1997 Buick Skylark

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

• 12/29/1998· SEATS

  DRIVER SIDE SEAT WON'T LOCK IN POSITION, AND THE SEAT MOVES BACK AND FORWARD, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO ROCK FROM SIDE TO SIDE, AND THE LATCH ISN'T IN POSITION. *AK

• 12/28/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  IN FLOW OF TRAFFIC VEHICLE WILL STALL, AND ENGINE WILL TURN OFF. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL COME ON. *AK

• 12/16/1998· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  INTERMITTENTLY WHILE THE HEADLIGHTS ARE IN USE THEY MALFUNCTION, AND THE HEADLIGHTS WILL TURN OFF, WHICH MAY CAUSE VISIBILTY DIFFICULTIES. DEALER REPLACED HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND OTHER SWITCHES. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

• 12/14/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  TIMING CHAIN HAS BEEN REPAIRED 3 TIMES IN 3 MONTHS. TENSIONER IS DEFECTIVE/ COLAPSES, AND WARRANTY EXPIRED. NO PROBLEM WITH TENSIONER.*AK

• 12/11/2000· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  ABS LIGHT WOULD FLASH WHILE TRAVELING. WHEN MAKING TURNS VEHICLE WOULD ALSO STALL. ALSO, WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD GO INTO EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

• 12/10/2002· AIR BAGS

  CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HORN BLOWS WITH OUT TOUCHING IT, DEALER NOTIFIED AND SAID THE HEAT CASUSES THE AIR BAG TO EXPAND WHICH CAUSES THE HORN TO GO OFF. TS

• 12/10/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  VEHICLE HESITATES WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS CONSUMER CONCERNED ABOUT BEING REAR ENDED. NLM

• 12/08/1999· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  DEALERSHIP ON 12/02/99 SAYING FUEL INJECTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

• 11/28/1997· SEAT BELTS

  SEAT BELT INSTALLED IMPROPERLY, RESULTING IN POOR FIT (OVER ABDOMEN).

• 11/27/2001· AIR BAGSCrash

  FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING 40 MPH FRONT END COLLISION. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

• 11/24/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  MY CAR HAS KILLED ON ME SEVERAL TIMES SINCE ITS PURCHASE IN MAY WITH MANY OF THEM COMING AT LOW TO ACCELERATING SPEEDS AND CROSSING IN TRAFFIC. I'VE ALSO HAD SEVERAL ACCELARATION STICKINGS WITH THE GAS PEDAL, THIS DISTURBS ME VERY MUCH BECAUSE IT BECOMES HARDER TO STOP THE CAR. I'VE GOTTEN NO RESPONSE THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS EVER DONE THIS EACH TIME IT IS SENT TO BE LOOKED AT (THREE OCCASSIONS) AND ACCORDING TO THEIR PAPERWORK THEY NEVER TEST DROVE THE CAR, SEEING THAT THE MILEAGE WAS THE SAME AS WHEN I DROPPED THE CAR OFF. THEY'VE ALREADY SAID THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT HAS TO BE REPLACED BUT I'M WORRIED THAT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ADDRESS THAT AND OTHER PROBLEMS. I'D APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU COULD GIVE ME IN DEALING WITH THIS ONGOING PROBLEM. SINCERELY, JAMES ALEXANDER

• 11/18/2007· STEERINGFire

  CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE DRIVEWAY, WITH NO KEY AND IN PARK. MY SON HAD COME IN THE HOUSE AND SAID MOM YOUR CAR IS SMOKING. I HAD PARKED THE CAR APPROX 20 MINS BEFORE AFTER A 6 MILE TRIP, IT WAS WINTER, THANK GOD I DID NOT PARK IN THE GARAGE OR IT WOULD HAVE GONE UP IN SMOKE TOO, AS I LIVE IN THE COUNTRY AND IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR THE TRUCKS TO ARRIVE. I AM GLAD I WAS NOT A YOUNG MOM WITH KIDS IN CAR SEATS WHICH TAKES ALOT OF TIME. SCARED THE CRAP OUTTA US, CAUSE THE GARAGE (TOOLS, WOOD, VEHICLES, STUFF WAS SO VERY CLOSE TO THE CAR AND GARAGE IS VERY CLOSE TO OUR HOME(KEEPSAKES, EVERYTHING). *TR

