1996 Buick Skylark

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK SKYLARK. ON JUNE 18, 2008, THE CONTACT RECEIVED AN OWNER'S MANUAL SUPPLEMENT PERTAINING TO THE AIR BAG CONTROLLER MODULE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. HE IS OUTRAGED BECAUSE GM IS REFUSING TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS TO THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE LETTER MENTIONED THAT CONSUMERS HAVE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES DUE TO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO WATER. THE CONCLUSION WAS THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK SKYLARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED ANTIFREEZE ONTO THE MOTOR, WHICH THEN LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE RESIDED IN THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THEY WOULD REPAIR IT FOR A FEE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,992 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

WHILE ON VACATION WE TOOK A TRIP. ON THE WAY HOME AT NIGHT ALL ELECTRICITY DEVICES STARTED TO DIE. I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE DIED AND WOULDN'T START. I HAD IT TOWED HOME AND IT HASN'T STARTED SINCE. I TURN THE KEY AND GET NOTHING. WHEN I TURN THE KEY ON, THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM LIGHT IS LIT AND NEVER GOES OUT. THE BATTERY IS FULLY CHARGED AND I CAN START THE CAR IF I JUMP THE STARTER BUT NOT FROM THE KEY. ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL DEVICES WORK FINE. *JB

I PURCHASED FOUR NEW BRIDGESTONE TIRES (19570S14 BS WTHRFRCB) FOR MY SON'S CAR (1996 BUICK SKYLARK - 6 CYL) IN APRIL 2005 AT SEARS AT OXMOOR CENTER IN LOUISVILLE. ON TUE AUG 16, 2005, HE WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET ON HIS WAY TO WORK WHEN THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT, ACTUALLY DISINTEGRATED. WHEN I SAW IT, IT HAD HOLES ALL AROUND THE SIDEWALL, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A TIRE LIKE THIS. IT LOOKED LIKE SOME ONE HAD SHOT AT IT WITH A MACHINE GUN. THERE WERE PIECES OF THE TIRE ALONG THE STREET AND IN THE PARKING LOT WHERE HE STOPPED. MY SON PUT ON THE SPARE AND WE TOOK IT BACK TO SEARS WHERE IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. FORTUNATELY, HE WAS NOT DRIVING FAST AND WAS NOT ON AN EXPRESSWAY. THIS WAS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH BRIDGESTONE TIRES, AND I DO NOT INTEND TO BUY ANY MORE. *NM

NHTSA RECALL 02-V-070-000: IF THE ENGINE FAILED TO START AND THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE TO HOLD THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENTS FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH AND SOMETIMES PRODUCE ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THE RECALL, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BURNING FOUR STARTERS. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING WITHOUT A WARRANTY. *AK *SCC (THIS DOCUMENT IS AN ADD TO) *JB

THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY NOW I CAN GO OUT TO THE CAR AND IT WON'T START. I CAN WAIT A FEW HOURS OR SO AND IT WILL START RIGHT UP. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I HAD IT TOWED TO THE MECHANIC, THE DAY IT WAS TOWED IN IT WOULDN'T START FOR HIM EITHER. THE NEXT DAY AND THE DAYS FOLLOWING THAT IT FIRED UP EACH AND EVERY TIME HE KEPT IT FROM MON-FRI, HE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HE DID THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST IT SHOWED NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I CALLED TWO BUICK DEALERS, THEY TOLD ME IF THE CAR DOESN'T BREAK DOWN AND STAY BROKEN DOWN THEY CAN'T TELL ME WHATS WRONG BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS TOO INTERMITTENT. BEFORE ALL THIS STARTED THAT ETS OFF LIGHT WAS COMING ON AND STAYING ON AND THE CAR WOULD STALL OUT ON ME, NOW ITS NOT DOING THAT ANYMORE, BUT I NOTICED SOMETHING WHEN I'M PUTTING THE CAR INTO REVERSE FROM PARK I NOTICED THAT THE ETS OFF LIGHT BLINKS. PLEASE HELP ME IF YOU CAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. AND SOMETIMES IT STAYS ON. THE FUEL PUMP SEEMS TO BE WORKING. I HAVE HAD IT LOOKED AT TWICE AND NO ONE CAN FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT.

THE ENGINE OF MY CAR IS A MESS. IT HAS ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM SINCE I BOUGHT IT THREE YEARS AGO. I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE WORKED ON SO MANY TIMES IT IS CRAZY. NOW IT SEEMS THAT I NEED A NEW HEAD GASKET AND WHATEVER ELSE CYLINDER ONE IS KICKING REPORTS ON. I WILL PROBABLY END UP HAVING TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE AND I STILL OWE $4,000.00 ON THIS ONE. WHAT THE HECK...