1997 Buick Park Avenue

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE SHE HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE, THEN SHE NOTICED SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE INFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 129,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE. AFTER HAVING NEW TIRES PLACED ON THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DROVE AWAY AND FOUND THAT THE STEERING WHEEL FELT UNEVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WAS ABOUT TO FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRAME THAT HOLDS THE ENGINE WAS RUSTED OUT. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE FRAME AND THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY OPERATES NORMALLY. THE CONTACT READ IN CONSUMER REPORT THAT THERE WERE RECALLS FOR THE FRAME ON OTHER BUICK MODELS, BUT NOT FOR THE PARK AVENUE. HE FEELS THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,530 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,669.

MY VEHICLE IS A 1997 BUICK PARK AVE WITH 140,000 MILES. I'M THE SECOND OWNER. MY IN-LAWS WERE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS. I GOT THE VEHICLE FROM THEM IN 1999 WITH APPROXIMATELY 9000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THEREFORE, I KNOW THE COMPLETE CAR CARE HISTORY OF THIS VEHICLE. YESTERDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2008 MY GRANDDAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THIS CAR AND SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO LOST OF STEERING CAPABILITIES. NO ONE WAS INJURED NOR BODY DAMAGE DUE TO HER LOW SPEED WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE CRADLE SPLIT INTO PIECES DUE TO RUST AND THIS CAUSED THE STEERING TO FAIL SINCE THE STEERING RACK IS MOUNTED TO THIS ENGINE CRADLE. THE RUST THROUGH OF THIS THE ENGINE CRADLE (OR ENGINE FRAME) WAS CONFIRMED BY THE REPAIR SHOP TODAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2008. THE REPAIR SHOP INDICATED THAT THE 1997 BUICK PARK AVE'S HAD A STEEL ENGINE CRADLE AND THAT THE MOISTURE AND SALT GETS CAUGHT WITHIN THIS BOX FRAME DUE TO IT'S POSITION DIRECTLY BEHIND THE WHEEL WELLS. THE REPAIR SHOP INDICATED THAT 1998 PARK AVE'S( AND AFTER) HAVE ALUMINUM ENGINE CRADLES BUT THAT THE 1998 PART WILL NOT FIT THE 1997 BUICK PARK AVE. THE ONLY REPAIR IS TO FIND ANOTHER USED ENGINE CRADLE FROM A 1997 BUICK PARK AVE WHICH COSTS APPROXIMATELY $400 TO $500 JUST FOR THE USED PART. THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE IS TO BUY A NEW ENGINE CRADLE FROM A GM DEALERSHIP FOR APPROXIMATELY $1200 TO $1400. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS ENGINE CRADLE IS A VERY CRITICAL PART OF THE FRAME OF THE CAR AND SHOULD NOT RUST THROUGH WITHIN 10 YEARS. ALL OF THE STEERING CONTROLS ARE MOUNTED TO THIS PART AND WHEN THIS ENGINE CRADLE FAILS ALL STEERING CAPABILITIES ARE LOST. PLEASE REVIEW THIS WEB SITE FOR THE SAME PART FAILURE BY OTHER 1997 BUICK PARK AVE OWNERS (HTTP://WWW.ALLWORLDAUTO.COM/COMMENTS/1997_BUICK_PARK_AVENUE_COMMENTS_AND_COMPLAINTS_C42-256-1997-312-1.HTML. *TR

1. !997 BUICK PK. AVE. FRAME RUST OUT WITH FAILURE OF RIGHT FRONT STEERING. LIFE THREATENING DEFECT IN ENGINE CRADLE. 2. ALL 4 ALERO COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED PUNCTURING L FRONT TIRE RISKING LIFE.3. FLOODED PASS. SIDE DUE TO DEFECTIVE FIREWALL BAFFLE ON INTRIGUE.4. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET DEFECTIVE 2 3.8 L. ENGINES REPAIRED PK. AVE. AND INTRIGUE. ALL DEFECTIVE PARTS - NO ADMISSION OR OFFER OF ASSISTANCE THRU GM COMPLAINT MECHANISM EVEN WITH BBB HELP. ALL KNOWN DEFECTS REPORTED ON LINE BY OTHERS. FRAME RUST OUT PUT UNUSUAL BUT CLEARLY DEFECTIVE RISKING MY LIFE - GM REFUSED TO VIEW PARTS. PUBLIC SAFETY AT RISK . PROFITS OVER SAFETY. NUMEROUS OTHER SMALL DEFECTS INSIDE AND OUT PK. AVE. FULLY DOCUMENTED. *JB

