Other Restraint System Info: Automatic Occupant Sensor (Passenger)
Plant City: Oshawa #2
Plant Company Name: NA
Plant Country: Canada
Plant State: Ontario
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: CXL
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Windows: 4
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2008
SERVICE BRAKES
I TURNED RIGHT ONTO A VERY STEEPLY GRADED RURAL ROAD. THE ROAD HAS 3 SERVICE RAMPS TO A MAJOR HIGHWAY, RT 28N. IT ALSO HAS 1 ROAD THAT ALLOWS A R/L ACCESS TO BURTON AND A CROSS TRAFFIC ACCESS TO 28N. I HAD JUST STARTED THE DESCENT DOWN BURTON WHEN I NOTICED THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. I APPLIED THE BRAKE TWICE TO REDUCE SPEED; IT WAS NON-RESPONSIVE. THE CAR CONTINUE TO SPEED DOWN THE HILL FOR APPROXIMATELY 3/4 MILE. THE CAR BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN ABOUT 1/2 MILE BEYOND THE ACCESS ROAD TO 28 N. WHEN I TRIED TO PULL OVER TO A GRAVEL/WEED "SHOULDER" I FOUND THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS ALSO OUT. I COULD NOT PULL COMPLETELY OFF THE ROAD, THUS CREATING A DANGER TO ANY CAR ON BURTON ROAD. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE CAR WAS TOTALLY INOPERABLE. IT HAD TO BE TOWED 20 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP LATE AT NIGHT. THE CAR HAD JUST PASSED THE 50K MILE BUICK INSPECTION. ON THREE PRIOR OCCASIONS, THOUGH, THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH A WINDOW MALFUNCTION, AND TWO DOORS LATCHES ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE SERVICE REPORT STATES THAT THE ENTIRE IGNITION COIL AND MODULE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE IGNITION MODULE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SAME ASSEMBLY DESIGN WAS USED IN THE BUICK LESABRE, THE CHEVY IMPALA, AND ONE OTHER BUICK MODEL. BUICK APOLOGIZED FOR THE FAILURE OF THESE COMPONENTS AND FOR PUTTING ME AND MY PASSENGERS INTO WHAT WAS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF BAIERL CHEVROLET (A QUALITY DEALERSHIP AND SERVICE ORGANIZATION) THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WITH OTHER OWNERS, BUT NONE HAD BEEN IN THE SITUATION I WAS IN. I WANTED TO REPORT THIS BECAUSE I FOUND NO INDICATIONS ON THE BUICK WEBSITE THAT SUCH FAILURES WERE POSSIBLE. HAVING LOST TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN THE CAR AND ITS DESIGN, THAT I TRADED IT IN FOR ANOTHER CAR AND TOOK ON EXPENSES THAT I HAD NOT BUDGETED FOR. *JB
2005
STEERING:COLUMN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN WOBBLING EXCESSIVELY AND THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. THE DEALER ROTATED THE TIRES AND ADJUSTED THE ALIGNMENT. THREE WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE MADE, THE FAILURES RECURRED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,470. UPDATED 01/24/08 *BF UPDATED 01/24/08 *TR
