1996 Buick Roadmaster

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/18/2002· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMCrash

  96 BUICK ROADMASTER WAGON DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR CATCHES FIRE AND DESTROYS CAR! INTERNAL DOOR FIRE.

• 12/10/2007· STEERING

  CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN DARTS LEFT THEN HAS A LARGE AMOUNT PLAY IN STEERING . THEN IT MAY NOT DO IT FOR FOUR OR FIVE DAYS THEN IT MAY GO THE OTHER WAY. THIS IS A HIGH MILEAGE CAR BUT I SEE WHERE THERE IS ANOTHER ONE LISTED AS DOING THE SAME THING. *TR

• 12/10/2003· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WHILE BACKING IN VEHICLE STALLED. VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED, WIRING HARNESS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK WIRES INSIDE THE GAS TANK BURNED AND MELTED PLASTIC AT THE FUEL TANK HOOK UP. THIS COULD'VE BLOWN UP AND KILLED SOMEONE. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE A REFUND FOR THE WIRING HARNESS. *PH

• 12/08/2018· SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE,WHEELS

  I WAS ON THE WAY HOME THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A GRINDING TYPE OF NOISE AS WELL AS A BOUNCE AND CAME TO A STOP A A RED LIGHT TO TURN LEFT AND AS I WAS TURNING LEFT MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE FELL OFF BOUNCING AWAY BENT MY FRONT PASSENGER FENDER AS WELL AS TRIM I HAD TO PAY A TOW TRUCK $150 TO TAKE MY CAR TO MY HOUSE TO FIX ALL 5 WHEEL STUDS ALSO WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THE SEAT BELT DOESN'T CLICK TO STAY IN POSITION THE INTERIOR LIGHTS DON'T TURN OFF I HAVE TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY SO THE CAR WON'T DIE OVER NIGHT AND NOW THE ENGINE DOESN'T NOT WANT TO TURN OVER AS IT DID BEFORE I HAVE CHANGED THE DISTRIBUTIOR CAP SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES COMPLETE OIL CHANGE ENGINE TRANSACTION TRANSFER CASE OIL IN THE REAR AXEL AND OXYGEN SENSORS AND THE CAR IS STILL HAVEING TROUBLE TO TURN AND STAY ON JUST IN IDEL AND ON TOP OF THAT THE CLUSTER DOESN'T NOT MARK MY SPEED AND THE GAS METER IS MORE OR LESS A QUARTER OFF MARKING I HAVE MORE THEN WHAT I DO HAVE

• 12/02/1997· WHEELS

  WHEEL STUDS BROKE OFF CAUSEING WHEEL TO FALL OFF FROM VEHICLE.

• 11/29/2006· SUSPENSION

  THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT BROKE OFF WHEN I STARTED TO DRIVE THE CAR IN A PARKING LOT ON OCTOBER 31, 2006. I HAD TO HAVE A NEW LOWER ARM AND BALL JOINT INSTALLED ON THE CAR SINCE A BOLT HAD SHEARED HOLDING THE BALL JOINT TO THE ARM. BUICK HAD A PREVIOUS RECALL ON THIS, BUT MY CAR WAS SUPPOSEDLY BUILT WITH A LATER SERIAL NUMBER. I HAVE THE BROKEN ASSEMBLY STORED IN MY GARAGE. *JB

• 11/20/2001· VISIBILITY

  BOTH FRONT AND REAR PASSENGERS' SIDE WINDOWS FAIL TO OPERATE WITHIN ONE TO TWO WEEKS APART. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND VEHICLE NOT COVERED UNDER A RECALL. VEHICLE TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK

• 11/06/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKING ACTION OCCURRED, PEDAL DOWN SHIFTS (FEELS LIKE SECOND), EXTREME VARIATIONS IN STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

• 10/29/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  VEHICLE STALLS AFTER GOING THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER. IT WOULD LOSE POWER. *AK

• 10/27/1997· TIRES

  SPARE TIRE SUPPLIED WITH THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE BECAUSE OF THE SMALL SIZE, UNSAFE TO TOW TRAILER EVEN THOUGH CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH TOWING PACKAGE.

