TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BUICK LUCERNE. THE TIE RODS IN THE VEHICLE WERE REPLACED TWICE WITHIN A THREE YEAR PERIOD. DURING THE FIRST FAILURE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN VIBRATING AND SHAKING WHENEVER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE TIE RODS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER 18 MONTHS. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY TIGHTENED AND GREASED THE TIE RODS. THIS REPAIRED THE FAILURE FOR SIX MONTHS UNTIL IT OCCURRED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE TIE RODS AGAIN. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE TIE RODS WERE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,200 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,000. UPDATED 2/2/09 *CN UPDATED 02/04/09. *JB
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER SAFETY COMPLAINT: I HAVE A NEW 2007 LUCERNE AND I JUST USED IT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A SNOWFALL. UNFORTUNATELY, THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER IS AIMED ABOVE THE WIPER BLADES, WHICH MEANS THAT THERE IS NO DEFROSTING OF THE WINDSHIELD BELOW THE WIPER BLADES. AS THE SNOW IS WIPED DOWNWARDS FROM THE WINDSHIELD BY THE BLADES, IT RESULTS IN THE FORMATION OF A LARGE CLUMP OF ICE FORMING IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE WIPERS, TO WHICH THE WIPERS THEN FREEZE SOLID TO THE ICE. SINCE THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER IS AIMED ABOVE THE WIPER BLADES, THE ICE CANNOT MELT! THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION, BECAUSE THE WIPER BLADES THEN GET COATED WITH ICE, FREEZE TO THE WINDSHIELD AND WILL NOT DEFROST WHILE THEY ARE IN THEIR PARKED POSITION BECAUSE THE DEFROSTER IS AIMED ABOVE THIS PARKED POINT. IN FACT, MY FRIEND WHO ALSO AN IDENTICAL LUCERNE, JUST EXPERIENCED THE SUDDEN BREAKAGE OF THE WASHER FLUID LINE ON THE WIPER BLADE WHEN THE WIPER BROKE FREE OF THIS ICE MASS. THIS IS POOR DESIGN FOR SURE AND A REAL SAFETY HAZARD! *JB
