NHTSA Complaint #10260930 — 1997 BUICK LESABRE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT SMELLED A VERY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. WHILE PERFORMING A ROUTINE INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT HALF OF THE RADIATOR FLUID WAS MISSING. HE ADDED MORE RADIATOR FLUID AND NOTICED THAT FLUID CONTINUE TO DISAPPEAR IN THE VEHICLE EVERY FOUR DAYS. AFTER NUMEROUS REFILLS OF RADIATOR FLUID, HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE MAIN GAS LINE WAS LEAKING, WHICH CAUSED THE STRONG ODOR. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V116000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM). THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 153,000.