• 10/18/2000· TIRES

  GENERAL TIRES EXPERIENCED LUMPS ON THE TREAD AND THUMPING. *SLC

• 10/15/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WHILE DRIVING 55MPH TO 70MPH THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

• 10/14/1997· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  THROTTLE CABLE FAILED, RESULTING IN UNWANTED ACCELERATION.

• 10/06/2000· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

• 09/27/1996· POWER TRAINCrash

  VEHICLE WAS LEFT IN IDLE POSITION WITH ENGINE RUNNING, JUMPED OUT OF PARK INTO DRIVE, IMPACT 12:00 POSITION. *AK

• 09/08/2005· POWER TRAIN

  SINCE NEW THIS 1996 BUICK ROADMASTER STATION WAGON HAS HAD 4 TRANSMISSIONS INSTALLED IN IT. THIS PARTICULAR CAR HAS THE FACTORY INSTALLED 5000LB TOW PACKAGE. THIS CAR USES THE GM, 4L60E, 4 SPEED, ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION. ACCORDING TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER, THE 4L60E TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WHEN IT ONLY HAD ROUGHLY 40,000 MILES ON IT. HE TOLD ME THE 2ND TRANSMISSION WENT OUT 40,000MILES AFTER IT WAS INSTALLED. THE PREVIOUS OWNER TOLD ME HE HAD THE 3RD TRANSMISSION INSTALLED WHEN THE CAR HAD 85,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 119,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, AND THE 3RD TRANSMISSION FAILED WHEN THE CAR HAD 142,000 MILES ON IT. THE 4L60E TRANSMISSION IS A VERY POOR TRANSMISSION FOR THE TASK ASSIGNED. THE CAR ALREADY WEIGHS 4500LBS AND IS RATED TO TOW 5000 MORE LBS. MAKING UP ROUGHLY A 10,000LB PLATFORM. THIS TRANSMISSION FAILS IN MANY, MANY VEHICLES IT WAS INSTALLED IN REGARDLESS OF PURPOSE, USE, OR CARE. *NM

• 08/09/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHEN ENGINE IS SUBSTANTIALLY WET POWER STEERING IS LOST. THERE IS NO PRIOR WARNING. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE REMEDY, BUT HAS RECOGNIZED THE DEFECT.*AK

• 08/08/1997· SEATS

  BACKREST ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE IS ANCHORED AND CAN BE RAISED AND LOWERED, THERE IS NOTHING TO HOLD THE BACKREST IN PLACE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY WHILE IN ACCIDENT IS GREAT.

• 08/07/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WHILE DRIVING THE ABS BRAKES LOCKED UP WHILE MR. COOK'S FOOT WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR ,THE BRAKES CAME ON WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. PLEASE GIVE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

• 08/02/2021· STEERING

  The contact owns a 1996 Buick Roadmaster. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the steering wheel was steering to the left while the vehicle was going to the right as well as while steering to the right the vehicle was going to the left. The dealer or independent mechanic was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 137,831. Invalid VIN provided.

• 08/01/1997· SEATS

  DRIVER'S SIDE BACKREST IS NOT ANCHORED, FLOPS BACK AND FORTH DURING NORMAL DRIVING.

