1997 Buick Lesabre

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE REVERSING THE VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL CRACKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STOPPED AND LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. HE NOTICED THAT THE A-FRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS HANGING DOWN WITHOUT WARNING AND THE FRONT SUBFRAME BUSHING WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000. *BF *JS

WHILE ACCELERATING UP TO SPEED FROM A STOP, ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A NOTICEABLE THUMP, THE STEERING WAS ERRATIC, THE CAR VIBRATED AND SHOOK. THE POWER STEERING WAS INOPERABLE. WE SLOWLY DROVE THE CAR HOME (2 MILES) AND UPON EXAMINATION, WE DISCOVERED THE ENGINE CRADLE FRAME WAS HANGING DOWN, ONLY A FEW INCHES FROM THE GROUND. THE ENGINE CRADLE MOUNTING WASHERS (2 ON EACH SIDE) HAD RUSTED THRU, ALLOWING THE REAR OF THE CRADLE TO DROP. I ALSO NOTICED THE RIGHT SIDE SWAY BAR WAS BROKEN OFF AT THE MOUNT ON THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION AND WHEEL ASSEMBLIES ARE FASTENED TO THIS CRADLE, SO THAT'S WHY THE STEERING BECAME ERRATIC - THERE WAS NO LONGER ANY SOLID ATTACHMENT TO THE CAR. AFTER CAREFULLY EXAMINING THE ATTACHMENT POINTS, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY AND STRUCTURAL DESIGN FLAW. THESE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC. WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE WERE ON A STRAIGHT ROAD AT A SLOW SPEED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I NOTICED THERE ARE MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE OF THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK LASABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, HE BEGAN TO TURN TO THE RIGHT, AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WASHERS, WHICH WERE BOLTED TO THE FRAME, WERE SEVERELY CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED TO COVER A PORTION OF THE REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED, BECAUSE THE CONTACT THOUGHT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD COVER ALL COSTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000. UPDATED 08/31/2011 *LN

SEPTEMBER 15TH DRIVING MY 1997 BUICK LESABRE HEARD AND FELT A LOUD BANGING NOISE. LOST ALL STEERING. CAR TAKEN TO GARAGE WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ALL FOUR REAR SUBFRAME CRADLE MOUNT RETAINERS HAD FAILED. ENTIRE ENGINE AND CRADLE FELL DISENGAGING THE STEERING COMPLETELY. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF LESABRE OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS SAME THING OCCUR. GM DID A RECALL ON THE REGALS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WAS THERE EVER A RECALL ON THE LESABRES AND IF NOT...WHY NOT. THIS IS AN OBVIOUSLY VERY SERIOUS DESIGN FAILURE WHICH IS POTENTIALLY FATAL. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED IN MY CASE OR THE LAWYERS WOULD BE HARD AT WORK. MY BUICK IS WELL CARED FOR...SERVICED AND INSPECTED REGULARLY AND THIS STILL OCCURRED. HAS ONLY 87,700 MILES ON IT. IT COST ME OVER $1000 TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM AND MAKE THE CAR SAFE TO DRIVE AGAIN. IS THERE ANY WAY I CAN GET GM TO STEP UP AND ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS? CAN NHTSA HELP? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE AND FELT THE STEERING WHEEL CONTINUE TO TURN IN HER HAND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE CRADLE WASHERS ROTTED; THEREFORE, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STEERED. THE GM MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD MAKE A NOTE AND WAIT FOR OTHERS TO CALL ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,623. UPDATED 04-17-09 UPDATED 04/20/09.*JB

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE CUSTOM. THE ROCKER PANELS RUSTED. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE CONTACT LIVED IN A STATE WHERE THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER. HE FIRST BEGAN TO NOTICE THIS PROBLEM A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. THIS WAS NOT INTERFERING WITH THE DOORS OPENING OR CLOSING, BUT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY OF THIS IN THE FUTURE. THIS WAS OCCURRING ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND DRIVER'S SIDE. *AK

I CAN'T GIVE NAMES YET B/CAUSE OF LEGAL REASONS. BUT, A CLOSE FAMILY MEMBER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN 08-2003, WENT OFF STEEP CLIFF SPEED WAS 5-10 MILES AN HR. ROLLED THE 1997 LASABRE, WAS WEARING SEATBELT AND FOR SOME REASON AIR BAG WENT OFF. ANYHOW HE IS NOW A QUADRAPLEGIC B/CAUSE THE ROOM COLLAPSED ON HIM. THANKS 2 THE WEAK DESIGN.*AK

SEVER INNER RUST/ROTTED AREA IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TRUNK BACK SEAT, WHEEL HOUSING. NOT VISIBLE RUST TO THE NAKED EYE, OR NO SURFACE RUST. CAUSED WATER TO LEAK IN AND CAUSE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO SEAT, CARPET, PADDING. LEAKED TO UNDER FRONT PASSENGER SEAT,SHORTING OUT SENSOR AND DEPLOYED AIR BAG WITHOUT IMPACT. G.M. IS UNHELPFUL. THEY RESPONDED WITH "EVEN IF IT WAS A FACTORY DEFECT I HAD EXCEEDED MY 6 YEAR/100,000 MILE WARRANTY. I CANNOT SEE HOW THIS COULD FALL TO THE CONSUMERS RESPONSIBILITY! I AM HOPEFUL THAT YOU MAY HAVE AN ANSWER THAT COULD BE OF SOME HELP. I ALSO AM DUMBFOUNDED THAT AN AIR BAG WILL GO OFF WITH OUT IMPACT. EVERYTHING I HAVE RESEARCHED ON THEM REPORTS ONLY ON CRASHES, EVEN ON THE G.M.WEB PAGE FOR AIR BAGS THERE IS NOTHING THAT SAYS SHORTING OUT OF A SENSOR DUE TO WATER OR ANYTHING ELSE CAN DEPLOY THEM. SO I ASK WHAT IF A CHILD SPILLED A DRINK AND IT WENT UNDER THE SEAT? WHAT IF MY WIFE OR I PURCHASED A GALLON OF MILK OR WATER, SAT IT ON THE BACK FLOOR AND IT LEAKED? SHOULD THERE NOT BE A SENSOR OR SOMETHING TO TELL THE AIR BAG NOT TO DEPLOY DUE TO THE FACT THE AUTO WASN'T IN AN ACCIDENT? THANK YOU, BRIAN AND LISA HEURING. *JB