NHTSA Complaint #10142345 — 2001 BUICK CENTURY

THE TEMPERATURE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE GAUGE READ HOT ON MY 2001 BUICK CENTURY AT THE BEGINNING OF A 200 MILE TRIP. I TOOK THE NEXT EXIT, FOUND A STATION WITH A MECHANIC AND ASKED TO HAVE HIM CHECK THE WATER LEVEL IN THE RADIATOR. HE SAID THE BUICK CENTURY HAS A HISTORY OF THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM AND ADVISED THAT I WATCH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER UPON MY RETURN HOME. WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION, MY SON INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS WIFE'S 1999 BUICK CENTURY, ADDED A SEALANT TO THE RADIATOR AND IT SEEMED FINE. WHEN I GOT HOME AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE RADIATOR CHECKED, THE SERVICE MANAGER IMMEDIATELY INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS PROBABLY NOT THE RADIATOR AND THAT THE UPPER PORTION OF THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO THE TUNE OF APPROXIMATELY $700. SIX HOURS LATER HE CALLED TO INFORM ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE INTAKE GASKET AND THE REPAIRS WERE ONLY $648.52. PARTS REPLACED INCLUDED: GASKET KIT, GASKET, SEALER-THE(?), SEAL, SEAL, COOLANT, ADHESIVE, SEAL, ENG., THERMOSTAT (?), GASKET (191.84) LABOR: 428.75. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MY SON TONIGHT TO ADVISE ME THAT HIS '99 CENTURY WAS "STEAMING" AND WAS TOLD BY HIS MECHANIC THAT PROBLEM WAS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. REPAIRS APPROXIMATELY $800. *JB