• 11/17/2001· AIR BAGS,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  HORN BUTTON IS UNDER AIRBAG IN ORDER TO FIX AIRBAG MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $800 OR I REMOVE THE FUSE, I CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE AIRBAG FOR A SIMPLE BUTTON SO THIS BECOMES A SAFETY ISSUE. SINCE I HAVE NO HORN AM DEEPLY CONCERNED FOR MY AND MY KIDS SAFETY IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY (NEED TO ALERT SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO RUN INTO ME ) PLEASE HELP. *AK

• 11/05/2009· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  THE CAR HAD BEEN STALLING FOR MORE THAN A YEAR BUT NOT AS FREQUENT. THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME IT STALLED WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSTATE 240N. MY WIFE AND CHILD WAS WITH ME. IT WAS RUSH HOUR AND THERE WERE LOTS OF TRAFFIC. WE WERE TERRIFIED! ONCE I MERGED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, WE HAD TO WAIT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. MIND YOU, WE ARE ON THE SIDE OF A BUSY AND DANGEROUS INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. I NOTICED WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR AFTER IT HAD STALLED, THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT WAS FLASHING. I HAD NO IDEA WHY THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT WAS FLASHING OR IF IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CAR NOT STARTING. I CALLED A TECHNICIAN I KNOW AND EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THE CAR SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS TO START BUT KEEP STALLING. HE ASKED ME TO LOOK AT THE DASH AND TELL HIM WHAT I SAW. THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT WAS FLASHING, IT REMAINED ON FOR A WHILE, THEN IT WENT OUT AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES. HE TOLD ME TO TRY TO START THE CAR AGAIN. IT STARTED. THIS (THE CAR STALLS, WAIT AWHILE, THEN IT STARTS) WENT ON FOR AWHILE. ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2009, I WENT OUT TO START THE CAR TO TAKE MY CHILD TO SCHOOL AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. TO THIS DAY, I CAN NOT GET MY CAR TO START AND THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT IS STILL FLASHING. THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE I KNOW WHO OWN BUICK SKYLARKS AND ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE THEFT SYSTEM. SOME HAVE GOTTEN SEVERAL THINGS REPLACED SUCH AS THE KEY, THE SWITCH, ETC AND HAVE YET TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED. IT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE BUICK SKYLARKS THEFT SYSTEM MANUFACTURED AROUND 1997! IS THERE ANYTHING BEING DONE OR WILL THERE BE SOMETHING DONE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM? THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES AND/OR DEATHS! *TR

• 11/04/1997· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING DIFFICULTY WHEN ENGAGING INTO REVERSE.

• 11/01/2011· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  1997 BUICK SKYLARK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE RECALL *TGW THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING SYSTEM WHICH WAS CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DIE. THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 02V070000.

• 10/26/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  ABS SYSTEM HAS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY SINCE OWNERSHIP, REPLACED BRAKES ONCE, HOWEVER CONTINUES TO LOCK UP IN THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL AREA AND MAKES NOISE. MJS

• 10/12/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE PEDAL BECOMES SOFT, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES WHICH RESULTED IN TWO MINOR COLLISIONS. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES.ALSO, BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED . MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

