NHTSA Complaint #10093337 — 2002 BUICK LESABRE

WHILE DRIVING MY DAUGHTER TO A SCHOOL EVENT ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, MY 2002 BUICK LE SABRE'S SPEED STARTED SLOWING DOWN. PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL DID NOT SPEED UP THE CAR. REALIZING THAT SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT, I PANICKED BUT WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR THROUGH TRAFFIC AND FINALLY STALL AT AN EXIT RAMP. I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR AGAIN BUT IT DID NOT WANT TO START. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGH THE FUEL GAGE SHOWED THE CAR DID HAVE GAS. THINKING THAT THE PROBLEM WAS STILL A GAS ISSUE, I CALLED A FRIEND TO BRING SOME GAS. AFTER A 45 MINUTE WAIT I POURED TWO GALLONS INTO THE FUEL TANK. AT THIS TIME I RESTARTED THE CAR BUT WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT, THE SHIFTER FELT VERY LOOSE AND WAS NOT CATCHING ANY GEARS. THE SHIFTER WOULD JUST FALL THROUGH. AFTER TRYING TWO MORE TIMES THE CAR STILL FAILED TO MOVE IN EITHER DIRECTION. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP. AT THE REPAIR SHOP, I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD AN INTERNAL MECHANICAL FAILURE. I MENTIONED TO THE SHOP MECHANIC THAT THERE WAS NEVER ANY TYPE OF INDICATION THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. EVERYTHING CAR WAS WORKING FINE BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE BECAUSE IT OCCURRED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AND I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT IT COULD HAVE TURNED INTO A LIFE AND DEATH ISSUE. IN RESEARCHING THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION MODEL #4T65E FOR MY LESABRE, I NOTICED NUMEROUS MECHANICAL FAILURE COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME TYPE OF TRANSMISSION AND THAT MANY FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED BEFORE THE CAR IS THREE YEARS OLD. EVEN THE SHOP TECHNICIAN WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON A FAIRLY NEW TWO YEAR OLD CAR. THE CAR HAS ONLY 50000 MILES ON IT.*AK I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT THERE BE A RECALL FOR THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE BEFORE A SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH OCCURS. I DO NOT WANT MY FAMILY TO BECOME A STATISTIC. PLEASE LET ME KNOW SOON AS TO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO REMEDY MY SITUATION.