1999 Buick Lesabre

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

• 12/28/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THE ENGINE STOPS ABRUPTLY WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, DEALER CANNOT FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. NLM

• 12/27/2013· SERVICE BRAKES

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED AND LEAKING. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT REPLACED ONE BRAKE LINE. THE OTHER THREE WERE RUSTED AND SEEPING THROUGH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000. . ..UPDATED 01-10-14 *BF UPDATED 01/1

• 12/18/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLS. *SLC

• 12/15/2011· VISIBILITY

  THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS INTERMITTENTLY STOP WORKING. MULTIPLE AND CONTINUING FAILURES. *TR

• 12/11/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE DRIVING, OIL PRESSURE GAGE CAME ON, POWER SHUT DOWN, CAR STOPPED.

• 12/10/2014· ENGINE

  MY CAR IS A 1999 BUICK LA SABRE WITH A 3.8L ENGINE. JULY/20/2012 MY CAR HAD 80,000 MILES ON IT WHEN MY ENGINE STARTED TO MISS. WHEN I GOT IT LOOKED AT BY MY FRIEND I WAS TOLD THERE WAS COOLANT IN THE CYLINDERS. THE ENGINE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE INTAKE PLENUM LEAKING COOLANT, BECAUSE OF THE EGR SYSTEM. HE THEN FIXED THE CAR. ON NOVEMBER 20, 2014 MY ENGINE HAD 138,000 MILES WHEN IT OVERHEATED ON THE HIGHWAY. I FOUND NO COOLANT IN THE RESERVOIR WITH COOLANT IN THE OIL. WHEN MY FRIEND LOOKED AT MY CAR HE SAID IT WAS THE PLENUM AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME THE COOLANT IN THE OIL MAY HAVE WIPED THE MAIN BEARINGS. THE OVERHEATING MAY HAVE ALSO WARPED THE CYLINDER HEADS. HE TOLD ME AT THE LEAST THERE WAS DAMAGE DONE TO THE BEARINGS. BEING UPSET I LOOKED ONLINE FOR INFORMATION TO FIND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON WITH THAT ENGINE. ALSO THAT GM DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. HAS GM FINALLY ADMITTED TO FAULTY MANUFACTURING? EVEN IF MY CAR IS FIXED I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT. IT MAY LEAVE ME ON THE ROAD IN WINTER SOMEDAY WITH MY YOUNG SON. OR WORSE, STALLING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP? I AM A SINGLE MOTHER GOING TO COLLEGE AND MONEY IS TIGHT. *TR

• 12/07/2004· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKE LINE ON THE 1999 BUICK LESABRE RUSTED. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF OTHERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. *SC *JB

• 12/06/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND THEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD EXPLODED. DT

• 12/04/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGFire

  CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR SEVERAL DAYS, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FINALLY STARTED THE MOTOR CRANKED SLOWLY AS IF THE BATTERY WAS LOW, AND THEN THE ENGINE BACKFIRED LOUDLY AND DID NOT START, FIRE WAS DETECTED UNDER THE HOOD, UPON EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE, A DISCLOSED FAILED PLASTIC AIR INTAKE MOST LIKELY WAS THE RESULT OF THE BACKFIRE, FIRE FROM BACKFIRE ESCAPED THE RUPTURED PLENUM AND SPREAD TO THE REST UF THE UNDERHOOD AREA AND EVENTUALLY TO THE PASSENGER AREA OF THE VEHICLE.*JB

• 12/02/2003· FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

  WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP OR PULLING OUT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE DIED. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. *AK *SCC *JB

• 11/30/2004· POWER TRAIN

  I TOOK MY 1999 BUICK LESABRE TO THE LOCAL BUICK DEALER, HANCOCK BUICK-COLUMBIA,S.C. FOR RECALL WORK THAT YOU LISTED. MY CAR WAS PERFECT BEFORE THEY DID THE RECALL WORK AND AFTER THEY DID THE RECALLS MY CAR JUMPED AND SKIPPED BETWEEN 32 MPH AND 38 MPH. THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR TWO WEEKS AND WHEN I GOT IT BACK ON OCT. 11 THEY MADE ME PAY $282.00 TO GET MY CAR. GENERAL MOTORS HAVE NOT HELPED ME. THEY DID THE RECALL WORK YOU ORDERED, MADE MISTAKES AND CHARGE ME FOR THE MISTAKES THEY MADE. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU COULD GIVE ME. MY VIN #[XXX] AND MY GM FILE # [XXX], I TOLD GENERAL MOTORS THAT THE DEALER I BOUGHT MY CAR FROM WOULD VERIFY THAT MY CAR WAS FINE BEFORE THEY WORKED ON IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. *AK *SC INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