THE "CRADLE" OF THE FRAME OF OUR 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE FAILED BY RUSTING THROUGH. I'VE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND IT HAS BEEN WALLOWING ALL OVER THE ROAD, HOPPING SIDEWAYS WHEN I HIT BUMPS, PULLING TO THE LEFT WHEN I BRAKED AND ONE OF THE FRONT TIRES STARTED SQUEALING WHEN I WENT AROUND A CORNER. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO CONVINCE MY HUSBAND THAT SOMETHING WAS AMISS WITH IT AND PERHAPS IT NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. HE FINALLY DROVE IT YESTERDAY, REALIZED THERE WAS SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG, AND DISCOVERED THE PART OF THE FRAME WHERE THE ENGINE RESTS, AND WHERE THE WHEELS ARE ATTACHED, WAS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH AT A SPOT WELD NEAR WHERE THE TIE ROD IS BOLTED ON. IT'S ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT IT DIDN'T COMPLETELY FAIL AND RESULT IN A INJURIOUS ACCIDENT, OR PERHAPS EVEN DEATH. I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED WHEN I PLAY BACK IN MY HEAD, DRIVING ON I-696 IN THE RAIN, IN DETROIT, AT NIGHT, WITH MY FRIENDS COMING HOME FROM A NIGHT AT THE FOX THEATRE, OR WHEN MY SONS AND I WENT OUT FOR MY BIRTHDAY. WOULD I BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR IF THE FRONT WHEEL FELL OFF AT 70 MPH? MY BROTHER WORKS FOR JEFFERY BUICK-NISSAN IN ROSEVILLE, MI. I TALKED TO HIM ABOUT IT THIS MORNING. HE SAYS THE FRAME SHOULD NOT HAVE RUSTED THROUGH IN A NINE YEAR OLD CAR. IN FACT, HE SAID THERE WAS ANOTHER 1997 BPA IN HIS SHOP WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER HEARING ABOUT A CAR FRAME RUSTING THROUGH, EVER. IN ANY CAR. IT STANDS TO REASON THAT IF THERE ARE TWO 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, AT THE SAME TIME, THERE ARE PROBABLY MORE. I REALIZE THE CAR IS NINE YEARS OLD, BUT SURELY, SOMETHING AS FUNDAMENTAL AS A CAR FRAME CAN BE EXPECTED TO LAST LONGER THAN NINE YEARS. I BELIEVE IT WAS A MANUFACTURING FLAW AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPAIR IT. SINCE THIS JUST HAPPENED YESTERDAY, I'VE MADE NO ATTEMPT TO REPAIR IT YET. MY BROTHER WILL LOOK AT IT FIRST AND DIRECT ME. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE. I'M STRANDED. *JB

FRONT SUB FRAME OF 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE ROTTED AND COLLAPSED. FORTUNATELY IT HAPPENED WHEN BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. AXEL ASSEMBLY PULLED OUT OF SOCKET. PICTURES WERE TAKEN AT THE SEEN AND PICTURES AND VIDEO AT THE DEALER NEXT DAY. REAR SUB FRAME APPEARS TO BE FINE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE MAIN FRAME OF A $40,000 PLUS VEHICLE SHOULD NOT FAIL IN LESS THAN 10 YEARS? 100,000 MILES. PICTURES SHOW MUCH DETAIL OF ROT. GM 'S BEST OFFER WAS TO REPLACE SUBFRAME PART ONLY. NO LABOR OR OTHER DAMAGE TO BE PAID FOR. PHOTOS AVAILABLE. PLEASE HELP. *NM

DT: 1997 PARK AVENUE BUICK THE SUB FRAME THAT HOLDS THE ENGINE/ ENGINE DRIVE ,AND STEERING WHEELS CORRODED. THERE WAS FAULTY MATERIAL ON THIS SUB FRAME BECAUSE IT ROTTED, ENABLING THE DRIVER'S FRONT WHEEL TO BREAK AWAY FROM ITS MOUNTING, AND LEAVING THE VEHICLE IN A HAZARDOUS CONDITION. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED, WHICH WAS UNUSUAL TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. MENTIONED HE HAD NEVER SEEN A PARK AVENUE OF THAT YEAR WHERE THE FRAME ROTTED. IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $725.00 WITH LABOR AND USED FRAME. *AK