failed shoulder belt retractor, broken ash tray door latch, shudder in steering wheel while turning at low speed, suspension vibration due to defective bushings, etc. after 26 years of gm ownership loyalty, i'm calling it quits. | |||
| 11/11/2003 | 68000 | 1 | 11/03/1997 |
| While i was driving i heard a pop & the service engine light came on i went another block and the car lost power & white smoke came out of exhaust. i turned engine off & tried to restart which was unsuccessful. i contacted buick dealer because after talking to a few people i was told that this was a common problem with gm autos. customer representative told me to go to dealer & they would work with me on the cost of the repair. after a week of wasted time i went to a local mechanic who repaired the auto at a cost of $1,049. the mechanic informed me that this was a very common problem with this engine because of the type of parts the manufacturer uses durin g production. i am relieved that nobody was injured during this incident but if this had occured on a highway and i was not able to get off to a shoulder the situation might have had a different outcome. this auto at the time had 68,000 miles and 1 week after the time frame of the extended warranty the extended warranty expired at 60,000 miles.this is a $33,000 vehicle and i would hope that an engine would last longer than 70,000 miles. i own two other vehicles (toyota's) and they have a combined mileage of over 300,000 miles and both purchased new cost less than this vehicle. it is my understanding that there have been other complaints of this type for this vehicle and the manufacturer has done nothing to correct this problem. *ak | |||
| 09/19/2003 | 74991 | 1 | 07/08/2000 |
| Initiation of problem started 19 sept 2003 while on a roundtrip, tx to ca. after approximately $3,200 in repairs, ca & tx, the culprit is identified and the problem is currently fixed (30 oct 2003). the culprit is a warped upper intake manifold, which allowed coolant to leak into the cylinders (finally hydro-locking the engine). this hard-plastic, domed original gm part has about a 1-mm warp on the end nearest cylinders #1 & #2. i consider this to be a manufacturer's flaw, although the vehicle has more than 75,000 miles. the tx dealer has seen other problems like this. a gm/buick representative does not want to consider sharing some of the repair costs. i have a thorough file on this problem. i note other complaints for this integral part of the engine. -- jack sanders, dallas. *la | |||
| 07/01/2003 | 1 | ||
| Consumer stated that vehicle overheated and broke down on highway. dealer diagnosed that the plastick intake manifold cracked, causing failure.*ak | |||
| 06/15/2002 | 49000 | 1 | 10/15/1999 |
| Intake manifold developed a crack or hole. coolant leaked into cylinders and oil causing engine not to run. repair cost over $900.00. this appears to be a known problem and buick did not offer to share any of the repair expense. the plastic manifold, was over $300 for the part, which should have not failed, or at least should have been cheap to replace since it was plastic. this is a long term know defect and buick should have recalled this and fixed it in the newer vehicles. *nlm | |||
| 06/08/2003 | 108000 | 1 | |
| Intake manifold has malfunctioned. dealer notified. *ak | |||
| 03/03/2003 | 42496 | 3 | 11/01/2002 |
| The vehicle was started while in the garage when without warning the vehicle exploded underneath the hood. the dealer indicated that the intake manifold fractured and resulted in the fuel rail bending. one of the fuel line holding clips also was broke. *nlm the vehicle would crank but would not start. the battery had run dead and was charged, the fuel pressure was checked, the engine backfired and had blown the intake gasket. the intake gasket was replaced, the spark plugs were removed, the cylinders were blown out, the fuel rail was straightened, the leaking fuel pressure regulator, and fuel feed line/fuel rail to fuel filter was replaced. buick division of gm agreed to cover 50 percent of the repair cost. scc | |||
| 1 | |||
| The intake manifold exploded, which caused a loud noise and smoke to appear.*jb | |||
| 02/03/2003 | |||
| The intake manifold was a defect from the manufacture. the manifold allowed water to leak into the engine causing the engine to stall. ph | |||
| 08/12/2002 | 1 | 01/01/2098 | |
| Engine coolant dex cool leaked into engine through defect in upper manifold, destroying entire engine, requiring complete new engine. *ak | |||
| 08/07/2002 | 10/01/2098 | ||
| Engine would not start. car had to be towed to dealership for repair. r&r upper intake, clean water of of intake, replace plugs, manifold, coolant. owner noticed a decrease in power while driving on interstate highway at 70mph. exited interstate and drove home (aprox. 1/4 mile or less). vehicle parked in owner's garage. owner tried to restart car and engine would not turn over.*ak | |||
| 09/06/2001 | |||
| Crack in plastic cover of the manifold/emission system. there was a pop and the parking area filled with black/blue smoke. car would not start after the incident. tsb sent out about this problem, vehicle 36th month outside the warranty period. referenced in ea02-030 | |||
| 1 | 12/08/1999 | ||
| The vehicle has a problem with the design of the manifold system which cracks and can causes the release of noxious gases. nlm | |||