NHTSA Complaint #10289273 — 1999 BUICK REGAL

IN JUNE 2009 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR 1999 BUICK REGAL THAT THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTED ENGINE FIRES AND THEY WERE ISSUING A RECALL. I HAVE OWNED MY CAR FOR APPROX. 7 YEARS AND THOUGH I PLANNED ON TAKING IT IN TO GET THE RECALL REPAIRED, I HADN'T HAD A CHANCE TO DO IT YET AS OF 9/1/09. I HAD ACTUALLY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE PRIOR WEEK TO SEE IF I HAD TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND THEY SAID NO, TO JUST COME BY ANYTIME. I WORK 6 DAYS A WEEK AND TAKING IT WAS GOING TO BE HARD FOR ME BUT I HAVE ALWAYS GOTTEN IT DONE IN THE PAST. ANYWAY, I DROVE THE CAR 11 MILES FROM MY MOMS HOUSE TO MY HOUSE ON THE 1ST. AND WHEN I GOT HOME I CARRIED IN SOME GROCERIES AND SENT MY SON OUTSIDE TO GET THE REST. HE CAME BACK IN YELLING THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE! MY HUSBAND WHO WAS HOME POPPED UP THE HOOD AND FLAMES WERE ABOUT A FOOT HIGH. I HAD PARKED RIGHT BY THE HOUSE AND HE GRABBED THE HOSE AND MY SONS SWEATSHIRT AND TOGETHER HE AND MY SON PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE BURNED AREA IS RIGHT WHERE THE RECALL DESCRIBED THE FIRE COULD HAPPEN. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REFERRED ME TO THE BUICK RECALL LINE. I CALLED THEM AND THEY TOOK MY INFO. 2 WEEKS LATER I GET A LETTER THAT SAYS MY "WARRANTY CLAIM" HAS BEEN DENIED. I CALLED THE NUMBER BACK AT THE TOP OF THE LETTER BUT IT HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED! I CALLED THE RECALL LINE NUMBER BUT KEPT GETTING A VOICE MAIL AND NO RETURN CALLS BACK. FINALLY ON 10/21 I CALLED THEM AND THEY AGAIN TOLD ME TO CALL THE NUMBER ON THE LETTER AND I SAID IS WAS NOT IN SERVICE AND THEY SAID THE NUMBER WAS PRINTED WRONG AND GAVE ME THE CORRECT NUMBER. I CALLED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT "THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED ON THE CAR AND THAT THEY WERE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO FIX IT AFTER THAT", EVEN THOUGH IT WAS UNDER RECALL, THAT IT WAS MORE OF A "SUGGESTION" FOR REPAIR AND THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO REPAIR IT. THEY SAID UNDER THE WARRANTY LAW, THEY WERE NO LONGER RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS CAR....EVEN THOUGH ITS NOT A WARRANTY SITUATION! THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN MOVED SINCE. *TR