• 07/05/2006· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  UPON LEAVING FOR WORK IN THE MORNING, MY 1996 BUICK ROADMASTER WITH 56,600 MILES WOULD NOT START. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR GARAGE. WENT TO PICK UP CAR A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME I WAS LUCKY THERE HAD NOT BEEN A FIRE OR EXPLOSION DUE TO THE SMOLDERING FUEL PUMP AND MELTED WIRING HARNESS INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. HE GAVE ME THE PART. I THOUGHT THAT GENERAL MOTORS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT THIS DEFECT AS I WAS SURE THAT MANY OTHER ROADMASTERS ARE STILL ON THE ROAD. I CALLED THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS DEPT. ON 6/27 AND RELATED THIS SAFETY CONCERN AND ALSO SENT AN E-MAIL TO THEM ON THEIR WEBSITE OFFERING TO SEND PICTURES OF THIS PART. AS OF TODAY, 7/6/06, I HAD NOT HEARD FROM ANYONE SO I CALLED AGAIN. I EMPHASIZED MY CONCERNS AGAIN AND ALSO REQUESTED TO BE COMPENSATED FOR THIS REPAIR AS I FELT THIS WAS NOT A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR PROBLEM, BUT A DEFECT PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD. I TOLD THEM THAT I DID NOT REALIZE THERE WAS A TIME LIMIT ON PEOPLE'S SAFETY AND WELL BEING. I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT I WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT NO ONE AT GM WAS INTERESTED IN SEEING THIS PART OR PICTURES. THEY COULD BE RELYING ON THE FACT THAT THE GAS TANK IS UNDER A VACUUM, BUT IN THIS CASE, THE PUMP WAS ACTUALLY SMOLDERING AND IF I HAD HAPPENED TO STOP AND GET GAS WHILE THIS WAS SMOLDERING AND REMOVED THE GAS CAP AND ADDED THE THIRD ELEMENT, OXYGEN, THERE VERY WELL COULD HAVE BEEN A FIRE OR EXPLOSION. THIS IS AN ORIGINAL GM PART AND I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT GM HAS NO INTEREST IN THIS MATTER. THE ORIGINAL MILEAGE SHOULD BE A FACTOR, NOT JUST THE YEAR. CUSTOMER RELATIONS TOLD ME THEY WOULD SEND ME IN WRITING THEIR REFUSAL TO ASSIST ME WITH ANY COMPENSATION FOR THE REPAIR. WHAT BOTHERS ME THE MOST IS THEIR LACK OF CONCERN FOR OTHER PEOPLE'S SAFETY. *JB

• 06/24/2003· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  FUEL PUMP FAILED & VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, VEHICLE TOWED TO SHOP, MECHANIC FOUND SHORTED FUEL PUMP DUE TO LOOSE WIRING THAT CAUSED ARCING IN TANK FOR SOME TIME. MECHANIC STATED THAT WIRING MAY NOT HAVE BEEN HOOKED UP PROPERLY AT FACTORY. *JB

• 06/06/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  TO START THE ENGINE , AND THE CAR WAS PUSHED INTO ST STALL BY.THE SS TUBE UNDER THE CAR AND THE SS MANIFOLD ON THE MOTOR BLOCK ARE CONNECTED VIE A THIN-WALLED PLASRIC TUBE, WHICH IS HEAT-SHRINKE UNDER THE CAR AND CONNECTED TO THE MANIFOLD BY A FLIMSY PLASTIC CONNECTOR. BOTH CONNECTORS BROKE ( OF COURSE THEY MUST BRAKE EVENTUALLY THRU AGE ETC), AND THE GAS SPILLED ONTO THE HOT MOTOR BLOCK, FORMING A PUDDLE AND VAPORIZING , THUS FORMING AN EXPLOSIVE MIXTURE WAITING TO BE IGNITED FROM THE HOT EXHAUST MAMNIFOLD. *AK REFERENCED IN EA02-030

• 05/31/2000· VISIBILITY

  ON AND WHILE DRIVING IN ADVERSE WEATHER IF DEFROST/DEFOGGER IS ENGAGED THEN ALL INSIDE LIGHTS COME ON AND STAYS ON UNTIL DEFROST/DEFOGGER IS DISENGAGED, CAUSES BIG PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT AND WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAYS/HIGHWAYS BECAUSE I CAN'T USE THE WINDOW CLEARING TOOLS AS I NEED TO. AND THE MANUAL STATES TO REPORT IF THE SECURITY LIGHT STAYS ON ANYWAY AS IT MAY BE CAUSE FOR SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN FUTURE. *AK

• 05/22/1997· AIR BAGSCrash

  CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROX 35 MPH, HEADING NORTH, MIDDLE LANE, ANOTHER DRIVER IN A TRUCK WAS IN RIGHT LANE MADE A U-TURN IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HIT TRUCK ON LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD-ON, AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSED A SERIES OF INJURIES. *AK

• 05/12/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  COOLANT LEAKS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WATER PUMP ONTO VIBRATION DAMPER AND POWER STEERING BELT, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

• 05/06/1996· STRUCTURE

  DOOR MISALIGNED, CAUSING AIR LEAK. *SD

• 05/02/2006· SUSPENSION

  DRIVING ON SAN PABLO DAM RD JUST PAST APPIAN WAY AT ABOUT 30-35 MPH THE RIGHT FT TIRE FOLDED UP UNDER THE CAR THE LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED AND SNAPPED IN HALF. *JB

• 04/30/2002· SUSPENSION

  DUE TO MISALIGNMENT TIRES ARE WEARING.*AK

• 04/17/1997· SEAT BELTS

  SEAT BELTS ARE TURNING IN LOCK POSITION.

