2003 Buick Regal

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THE ALUMINUM CASTING AROUND THREE OF THE FOUR RIMS WAS PEELING OFF. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THIS HAD BECOME A KNOWN FAILURE AND IT WAS HARD TO RE-SEAL THE WHEELS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 55,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

ON MULTIPLE BUT INTERMITTENT OCCASIONS, WHEN THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS ENGAGED ALL DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS FLASH AND THE VEHICLE STOPS RUNNING. I WAS FORTUNATE IN THAT IT NEVER OCCURRED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, BUT IT STILL REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT DANGER. ON ONE PARTICULAR OCCASION, IT FAILED TO RESTART AND I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED GM DEALER WHO KEPT IT FOR SEVEN DAYS BUT FAILED TO FIND OR FIX THE PROBLEM. INSTEAD, THEY REPLACED "BROKEN AND LOOSE CONNECTORS ON THE FUSE BOX." WHEN THE PROBLEM RECURRED TWO DAYS LATER, I RETURNED TO THE GM DEALER WHO, DESPITE KEEPING THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER THREE DAYS, STILL FAILED TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I DECIDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST BUT FIRST SEARCHED THE INTERNET UNDER "2003 BUICK ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS", AND FOUND THAT THIS WAS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM THAT GM WAS AWARE OF (A GM CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE HAD REPLIED ON ONE OF THE FORUMS - EDMUNDS.COM? - THAT GM READS THESE FORUMS). HAVING LEARNED FROM THE FORUMS THAT THE MOST PROBABLE CAUSE WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH, I TOOK IT TO AN AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST WHO FOUND A DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH AND REPLACED IT. (REGRET OLD PART NO LONGER AVAILABLE). *TR

THE ANTIFREEZE INTAKE GASKET IS LEAKING...IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ANTIFREEZE DEX- COOL THAT I'M USING... I DID SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND A LOT OF BUICK OWNERS HAS TO REPLACE THE INTAKE GASKET MULTIPLE TIMES AND IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO USE GREEN ANTIFREEZE INSTEAD OF DEX-COOL AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS SINCE..SHOULD I CONSIDER USING THE OTHER ANTIFREEZE BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY 800.00 EVERY TIME. *TR

IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. CAUSED ENGINE TO DIE WHILE DRIVING. UNABLE TO CHANGE GEAR OUT OF DRIVE. ALL WARNING LIGHTS FLASHING. WOULD NOT RESTART. HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT, NO DAMAGE. TEMP FIX GOT IT STARTED, THEN SAME THING HAPPENED ON FREEWAY, COASTED TO SHOULDER, NO DAMAGE. TOWED TO DEALER, DETERMINED IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM AND REPLACED. OKAY SINCE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V118000, NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA07008 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE OCCURRED BEFORE THE VEHICLE COULD BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD. SHE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND IT BURST INTO FLAMES SECONDS LATER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, BUT THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUGHT FIRE SO EASILY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 120,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING IN HIS VEHICLE. HE NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V116000 AND GM RECALL NUMBER 90047, WHICH WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER ON MAY 27, 2009. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT OF ANOTHER ISSUE WITH HIS VEHICLE AND STATED THAT HE HAD TO PAY $88, BUT THE CONTACT REFUSED. THE DEALER BELIEVED THAT THE OTHER ISSUE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. TRIED THE MANUAL DASH SWITCH NO LUCK. LIGHTS SUDDENLY CAME ON FOR 5 SECONDS, THEN WENT OUT AGAIN. FOG LIGHTS AND BRIGHT NOT OPERATING. ON THEN OFF AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES, THEN OFF UNTIL I GOT HOME. NEXT DAY EVERYTHING OPERATED CORRECTLY. TRIED TO REPEAT FAULT DURING DAYLIGHT AND AT NIGHT WITH NO SUCCESS. *TR