1998 Buick Lesabre

VEHICLE RETURNED FOR INSPECTION WITH REGARD TO 04V090 12/13/04 COMPLAINTS POOR PERFORMANCE, FUEL ECONOMY, HARD STARTING, AND USE OF DEXCOOL ANTI-FREEZE SINCE RECALL PERFORMED. DECOOL ANTI-FREEZE ENTERING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OF ENGINE, AND ENGINE OILING SYSTEM FROM FAILURE OR RUPTURE OF UPPER INTAKE PLENUM NEAR EGR PASSAGE. ANTI-FREEZE HAS FILLED ENGINE LIFTERS CAUSING NOISE/FAILURE, FILLING COMBUSTION CHAMBER CAUSING HYDRO-LOCKING OF ENGINE, COULD CAUSE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF ENGINE RESULTING IN POSSIBLE FIRE OR ACCIDENT. DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR UNDER 04V090 MANIFOLD OVER PRESSURE CONDITION STATED REPLACEMENT OF UPPER & LOWER INTAKE, LIFTER, PLUGS, OIL, ANTI-FREEZE AT A COST OF $1,150 ON VEHICLE THAT HAD 77,827 WHEN THE RECALL WAS DONE, AND NOW HAS 80,407 MI. WHICH IS LESS THEN 3,000. THIS COULD VERY WELL HAVE HYDRO-LOCKED THE ENGINE AT FREEWAY SPEED,OR CAUSED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE RESULTING IN SEVERE DAMAGE, INJURY, AND POSSIBLE FIRE FROM ENGINE OIL & FUEL HITTING THE HOT CATALYTIC CONVERTER!*AK

THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AFTER RE-FUELING. THE ENGINE CRANKED BUT WOULDN'T TURN OVER. THE DEALERSHIP WITHOUT INSPECTING THE VEHICLE IDENTIFIED THE INTAKE PLENUM ( MANIFOLD) AS THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS A SMALL HOLE WHICH CAUSED THE OIL TO MIX IN WITH THE WATER/ ANTI FREEZE. THIS PART HAS BEEN UPGRADED IN THE 2002 AND LATER MODELS. THE PLENUM PART #FH10095 MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED. *JB....*AK

WHILE PLACING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE A LOUD POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR. THEN, VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE INTAKE EXHAUST MANIFOLD SYSTEM, AND A HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK. ALSO, EXHAUST MANIFOLD COVER BLEW OFF.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

COMPLAINT AGAINST GENERAL MOTORS CORP CONCERNING AN UNSATISFACTORY TRANSACTION . *BF WHILE DRIVING THE SES LIGHT ILLUMINATED. A FEW DAYS LATER THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE BEING DRIVEN AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE COOLANT PASSAGE IN THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING INTO THE LOWER INTAKE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLDS. SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE MADE THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. THE CONSUMER SUBMITTED ALL PAPERWORK FOR REIMBURSEMENT BUT HASN'T RECEIVED IT YET. *NM

WHILE DRIVING,IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT ON A RECALL AND THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. *AK THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED WATER WITHOUT UNKNOWINGLY AND WOULD BLOW OUT AND INGEST ALL OF THE WATER FROM THE RADIATOR AND ALSO THE OVERFLOW INTO THE MOTOR. *SC

ON JANUARY 2004 AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE OF $1, 1000, FIVE MONTHS LATER, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL #04V090000 WHICH STATED THAT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3800 V6 (L36) ENGINES AND CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, THE REGULATORS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER THAN USUAL RATE OF FUEL LEAKS. A LEAK CAN ALLOW FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH A VACUUM LINE. THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER THE RECALL WAS THE FUEL PRESSURE NO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT A DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE BROKE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *AK THE WAS ATTEMPTING TO STALL WHILE IN MOTION, WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHED HOME THE VEHICLE DIED. THE ENGINE TURNED BUT DID NOT START. THE INTAKE WAS LEAKING COOLANT INTO CYLINDERS. *SC

JULY 11, 2002: WE HAD TO HAVE 5 INJECTORS REPLACED BY JORDAN OLDSMOBILE-BUICK, HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS. COST: $709.42. MILEAGE WAS 82,260. OCTOBER 31, 2002: WE HAD TO TAKE OUR CAR TO ORR PONTIAC, CADILLAC, TOYOTA, HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS, BECAUSE THE CAR MISFIRED (OR BACKFIRED) ON US. THE WORK ORDER STATES: CUSTOMER STATES THAT OIL LIGHT AND TEMP LIGHT CAME ON; CAR WAS LOW ON COOLANT AND HAD TO ADD WATER, SAID A LOT OF WHITE SMOKE CAME OUT OF TAIL PIPES AND HAD VERY BAD SULFUR SMELL. INTAKE LEAKING, FLOODING CYL WITH COOLANT. REPLACED : TWO MANIFOLDS, COOLANT, OIL, ETC. COST: $1398.66. MILEAGE: 88,103. NOVEMBER 15, 2002: OIL GAUGE GOES TO RED AND ENGINE HAS KNOCK. DIAGNOSIS WAS INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGEI WAS TOLD THAT PARTS OF THE ENGINE HAD BEEN MADE OF PLASTIC AND THIS PLASTIC HAD MELTED. COMPLETE NEW ENGINE. COST: $4174.94. MILEAGE: 88,821.