DRIVING AT 45MPH, SMELLED SMOKE FROM WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE DRIVING TIME, THE ENGINE AND ALL POWER CUT OFF. GOT SOMEONE TO HELP PUSH THE CAR OFF ROAD WHEN ANOTHER PERSON NOTICE THERE WAS A FIRE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS DISPATCHED BUT ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED BY THE TIME THEY GOT THERE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. POLICE AND FIRE MARSHALL DETERMINED FIRE CAME FROM ELECTRICAL FUSE BOX INITIALLY. CAR WAS TOTALED BY INSURANCE. *TR
2008
AIR BAGS
I HAVE HAD TWO ISSUES INVOLVING THE NEED TO REPLACE WHAT I UNDERSTAND TO BE THE PASSENGER PRESENCE AIRBAG SENSOR. THIS ITEM CONSISTS OF A COMPLETE ASSEMBLY, THE ACTUAL SEAT PASSENGER SENSOR/SCALE ASSEMBLE AND THE ASSOCIATED COMPUTER. AT ABOUT 18,500 WHILE DRIVING, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND THEN GO OFF. THERE WAS A PASSENGER SETTING ON THE SEAT IN EXCESS OF 125 POUNDS WEARING A SEAT BELT. AFTER SEVERAL COMPLAINTS AND TESTS ,AT 24,008 MILES THE BUICK DEALER REPLACED AN ITEM LISTED ON THE WORK ORDER AS THE “INFLATABLE RESTRAINT PASSENGER SEAT SUPPRESSION MODULE 19124100 MODULE KIT”. AT ABOUT 42,600 MILES A SIMILAR PROBLEM DEVELOPED IN THAT THE AIRBAG READINESS ICON LIGHT, ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CAME ON, INDICATING A COMPLETE AIRBAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. I SOON DISCOVERED THAT POUNDING ON THE SEAT WOULD MAKE THE LIGHT GO OUT UNTIL ANOTHER MALFUNCTION OCCURRED, USUALLY WHEN THE PASSENGER GOT OUT OF THE CAR. AGAIN AFTER REPEATED COMPLAINTS AND TESTS AT 46,713 MILES THE BUICK DEALER INSTALLED AN ITEM LISTED ON THE WORK ORDER AS THE A “PPS MODULE 19258127 REMANUFACTURED MODULE KIT”. BY WHATEVER NAME THIS THE SECOND TIME A COMPLETE PASSENGER PRESENCE AIRBAG SENSOR ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE WHEN THE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED THERE WAS NO AIR BAD PROTECTION FOR THE PASSENGER. IN THE LATTER CASE THERE WAS A COMPLETE AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILURE. THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTEE BUT THE SECOND REPLACEMENT I HAD TO PAY FOR MYSELF. INTERNET SEARCHES HAVE DISCLOSED THAT THERE ARE OTHER 2008 BUICK LACROSSE OWNERS WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE AIRBAG MODULE FAILURE AND COST OF REPLACEMENT. IF BUICK USES PARTS SUBJECT TO REPEATED FAILURE THEIR REPLACEMENT SHOULD BE PAID FOR BY BUICK.
