NHTSA Complaint #10246201 — 1999 BUICK LESABRE

THIS CONCERNS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD USED BY GM ON 1998, 1999, 2000, AND SOME 2001 BUICK LESABRE'S EQUIPPED WITH THE 3800 SERIES II V6 ENGINE. FOLLOWING THE FAILURE AND RESULTANT HYDRAULIC ENGINE LOCK OF A NEIGHBOR'S 1999 BUICK LESABRE WITH APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, I VISITED OUR LOCAL BUICK DEALER (LEE CHEVORLET/BUICK - WASHINGTON, NC) TO DISCUSS WHAT APPEARS FROM RESEARCH DONE VIA THE INTERNET TO BE A FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES SO EQUIPPED. IT SEEMS THAT A FAILURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON VEHICLES WITH ABOUT 80K MILES ON THEM, MY WIFE DRIVES SUCH A VEHICLE - A BUICK LESABRE LIMITED PURCHASED FROM LEE CHEVORLET, WASHINGTON, NC ON 2/24/99 IT CURRENTLY HAS 78,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE DEALERSHIP OWNER, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER FREELY REVEALED THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS AND CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES AND IS THE DIRECT RESULT OF A POORLY DESIGNED PART USED ON THEM. THEY ARE PRONE TO FAILURE AT ABOUT THE 80K MILE POINT WHICH RESULTS FROM AN INTERNAL (NOT APPARENT) FAILURE DUE TO MATERIALS DEGRADATION. THE RESULT IS VERY FREQUENTLY THE DISCHARGE OF ENGINE COOLANT INTO THE CYLINDER(S) RESULTING IN A HYDRAULIC LOCK UP WITH FREQUENTLY DISASTROUS RESULTS INVOLVING NOT ONLY AN ENGINE SEIZURE WHILE IN OPERATION BUT ALSO ASSOCIATED SIGNIFICANT ENGINE PARTS DAMAGE. THEIR RECOMMENDATION FOR A REMEDY TO HANDLE THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION IS TO HAVE THE INVOLVED PARTS (TOP AND BOTTOM INTAKE MANIFOLDS) REPLACED WITH "THE GM REPLACEMENT DESIGN RESULTING FROM THE PROBLEM. THESE VEHICLES ARE ALL +/- 10 YEARS OLD AND HAVE OUTLIVED THEIR ORIGINAL 3YR/36,000 MILE WARRANTY. THEY INDICATED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO PERHAPS GET GM TO PARTICIPATE IN A REMEDIATION OF THIS PROBLEM IS TO SPEAK WITH THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE GROUP WHICH I DID YESTERDAY. THEY DENY EXISTENCE OF THE PROBLEM AND WILL PROVIDE NO ASSISTANCE IN THE $800-900 REPAIR. FAILURE OF THIS PART IN OPERATION COULD BE FATAL. *TR