• 04/10/1997· EQUIPMENT

  FRONT BAR ON ROOF RACK CAME LOOSE.

• 04/10/1997· SUSPENSION

  FRONT END MISALIGNED.

• 04/09/2001· TIRES

  LEFT REAR TIRE LOST A LARGE SECTION OF THE TREAD LAYER CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, AS TIRE WAS BEING REPLACED CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT ANOTHER TIRE WAS SHOWING SIGNS OF TREAD SEPARATION AS WELL, CONSUMER HAD ALL 5 CONTINENTAL GENERAL SEAL TIRES (225/75/15) BE REPLACED INCLUDING SPARE TIRE. *JB

• 04/09/1997· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT DUE TO A DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. *AK

• 03/24/1999· STEERING,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  DUE TO DEFECTIVE WATER PUMP WHICH LEAKED AND SPRAYED UNTO THE POWER STEERING BELT, POWER STEERING BECAME INOPERATIVE AND ALMOST RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK

• 03/21/1997· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  VEHICLE RACES AROUND 10MPH, LURCHES AND PULL FORWARD UPON COMPLETING A STOP. *AK

• 03/19/1997· VISIBILITY

  UNABLE TO SEE CLEARLY THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD DUE TO GLARE REFLECTION FROM THE SUN.

• 03/13/2001· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE WILL SURGE FORWARD, ENGINE REVS. *AK *SLC

• 03/13/2001· SEATS

  WHEN MAKING A TURN, DRIVER'S SEAT WILL SHIFT IN DIRECTION OF TURN. *AK *SLC

• 03/10/1997· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLFire

  WHILE DRIVING ACCELERATOR CABLE RUBBED UP AGAINST THE WIRING HARNESS DUE TO CABLE BEING INCORRECTLY ROUTED BY BUICK, CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT, RESULTING IN A FIRE. *AK

• 03/06/1996· VISIBILITY

  WINDSHIELD DOES NOT DEFROST PROPERLY, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *SD

• 03/05/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKES FAILED.

• 02/27/2001· STEERING,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHILE DRIVING STEERING CONTROLS OF THE VEHICLE WILL LOCK UP. WATER PUMP LEAKS ON TO THE BELT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED AND WHEN MAKING A SHARP TURN . BELT SLIPS, AND LOCKS UP POWER STEERING. *AK

• 02/21/2004· TIRES

  I ACQUIRED A CAR WITH FOUR NEW TIRES ARIZONIAN R/S,A/S. THE TIRES SAY TRACTION A TEMPERATURE B WEAR 360. UTQG GRADING SAYS TRACTION B TEMPERARURE C WEAR 240. WHY SUCH A VARIANCE? I WOULD NEVER RUN A TIRE WITH YOUR GRADING. I FEEL WEARY UNSAFE. *JB

• 02/12/2001· STEERING

  ONLY IN WET WEATHER CONDITIONS POWER STEERING LOCKS UP WHEN BELTS GET WET UNDER HOOD. BUICK HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

• 02/12/1997· STEERING

  POWER STEERING HOSE COUPLING FAILED TWICE.

• 02/07/2000· STEERING,SUSPENSION

  STEERING AND FRONT END SUSPENSION EXPERIENCES CONTINUED PROBLEMS/FAILURES WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN REPAIRING/REPLACING MOST OF THE FRONT END PARTS. YH

• 02/05/1996· SUSPENSION

  AXLE BROKE, MAKING NOISE. *DSH

• 01/28/2002· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  HORN FAILS TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY BECAUSE THE BUTTON TO ACTIVATE HORN IS DIFFICULT TO PRESS. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK