1997 Buick Lesabre

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALER OR A MECHANIC. HIS VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V116000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM). THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 50,075. UPDATED 12/12/07

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AS TIME PROGRESSED, THE RATTLING NOISE GRADUALLY INTENSIFIED. THE OIL PRESSURE BEGAN TO DECREASE AND INCREASE RANDOMLY AND FLUCTUATE FROM LOW TO NO PRESSURE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE OIL PUMP FAILED AND IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 162,000.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER FILLING THE FUEL TANK, THERE WAS A VERY STRONG SMELL OF FUEL IN AND AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK COMING FROM THE THE PIPING ABOVE THE FUEL TANK. THE PIPES WERE ALSO OBSERVED TO BE RUSTED. A SERVICE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND BOTH THE DEALER AND THE PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT MANUFACTURER DID NOT USE THE CORRECT QUALITY PARTS.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE BACK FIRED CAUSING AN EXPLOSION WHEN AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO TURN VEHICLE ON. THE VEHICLE WAS RENDERED UN-DRIVABLE AND WAS TOWED TO DEALERS FOR SERVICE. THE DEALERS DETERMINED THAT A LEAKY FUEL REGULATOR CAUSED THE BACK FIRE THAT DESTROYED UPPER INTAKE OF MANIFOLD, WHICH COULD ALSO LEAD TO FIRES. THE DEALERS REPLACED THE FUEL REGULATOR AND UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED TO SEE IF VEHICLE WAS PART OF A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURERS DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID # 96V116000 REGARDING THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. *AK

DT: CONSUMER STATES THAT ON JULY 1, 2005 VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND HE THOUGHT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. WHEN HE TRIED TO GET A JUMP AND START IT THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD BACKFIRE NOISE. AT THAT POINT, HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR MAN, AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS RECALL 96V116000. HE WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND ASKED ABOUT THE RECALL, DEALERSHIP THEN CHECKED WITH GENERAL MOTORS, AND WAS TOLD THE RECALL WAS FOR CANADA., AND BECAUSE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN THE U.S. IT WOULD NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. CONSUMER THEN CALLED BUICK AND WAS TOLD THE SAME INFORMATION. *AK

I HAVE A GASOLINE LEAK AT THE JOINT WHERE THE FUEL LINE FROM THE FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT JOIN THE FUEL LINE THAT CONNECTS THE FUEL FILTERING FRONT OF THE RIGHT SIDE REAR WHEEL. AFTER DISCOVERING THE ODOR OF GASOLIONE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR, THE ONLY ACTION I HAVE TAKEN IS TO TAKE MY VEHICLE TO A BUICK DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. EVEN THOUGH THE FUEL LINE SHOWS SIGNIFICATE CORROSION, BUICK HAS DENIED RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE ON THIS CAR. I HAVE REQUESTED RELIEF FROM BUICK THRU GENERAL BUICK CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE ONLY TO BE DENIED AGAIN,TODAY, 10/19/2004. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY BUICK THAT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THIS REPAIR (VALUE BETWEEN $400-$750). IN MY OPINION, FUEL LEAKS OF ANY NATURE SHOULD NOT PRESENT AN ISSUE TO THE CONSUMER FOR LIFE OF AUTOMOBILE. I AM REQESTING THAT THE ABOVE INFORMATION BE ADDED TO YOUR DATABASE IN THE EVENT THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED COMPLAINT.*AK

WHEN CONSUMER STARTING THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A HUGE EXPLOSION, THEN FIRE BROKE OUT UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED THE BATTERY WAS STILL SMOKING, AND THE ENGINE AND WIRES WERE BURNT. RECALL 96V116000 WAS ISSUED FOR THE FUEL CARBURETOR MANIFOLD INTAKE. BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *LA