• 10/10/2007· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLCrash

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK SKYLARK. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. HE THEN APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND IT SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, BUT DID NOT COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TWO FRONT TIRES BLEW OUT, CAUSING HIM TO CRASH INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT HAD TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF COMPLETELY IN ORDER TO STOP THE WHEELS FROM SPINNING AFTER THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE, WHERE IT CURRENTLY REMAINS. A MECHANIC FROM THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE CABLE THAT OPERATES THE CRUISE CONTROL TURNED BACKWARDS AND JAMMED THE THROTTLE LINKAGE. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 123,000. UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF

• 09/22/2000· AIR BAGSCrash

  WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MILES STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE ON LEFT REAR SIDE. UPON IMPACT, DUAL AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK

• 09/22/1998· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED IT WILL THROTTLE VERY LOW AS IF IT IS GOING TO DIE. WHEN VEHICLE ACCELERATES IT THROTTLES VERY HIGH.

• 09/21/1998· STRUCTURE

  VEHICLE HAVING TROUBLE IN DIRECTIONAL PULLING, THE UNIBODY FRAME RAIL IS LONGER ON ONE SIDE THAN THE OTHER.

• 09/15/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  VEHICLE EITHER STALLS OR ACCELERATES AT FULL THROTTLE. QCAW

• 09/09/1999· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW OF GENERATOR ASSEMBLY CAUSED IT TO FAIL AT 25,491 MILES. *YC

• 09/08/1999· STEERING,SUSPENSION

  AXLE SEAL SHAFT ASSEMBLY--CHANNEL PLATE, STEERING COLUMN.

• 09/06/2000· TIRES

  THE ORIGINAL TIRES (GOODYEAR EAGLE) EXPERIENCED SPLITTING AT THE SIDEWALL. *MJS

• 09/04/2003· POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS

  WHILE PARKING HORN CONTINUOUSLY SOUNDED. THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER KNOB BROKE OFF. THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE AIR BAG SYSTEM IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE HORN FAILURE AND REPLACED THE SHIFTER KNOB. *AK *NLM

• 09/04/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  NO SUMMARY

• 08/29/2001· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKES ARE DEFECTIVE WHEN APPLIED, AND PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS VEHICLE BECAUSE NOONE COULD FIX THE DEFECT. *SLC

• 08/27/1999· SUSPENSION

  WHEN PUTTING PASSENGERS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE, CAR BOTTOMS OUT WHEN HITTING A BUMP.CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT THE IS THE CAR'S NORMAL FUNCTION. *AK

• 08/24/1998· SUSPENSION,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  HEARD NOISE COMING FROM WHEELS. TOOK TO DEALER & TOLD NOTHING WRONG. NOISE GOT LOUDER. BACK AT DEALER'S & MECHANIC SAID BRAKE PADS & ROTORS WENT BAD. HAS EXTENDED & FACTORY WARRANTY, BUT TOLD BRAKES & ROTORS NOT INCLUDED. BRAKES & ROTORS NEED REPLACING. DEFECTIVE REAR SHOCKS. *AK

• 08/20/1999· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,POWER TRAIN

  BRAKES LOCK UP ON TURN, WET SURFACES AND UNEVEN TERRAIN. VEHICLE EXPERIENCING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTACE WHEN BRAKING AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM FAILED. NLM

• 08/19/1998· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  WHILE DRIVING AT 65MPH THE CABLE ACCELERATOR SNAPPED, CAUSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO GO TO THE FLOOR. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *AK

• 08/15/1997· VISIBILITY

  REFLECTIONS IN WINDSHIELD.

• 08/13/2003· AIR BAGSCrash

  AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG. VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO HIT A TELEPHONE POLE. UPON IMPACT, FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT. DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD AND BACK INJURIES. *AK

• 08/12/2002· POWER TRAIN

  ENGINE WAS RUNNING WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK. SUDDENLY GEAR SLIPPED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE AND VEHICLE HIT A HOUSE. *AK *YH

• 08/10/2006· STEERING

  DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS STEERING AND THE POWER STEERING DID NOT FUNCTION. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE RACK AND PINION THAT WAS NOTED ON RECALL NUMBER 03V527000. THE MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

