2003 Buick Park Avenue

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK PARK AVENUE ULTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK FROM THE ENGINE INTAKE WHICH WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THREE MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER HAD GONE OUT OF BUSINESS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,200.

S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING RE PROBLEMS WITH 2003 BUICK PARK AVENUE POSSIBLE SAFETY RECALL ISSUE FOR INTAKE MANIFOLD AND GASKET. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED HE RECEIVED A CALL FROM A GM EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT RESPONDING TO A LETTER THAT WAS SENT TO THEM. SHE DISMISSED THE CONSUMERS CONCERN BECAUSE HE DIDN'T TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR THE REPAIR WHEN THE PARTS FAILED A SECOND TIME. HOWEVER, BOTH TECHNICIANS WHO REPAIRED THE MANIFOLD AND GASKET WITHIN A TWO- YEAR PERIOD TOLD THE CONSUMER THE OEM REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE SUBSTANDARD. THE PARTS WERE MADE OF PLASTIC AND HAD DEGRADED.

2003 BUICK PARK AVENUE. CONSUMER STATES POSSIBLE SAFETY DEFECT WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND GASKET. *TGW THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A CALL FROM A GMC EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT. THE CONSUMER STATED HIS CONCERN WAS DISMISSED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR THE REPAIR WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED A SECOND TIME AND WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. HOWEVER, BOTH TECHNICIANS WHO REPAIRED THE MANIFOLD AND GASKET WITHIN A TWO YEAR PERIOD STATED THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE SUBSTANDARD DUE TO THEM BEING MADE OF PLASTIC AND HAD DEGRADED. *JB

I RECENTLY RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM STATING THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH COOLANT LEAKS AROUND GASKETS AT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD OR AT THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH MIGHT "CAUSE HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURES". THE LETTER SAYS IT IS A "VOLUNTARY CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM". THE SUGGESTED FIX IS TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND HAVE THEM CHANGE SOME OF THE FASTENERS AND THEN "ADD COOLING SYSTEM SEALANT" TO THE RADIATOR. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT PUTTING COOLING SYSTEM SEALANT IN A BRAND NEW CAR (AND THUS REDUCING THE LIFE OF THE RADIATOR) IS AN UNACCEPTABLE FIX FOR A POSSIBLE GASKET PROBLEM. I WOULD THINK THAT THE COMPANY NEEDS TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS INSTEAD, IF THEY ARE THE FAULTY PART. HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED THE NUMBER THAT GM SUPPLIED THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE GASKET AND THAT IF WE DID NOT HAVE THE REPAIR DONE AS STATED IN THEIR LETTER AND THE GASKET SUBSEQUENTLY FAILED AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD WAS OVER, WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE FULL COST OF THE REPAIRS. IT APPEARS THAT THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT NHTSA NEEDS TO CHECK INTO AS A POTENTIAL RECALL FOR ALL OF THE CARS WITH THIS TYPE OF ENGINE SOLD THROUGH GM AND PROVIDE THE CUSTOMER WITH AN ACCEPTABLE FIX FOR THE PROBLEM WITHOUT GUMMING UP THE RADIATOR ON A CAR WITH LESS THAN 7,000 MILES ON IT. PLEASE ADVISE ME OF MY OPTIONS WITH THE ABOVE PROBLEM. I MADE MY BEST EFFORT TO SOLVE IT WITH THE COMPANY AND GOT A POOR OPTION AS A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE TO TALK WITH. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR LOOKING INTO THIS SITUATION.