NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
196 reportsClear category filter71,456 miles · Apr 29, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
I PURCHASED A '98 BUICK LESABRE - FROM MY BROTHER-IN_LAW, IT ONLY HAD 70,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE HEAD GASKET BLEW CAUSING ME TO REBUILD THE TOP SECTION OF THE MOTOR--THEN AFTER THAT WAS FIXED AND I DROVE THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS MORE -- THE BOTTOM PART OF THE ENGINE BLEW--AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE COMPLETE ENGINE NOT K…
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I PURCHASED A '98 BUICK LESABRE - FROM MY BROTHER-IN_LAW, IT ONLY HAD 70,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE HEAD GASKET BLEW CAUSING ME TO REBUILD THE TOP SECTION OF THE MOTOR--THEN AFTER THAT WAS FIXED AND I DROVE THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS MORE -- THE BOTTOM PART OF THE ENGINE BLEW--AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE COMPLETE ENGINE NOT KNOWING WHAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED BY THE DEALERSHIP "BOYLE BUICK" IN BEL AIR, MD. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10016711
27,000 miles · Apr 28, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE TYPE OF METAL USED IN THE ENGINE WAS FLIMSY, AND ANTI FREEZE ATE THROUGH IT, WHICH RESULTED IN A LEAK. *JB *TS
NHTSA ODI #10017623
Mileage unknown · Apr 2, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
THERE WAS A LOUD BANG, THEN THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE INDEPENDENT SHOP STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT SEEPED INTO THE ENGINE. MR SCC
NHTSA ODI #10011745
70,000 miles · Mar 25, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MY 1998 BUICK LESABRE WENT BAD LAST FALL, WHICH COST ME OVER $1,000 TO REPAIR. THERE WERE ABOUT 70,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE AT THAT TIME. SUBSEQUENTLY, I READ AN ARTICLE IN A NEWSPAPER THAT SAID THE NHTSA WAS INVESTIGATING GM CARS WITH THE 3.8 LITER ENGINES FOR ENGINE FIRES THAT RESULTED FROM THES…
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THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MY 1998 BUICK LESABRE WENT BAD LAST FALL, WHICH COST ME OVER $1,000 TO REPAIR. THERE WERE ABOUT 70,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE AT THAT TIME. SUBSEQUENTLY, I READ AN ARTICLE IN A NEWSPAPER THAT SAID THE NHTSA WAS INVESTIGATING GM CARS WITH THE 3.8 LITER ENGINES FOR ENGINE FIRES THAT RESULTED FROM THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. I AM WONDERING IF A RECALL HAS BEEN/COULD BE ISSUED, OR IF THERE IS ANY WAY OWNERS OF CARS WITH THESE ENGINES CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR THE MASSIVE REPAIR BILLS RESULTING FROM THIS ENGINEERING DEFECT. OF COURSE I AM ALSO VERY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY SINCE I HAVE LEARNED OF THE PROPENSITY FOR FIRES WITH THESE ENGINES. THANK YOU.
NHTSA ODI #10010987
51,000 miles · Mar 24, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
CAR REFUSES TO CRANK SOMETIMES, WAIT 45 MIN-1 HOUR, THEN IT WILL CRANK. ALSO, SLOWING DOWN TO STOP AND CAR JUST DIES, REFUSES TO CRANK, AGAIN WAIT 45 MINUTES - 1 HOUR AND IT WILL CRANK. THIS IS HAPPENING EVERY 2 WEEKS-1 MONTH. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT FIRING, BUT COULD IT BE SOMETHING TO DO WITH FUEL SYSTEM? DEALER KEPT FOR 2 DAYS…
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CAR REFUSES TO CRANK SOMETIMES, WAIT 45 MIN-1 HOUR, THEN IT WILL CRANK. ALSO, SLOWING DOWN TO STOP AND CAR JUST DIES, REFUSES TO CRANK, AGAIN WAIT 45 MINUTES - 1 HOUR AND IT WILL CRANK. THIS IS HAPPENING EVERY 2 WEEKS-1 MONTH. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT FIRING, BUT COULD IT BE SOMETHING TO DO WITH FUEL SYSTEM? DEALER KEPT FOR 2 DAYS AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. BUICK SAID THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10010961
Mileage unknown · Mar 10, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingFire
THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*JB
NHTSA ODI #10011201
66,056 miles · Mar 7, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingFire
THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED SOME PARTS WHILE VEHICLE WAS WARMING UP.*JB
NHTSA ODI #10011128
100,077 miles · Mar 6, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO START, CONSUMER HEARD A POP NOISE, AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. CONSUMER STATED MAYBE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET.*JB
NHTSA ODI #10010080
Mileage unknown · Mar 6, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE ENGINE FAILED.*DT *JB
NHTSA ODI #10008871
23,581 miles · Feb 27, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingFire
THE BATTERY WAS LOW, TRIED STARTING THE MOTOR A FEW TIMES IN THE MORNING. AFTER WAITING ALL DAY, CHARGED THE BATTERY BACK UP TO NORMAL AND STARTED THE CAR. A LOUD BANG AND FLASH WAS NOTED AND THEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH AN EXTINGUISHER. THERE WAS A BACK FIRE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, WHICH IS MADE OF PLA…
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THE BATTERY WAS LOW, TRIED STARTING THE MOTOR A FEW TIMES IN THE MORNING. AFTER WAITING ALL DAY, CHARGED THE BATTERY BACK UP TO NORMAL AND STARTED THE CAR. A LOUD BANG AND FLASH WAS NOTED AND THEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH AN EXTINGUISHER. THERE WAS A BACK FIRE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, WHICH IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND IT EXPLODED CASUSING THE ENGINE TO CATCH FIRE. VISUAL DAMAGED CAUSED BY THE FIRE WAS TO THE FUEL LINE, AIR LINE AND WIRE HARNESS. VEHICLE IS 4.5 YEARS OLD AND ONLY HAS 23,000 MILES ON IT.*JB
NHTSA ODI #10008192
NHTSA investigations
2EA02030 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 9, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
PE02050 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Jun 13, 2002 · Closed Oct 22, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.
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