NHTSA Complaint #10093597 — 1999 BUICK REGAL

I MENTION THIS BECAUSE OF A POSSIBLE SAFETY HAZARD WHERE IT SEEMS A FIRE COULD START QUITE EASILY. AFTER GIVING A LOCKSMITH A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS TO CHANGE A 1999 REGAL IGNITION CYLINDER, THE FOLLOWING MALFUNCTION CONTINUES. ABOUT 80% OF THE TIME I CANNOT TURN THE IGNITION TO THE OFF POSITION. THE KEY CANNOT BE PULLED OUT UNTIL I AM ABLE TO GET THE IGNITION INTO THE OFF POSITION. IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS NOT ENOUGH OR TO MUCH VOLTAGE GOING TO THE IGNITION SECURITY SYSTEM CAUSING THE IGNITION TO LOCK UP. RECENTLY I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS A SECURITY SWITCH RIGHT BEHIND THE KEY CYLINDER THAT IS MALFUNCTIONING. IT CONSISTS OF A SMALL STEEL PLUNGER TYPE BUTTON THAT IS SUPPOSE TO DEPRESS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN PARK. I FOUND OUT THAT IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE FOR THE DEALER TO REPLACE. THEREFORE I DRILLED A HOLE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A SILVER DOLLAR UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL COLLAR. WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF, I NEED TO PLACE MY FINGER IN THE HOLE AND PRESS THIS BUTTON WHICH ALLOWS ME TO TURN THE KEY INTO THE OFF POSITION. I NOTICED THAT THIS SWITCH BECOMES EXTREMELY HOT. I WOULD THINK THE DEALER WOULD CORRECT THIS WITHOUT COST SINCE IT SEEMS OBVIOUS TO BE A MANUFACTURED BAD DESIGN AND A SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE RECEIVED QUITE OF FEW REPLIES FROM BUICK CUSTOMERS EXPRESSING THE SAME PROBLEM SINCE POSTING THIS ISSUE ON THE WEB.*AK