• 08/02/2002· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL AND ENGINE REVVED, AND TOOK OFF IN TRAFFIC. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK *YH

• 07/30/1998· SUSPENSION

  VEHICLE HAS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE REAR SUSPENSION WHICH CAUSES VEHICLE TO SWAY TO THE RIGHT. VEHICLE IS NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY. CAUSE UNKOWN. *AK

• 07/24/2000· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  RECALL 97V059000: CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY 35MPH AND ABS BRAKE SYSTEM BLEW UP IN HER FACE. THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE INSIDE OF VEHICLE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS GRABBING SLOWLY. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE HOME VERY SLOWLY. CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE HAD VERY LITTLE BRAKING POWER. *AK

• 07/22/1998· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY

  WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS STALLED AND STOPPED WORKING. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. DEALERS HAVE REPLACED WIPER MOTOR AND SWITCH, BUT PROBLEM REMAINS. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH STATING THAT THIS SWITCH IS SOMEHOW CONECTED TO THE WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEM. *YH

• 07/16/2002· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WHILE WAITING FOR PARTS TO RECALL 02V070000 CONCERNING IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. PROBLEM STATED IN THE RECALL HAPPENED.*AK

• 07/14/1998· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  WHILE DRIVING THE THROTTLE STICKS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO INCREASE SPEED. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

• 07/11/2003· AIR BAGSCrash

  THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND NONE OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *CB *JB

• 07/10/2002· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR NHTSA RECALL 02-V-070-000 / MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 02008 CONCERNING IGNITION SYSTEM. TWO MONTHS LATER, AFTER RECALL WAS SERVICED PROBLEM REOCCURRED. WHEN KEY IS TURNED IN ON POSITION ENGINE MAKES A CLICKING SOUND BUT DOESN'T START. ALSO. EACH TIME AFTER REPAIRS / BEFORE LEAVING DEALER OR ONCE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF IT WILL NOT RESTART. FOGER BUICK; 5701 E INDEPENDENCE BLVD, CHALOTTE, NC. 28212 ADDED AN IGNITION MODULE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

• 07/09/2002· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE

  AFTER RECALL NOTIFICATION THE CONSUMER VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND RECALL 02V-070 WAS PERFORMED ON THE INGNITION SWITCH, THE NEXT DAY THE BATTERY WAS DEAD AGAIN, THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO FOUND THAT THE DOOR LOCK SWITCH WAS STICKING CAUSING A DRAW WHICH DRAINED THE NEW BATTERY. NLM

• 07/09/1998· AIR BAGS

  FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING FOR NO KNOWN REASON.

• 07/01/1997· TIRES

  TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING ACCIDENT. (NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE REPORT)

• 06/28/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY,STRUCTURE,EQUIPMENT

  1. DURING COLD MONTHS VEHICLE STARTS FINE, THEN WHILE DRIVING, WILL STALL- OFTEN UPON ACCELERATION AT A LIGHT OR INTERSECTION. 2) DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW MOTOR FAILED 3) KNOB FOR HEADLIGHT CONTROL BROKE AT STEM 4) GLOVE BOX LATCH BROKE INTO PIECES 5) LIGHTER FELL APART WHEN A CELL PHONE WAS PLUGGED IN- NEVER USED FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE

• 06/21/2001· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  THERE WAS A THUMPING SOUND AFTER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, A TECHNICIAN INDICATED THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE BRIDGED THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDER GASKET AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE BRAKE FLUID BUILT UP ON THE BRAKE LINING/PAD OF THE BRAKE SHOE, THE BRAKE FLUID IS MANUFACTURED WITH A SILICONE BASE, WHICH APPARENTLY COATS THE BRAKE LINING, AND CAN NOT BE REMOVED, THEREFORE THERE IS POTENTIAL BRAKE FAILURE, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE SILICONE IN THE BRAKE FLUID FORMULATION.*JB