1999 Buick Park Avenue Complaints

MY 1999 PARK AVENUE SUDDENLY STARTED TO RUN RUFF, CAUSING ME TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A GM DEALER WHO REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, AS WELL AS TWO IGNITION COILS. HE STATED THAT THE PLUGS HAD INDICATION OF BURNS THAT ARE ATTRIBUTED TO ANTI FREEZE COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE PLUGS. DURING THE REPAIR HE ALSO INDICATED THAT HE NOTICED ANTI FREEZE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ENGINE IN THE AREA OF THE PLENUM. THE REPAIRMAN STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 3800 MOTOR, THAT THE PLENUM LEAKS CAUSING ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS DUE TO THE ANTI FREEZE COMING IN CONTACT WITH ENGINE COMPONENTS. HE ALSO STATED THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE IF NOT CORRECTED BY REPLACEMENT OF THE PLENUM AND THE INTAKE GASKET. *TR

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE OCCURRED ON 1999 BUICK PARK AVENUE WITH APPROXIMATELY 45,000 MILES. COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE AND RESULTED IN A MISFIRE CODE IN MULTIPLE CYLINDERS. SYMPTOMS EXPERIENCED BY THE DRIVER WERE A ROUGH IDLE AT START FOR 30 SECONDS, AND THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT WOULD COME ON, SOMETIMES STAYING ON AND SOMETIMES EXTINGUISHING AFTER 15 SECONDS. THE CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY DRIVEN FOR SERVICE. THE DEALER INITIALLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A COMBINATION OF DIRTY FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM (CLEANED REGULARLY, BUT STILL NEEDED TO BE CLEANED AGAIN TO CONVINCE DEALER TO RULE OUT THIS PROBLEM). WHEN PROBLEM PERSISTED IN CYLINDER #6, THE PROBLEM WAS THEN DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR WHICH WAS REPLACED. WHEN THE PROBLEM PERSISTED, IT WAS NOTICED THAT COOLANT HAD GOTTEN INTO CYLINDER #6 IN SMALL AMOUNTS AND CAUSE A MISFIRE. DEALER THEN DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. WEB SEARCHING REVEALS THAT THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM AS THE DESIGN WAS CHAN...

ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS ON FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE DO NOT FUNCTION AND DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED WITH EITHER REMOTE, KEY OR FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK PARK AVENUE. THE VEHICLE HAS BRIDGESTONE INSIGNIA SL, SIZE P225/60R16 TIRES. THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED IN MAY OF 2004. IN MAY OF 2007, THE FIRST TIRE BEGAN TO SEPARATE AT 45,000 MILES WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE OF WHERE THE TIRE WAS LOCATED ON THE VEHICLE. THE SECOND TIRE BEGAN TO SEPARATE AT 78,000 MILES IN SEPTEMBER OF 2007 AND THE THIRD TIRE SEPARATED IN THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER OF 2007 AT 87,000 MILES. THE TIRES WERE BOUGHT IN A SET OF FOUR AND SHE BELIEVES THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT CAUSED 3 OUT OF THE 4 TIRES TO SEPARATE WITHIN MONTHS OF ONE ANOTHER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FIRST TIRE FAILURE AND PAID FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SECOND AND THIRD TIRES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK PARK AVENUE. IN 2004, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V090000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY). HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAD THE RECALL REPAIRED AT 30,000 MILES. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED ALL DAY, THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAUGHT FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SAME DEALER THAT PERFORMED THE RECALL REPAIR AND THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, BUT A MECHANIC AT A DIFFERENT SHOP STATED THAT THE FAILURE ORIGINATED FROM THE ISSUE STATED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. THE VEHICLE IS STILL AT THE DEALER AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 60,000. UPDATED 01-14-08. *KB