• 11/27/2010· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  CAR WAS GETTING HARDER TO START EACH TIME- RED LIGHT (OVERHEATING) CAME ON WHILE ON A TRIP- ADDED 4 + QTS OF WATER- DROVE 15 MILES- CAR WOULD NOT START--ADDED 3 + QTS OF WATER--TRIED SEVERAL THINGS TO TRY TO START--NOTICED OIL LEVEL WAS UP-- ASSUMED COOLANT WENT INTO ENGINE- REMOVED 3 FRONT SPARK PLUGS--COOLANT RAN OUT OF SPARK PLUG OPENINGS- CAR WAS TOWED 60 MILES- INTAKE MANIFOLD (WARPED), GASKETS, & THERMOSTAT WERE REPLACED- STARTER REPLACED DUE TO BROKEN HOUSING (FROM ATTEMPTING TO START WATER LOGGED ENGINE)- TOTAL EXPENSE APPROX $ 1,000

• 11/21/2000· TIRES

  ALL FOUR OF THE ORIGINAL GENERAL TIRES ON THE VEHICLE WERE EXPERIENCING CUPPING WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE, CONSUMER REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. *MJS

• 11/20/2002· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN CAUSING LOST OF POWER STEERING. DEALER NOTIFIED SAID THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. TS

• 11/16/2003· POWER TRAIN

  MY 1999 BUICK LESABRE VIN [XXX] TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS HARD SOMETIMES WHEN I ACCELERATE ON WET PAVEMENT. IT ALSO DOES THIS IF I DON'T COME TO A COMPLETE STOP FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. IT DID THIS WITH ONLY A FEW MILES ON IT, BUT WHEN CHECKED BY THE AUTO DEALER SERVICE PERSONNEL OF COURSE THEY FAILED TO FIND THIS DEFECT AND WOULDN'T REPAIR MY TRANSMISSION. I COMPLAINED TWICE BUT TO NO AVAIL. *LA INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

• 11/15/2002· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN, CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACK. TS

• 11/10/2014· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,927.

• 11/05/2001· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  WHEN I STARTED THE ENGINE IN THE MORNING, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG, FOLLOWED BY SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD, AND THERE WAS A FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE.*AK

• 11/04/2003· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  CONSUMER BOUGHT NEW BUICK, LASABRA IN 1999, WITHIN 4 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP, BATTERY DIED AND WAS REPLACED TWICE. AVERAGE BATTERY LIFE WAS 5 YEARS OR 60 MONTHS.*AK

• 10/27/1999· VISIBILITY

  WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH IS APPLIED, FLUID COMES OUT ONTO THE WINDSHIELD AND THE WIPERS DO NOT COME ON, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE ROAD AHEAD. DEALER CAN'T FIND THE CAUSE. *AK

• 10/24/2005· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN PRESSING ON THE GAS PEDAL IT HESITATED. ALSO, REAR SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN. THE WINDOW ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WILL NOT GO ALL THE WAY UP AND IT WILL NOT SEAL. ALSO ,THE HEADLIGHTS CAME ON AND STAYED ON. THE DEALERSHIP REPROGRAMMED THE LIGHT AND IT CAME BACK ON. THE MANIFOLD INTAKE BLEW OUT, COSTING THE CONTACT $150 TO REPLACE THE INTAKE GASKETS. THE BRAKES WERE NOISY ALL THE TIME. WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN THE FLAP WILL RUB THE TIRE, AND IT CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT .*AK

• 10/24/2002· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACK CAUSING WATER TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

• 10/21/2008· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THIS CONCERNS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD USED BY GM ON 1998, 1999, 2000, AND SOME 2001 BUICK LESABRE'S EQUIPPED WITH THE 3800 SERIES II V6 ENGINE. FOLLOWING THE FAILURE AND RESULTANT HYDRAULIC ENGINE LOCK OF A NEIGHBOR'S 1999 BUICK LESABRE WITH APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, I VISITED OUR LOCAL BUICK DEALER (LEE CHEVORLET/BUICK - WASHINGTON, NC) TO DISCUSS WHAT APPEARS FROM RESEARCH DONE VIA THE INTERNET TO BE A FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES SO EQUIPPED. IT SEEMS THAT A FAILURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON VEHICLES WITH ABOUT 80K MILES ON THEM, MY WIFE DRIVES SUCH A VEHICLE - A BUICK LESABRE LIMITED PURCHASED FROM LEE CHEVORLET, WASHINGTON, NC ON 2/24/99 IT CURRENTLY HAS 78,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE DEALERSHIP OWNER, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER FREELY REVEALED THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS AND CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES AND IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF A POORLY DESIGNED PART USED ON THEM. THEY ARE PRONE TO FAILURE AT ABOUT THE 80K MILE POINT WHICH RESULTS FROM AN INTERNAL (NOT APPARENT) FAILURE DUE TO MATERIALS DEGRADATION. THE RESULT IS VERY FREQUENTLY THE DISCHARGE OF ENGINE COOLANT INTO THE CYLINDER(S) RESULTING IN A HYDRAULIC LOCK UP WITH FREQUENTLY DISASTROUS RESULTS INVOLVING NOT ONLY AN ENGINE SEIZURE WHILE IN OPERATION BUT ALSO ASSOCIATED SIGNIFICANT ENGINE PARTS DAMAGE. THEIR RECOMMENDATION FOR A REMEDY TO HANDLE THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION IS TO HAVE THE INVOLVED PARTS (TOP AND BOTTOM INTAKE MANIFOLDS) REPLACED WITH "THE GM REPLACEMENT DESIGN RESULTING FROM THE PROBLEM. THESE VEHICLES ARE ALL +/- 10 YEARS OLD AND HAVE OUTLIVED THEIR ORIGINAL 3YR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY. THEY INDICATED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO PERHAPS GET GM TO PARTICIPATE IN A REMEDIATION OF THIS PROBLEM IS TO SPEAK WITH THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE GROUP WHICH I DID YESTERDAY. THEY DENY EXISTENCE OF THE PROBLEM AND WILL PROVIDE NO ASSISTANCE IN THE $800-900 REPAIR. FAILURE OF THIS PART IN OPERATION COULD BE FATAL. *TR

• 10/21/2003· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKE PADS ARE TOO SOFT CREATING BLACK BRAKE DUST.*MR THE CONSUMER STATED BECAUSE OF THE SAW BRAKES, THE FRONT WHEELS BECAME COVERED WITH BLACK DUST. *TS *JB

• 10/18/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WHILE DRIVING 20- 35 MPH ON FOUR OCCAISIONS ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER REPLACED CRANKSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR AND FAULTY IGNITION MODULE WHICH DID CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ALSO, CONSUMER STATED THERE WA SNO NO CORRECTION FOR THE PROBLEM . PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

• 10/17/2003· SEATSCrash

  CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. AT THE TIME OF IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS. SEAT WOULD NOT RECLINE BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION. CONSUMER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO BACK AND KNEES. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WILL BE INFORMED OF THE INCIDENT.*AK

• 10/14/2004· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  COMPLAINT SENT VIA E-MAIL. "I TOOK MY CAR TO THE LOCAL BUICK DEALER TO HAVE THE RECALL WORK DONE . MY CAR RAN PERFECT BEFORE THEY DID THE RECALL WORK AND AFTER THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE MY CAR SKIPPED AND JUMPED BETWEEN 32 MPH AND 38 MPH. I TOOK MY CAR BACK AND THEY KEPT IT UNTIL OCT,. 11. WHEN I PICKED THE CAR UP I HAD TO PAY $282.00 TO GET MY CAR BACK. I HAD TO PAY THE $282.00 FOR THE MISTAKES THE DEALER MADE DURING THE RECALL WORK. GENERAL MOTORS HAS BEEN NO HELP. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU COULD GIVE ME." FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR RECALL 04V090000. *JB

• 10/14/1999· SUSPENSION

  WHILE RIVING AT HIGH SPEED OF 60-70 MPH FRONT END BEGAT TO VIBRATE VERY HARD. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

• 10/12/2007· STEERING

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. THE ENGINE THEN SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP BOLTS SEPARATED AND FELL INTO THE ENGINE. THE DEALER ONLY REPLACED THE BOLTS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 50,700. *UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED IF THE BOLTS COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM ENGINE BLOCK THEN THE REPAIRS WOULD COST $749.00. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

• 10/10/2002· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR AND MANIFOLD FAILED, THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. *SCC

• 10/08/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGFire

  CONSUMER WAS IN THE GARAGE AND TURNED KEY TO VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE, CLAIM 22-V628-103. *SLC

• 10/04/2002· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THERE WERE GASOLINE FUMES COMING THOUGH THE VENTS AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *MR THE CONSUMER STATES THAT FIRST THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS REPAIRED, THEN THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT IT LOOKED LIKE THE MANIFOLD WAS DEFECTED FROM THE FACTORY. *SCC

• 10/04/2000· STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHILE DRIVING DOWN MOUNTAIN & HAD DOWNSHIFTED INTO 2ND GEAR, VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. ENGINE HAD STALLED OUT. HAD NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE. POWER BRAKES & POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKES TO STOP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK

• 10/03/2007· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  1999 BUICK LESABRE WITH A AIR FLOW SENSOR MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED SPORADICALLY. THEN THE ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY. *KB

• 10/01/2002· TIRES

  CONSUMER STATES THAT THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING, P205/70R15, REPLACEMENT TIRES, 1500 MILES, MOUNTED ON A BUICK LESABRE 1999. NLM DOT U9M0 XC83102 A05L

• 10/01/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGFire

  WHILE PARKING VEHICLE, CONSUMER COULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNING, EXPERIENCED FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 05-4681-265. *SLC

• 09/29/2000· SUSPENSION

  VEHICLE EXPERIENCING SEVERE PROBLEM WITH REAR OF VEHICLE BOUNCING AND SCRAPING THE ROAD WHENEVER THERE ARE FOUR OR MORE PASSENGERS IN VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. BUT ONLY TESTED VEHICLE WITH HIMSELF ONLY. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

• 09/29/1999· VISIBILITY

  WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY. 25-40MPH, WOULD HEAR NOISES COMING THROUGH DOORS & WINDOWS WHEN THEY WERE CLOSED. WOULD NOT HEAR NOISE AT LOWER SPEEDS. CONTACTED 3 DIFFERENT DEALERS & EACH MECHANIC HAD TEST DRIVEN VEHICLE. INFORMED BY 1 MECHANIC THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE CORRECTED. *AK

• 09/28/2004· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE BLEW WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS SLOWING FOR A STOP LIGHT. *NM THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED A HARD START AND WAS MISSING. THE COIL PACK WAS REPLACED. THE INTAKE PLENTUM LEAKED WATER INTO THE CYLINDERS. *SC *JB

• 09/28/2004· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  THE BRAKE LINE ERUPTED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BY USING THE VEHICLE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE BRAKE LINE ERUPTED DUE TO RUST/CORROSION. *AK ALL THE BRAKE LINES WERE REPLACED FROM PMV TO THE WHEELS. *NM

• 09/26/2007· SUSPENSION

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE STABILIZER BAR SPLIT IN HALF. THE DEALER CURRENTLY DOES NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WILL HAVE IT REPAIRED ONCE THE PARTS ARRIVE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 66,000. UPDATED 11/14/07

• 09/21/2011· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WHILE PERFORMING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WITH MY SON HE NOTICED ALL THE FRONT BRAKE LINES WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AND CLOSE TO FAILURE. THIS VEHICLE PREVIOUSLY ENCOUNTERED A BURST REAR BRAKE LINE ON 5-19-09, MILEAGE AT THAT TIME WAS 143,304. SEE NHTSA ODI #: 10269462. ALL METAL BRAKE LINES FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER AND TO/FROM THE ABS UNIT AND FRONT WHEELS WERE REPLACED TO AVOID IMMINENT BRAKE FAILURE. SILENTLY RUSTING BRAKE LINES ARE A POTENTIAL FOR SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED BRAKE LOSS, ONLY GIVING THE DRIVER SECONDS TO REACT. *TR

• 09/20/2014· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

  TRAVELING ABOUT 65 - 70 MPH I NOTICED MY SPEEDOMETER WENT 'WACKY', MEANING IT WENT DOWN TO 0 - 20 MPH AND BACK UP AGAIN TO THE SPEED I WAS TRAVELING. NOTHING ELSE HAPPENED. THE NEXT TIME, MAYBE A WEEK TO A COUPLE WEEKS LATER IT DID I IT AGAIN, ONLY I HEARD THE DOORS UNLOCK AND IT HAD DIED. SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO START IT RIGHT BACK UP. I CAN BE OUT ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN TOWN. I USUALLY PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL, START IT AND KEEP GOING. IT HAS HAPPENED AS MANY TIMES AS 3 TIMES A DAY, OR IT WON'T DIE FOR 3-4 DAYS. I DID HAVE ONE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH A SEMI-TRAILER TRUCK BEHIND ME ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE JUST DIED. *TR

• 09/15/2014· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  BATTERY WENT DOWN WHEN CLOCK LEFT ON BECAUSE IGNITION WAS LOOSE OR FAULTY. SO NOW I MAKE SURE CLOCK IS OFF WHEN I SHUT IT DOWN. CAR STARTED UP FINE - DROVE IT 6 MILES - CAME BACK OUT TO START IT AFTER AN HOUR AND NOTHING-NO SOUND NOTHING-ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER I TRIED IT AGAIN AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. THERE HAS BEEN A GRINDING SOUND N CASSETTE PLAYER WITH NO CASSETTE IN IT AT ONE TIME. DASH LIGHTS LIT UP WHILE DRIVING SO AUTOMATICALLY THOUGHT THERE IS SHORT IN DASH BOARD. SECOND TIME I PUT KEY IN AND NOTHING HAPPENED-NO SOUND-NOTHING, WHEN IT FINALLY DECIDED TO START THIS TIME I TOOK TO AUTO ZONE. FIRST THEY SAID BATTERY, BUT BATTERY IS PRETTY NEW, THEN ANOTHER MAN SAID ALTERNATOR. GOT ALTERNATOR FROM SHOP THAT REBUILDS ALTERNATORS AND THEY DON'T THINK IT IS ALTERNATOR. REAR DEFROSTER DOESN'T WORK AND FOR SOME REASON I THINK SHORT OR PROBLEM COULD BE HERE, BUT NOT SURE. I'VE DRIVEN IT MANY TIMES WITH DASH LIGHTS ON, KNOWING THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH CAR. OIL IS GOOD, COOLING GOOD, TRANSMISSION GOOD. IT HAS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. ALTERNATOR BELT IS NOT LOOSE. TODATE, THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. I EVEN THOUGHT IT WAS KEY, SO GOT SECOND KEY AND TRIED IT - NOT THE KEY. *TR

• 09/14/2004· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAD A FUEL LEAK PRIOR TO RECEIVING RECALL NOTIFICATION. *NM THE RECEIVED A DENIAL LETTER WHICH STATED THE PART THAT WAS REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE WAS NOT APART OF THE RECALL. *JB

• 09/13/2004· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINEFire

  THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *NM THE CONSUEMR BELIEVES THAT A FUEL PRESSURE RECALL, WHICH HAD NOT BEEN INITIATED, WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER HE WAS TOLD THAT HIS VHEICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THREE WEEKS AFTER SETTLING MATTER WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THE CONSUMER RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL. *NM

• 09/13/2004· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT BATTERY CABLES WERE NOT GETTING ENOUGH CHARGE TO START THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. *AK THE VEHICLE QUIT RUNNING AFTER SHIMMYING ALL OVER THE ROAD. *SC

• 09/12/2003· POWER TRAIN

  WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE GAS, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER KNEW OF OTHER BUICKS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE WAS SHUDDERING IN THE TRANSAXLE (TRANSMISSION) AND REQUIRED REPLACING THE SOLENOID ASSEMBLY. GM WAS UNWILLING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *SCC *JB

• 09/10/1999· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLCrash

  WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT AT 5-8 MPH, ATTEMPTING TO PARK, VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HAVE A HEAD-ON COLLISION. THIS HAPPENED IN DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS. *AK

• 09/06/2005· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  DT: CONSUMER OWNS A 1999 BUICK LESABRE AND WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKE LINES SUDDENLY CRACKED. THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AFTERWARDS. WHEN TRYING TO APPLY BRAKE PRESSURE THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND THE BRAKES WERE BARELY RESPONDING JUST ENOUGH TO SLOW DOWN. THE CONSUMER HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND LOW GEAR TO STOP. CONSUMER WOULD TRY TO PUMP BRAKES AND THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO GO TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER STOPPED, INSPECTED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, AND DISCOVERED THE BRAKE FLUID WAS VERY LOW. THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS LEAKS FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. THE LEAK FROM THE BRAKE LINES WAS LATER DISCOVERED AT HOME UPON FURTHER INSPECTION. CONSUMER INSPECTED THE BRAKE LINES AND NOTED THERE WAS RUST AT THE AREA OF THE ABS UNIT AND ALONG THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR AS WELL. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR MADE ANY REPAIRS AT THIS TIME. *AK