THE LEFT-FRONT CHROME PLATED WHEEL ON MY 2006 BUICK LUCERNE HAD A STRESS CRACK DEVELOP OVER TIME. AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME IMPACT BECAUSE THERE WAS A SLIGHT FLATTENING OF THE RIM, BUT THE DAY THE RIM FAILED I HAD NO IMPACT WITH ANY ROAD HAZARD WHATSOEVER; THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR CAME ON AND I WAS LOSING AIR FAST. ONCE I COULD GET IN TO HAVE THE WHEEL CHECKED THE HAIRLINE CRACK, INSIDE THE RIM, WAS DISCOVERED. I PURCHASED A NEW WHEEL THROUGH MY BUICK DEALER, AND FILED A CLAIM WITH BUICK FOR SOME AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION. IN MY OPINION A WHEEL OF THIS EXPENSE SHOULD NOT FAIL IN THIS MANNER. MY PREVIOUS VEHICLE, ANOTHER BUICK, WAS DRIVEN FOR 14 YEARS AND 427,000 MILES, AND I NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A WHEEL. THE WHEELS ON MY LUCERNE WERE PRODUCED IN CHINA ("CHINA" IS STAMPED INSIDE THE RIM) AND ARE OF OBVIOUS POOR MATERIAL AND QUALITY - ARE THEY TESTED TO MEET D.O.T. STANDARDS? BUICK HAS DENIED MY CLAIM, BASED ON THE "AGE" OF THE WHEEL. I AM NOT JUST CONCERNED WITH THE COST OF THE WHEEL, BUT ALSO WITH THE SAFETY OF THESE WHEELS. I DRIVE 400-500 MILES A WEEK FOR WORK MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY; I AM CONCERNED OF LOSING A WHEEL AT 65-70 M.P.H. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY OTHER PROBLEMS REPORTED LIKE THIS? I STRONGLY FEEL THIS NEED TO BE CHECKED INTO, ESPECIALLY NOW, WITH TAXPAYER-BASED LOAN MONEY HAVING GONE TO GM AND WITH MORE ON THE WAY, GM NEEDS TO MAKE SURE THEY WILL STAND BY THEIR PRODUCTS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS. *TR
2007
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK
THE OWNER MANUAL STATES: USING ABS. DO NOT PUMP THE BRAKES. JUST HOLD THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN FIRMY AND LET ANTI-LOCK WORK FOR YOU. YOU MIGHT HEAR THE ANTI-LOCK PUMP OR MOTOR OPERATE, AND FEEL THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATE, BUT THIS IS NORMAL. AT SLOW SPEED, GOING DOWN HILL ON SLIPPER SURFACE, IF THE ABOVE INSTRUCTIONS ARE FOLLOWED, ONE CAN END UP IN THE DITCH OR WORSE. THERE IS NO MENTION IN THE INSTRUCTIONS AS TO SPEED BEFORE BRAKES ACTIVATE WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURY OR WORSE. OWNERS' MANUAL INFORMATION IS INACCURATE. ARE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES BEING OVER EMPHASIZED. ARE THEY AS GOOD AS ADVERTISED? *TR