NHTSA Complaint #10451736 — 1995 BUICK PARK AVENUE

WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN FEBRUARY OF 2012. THE BODY, INTERIOR, ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ARE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. THE CAR WAS SOLD IN GREAT CONDITION AND I WAS TOLD OF NO MAJOR MECHANICAL ISSUES. I PERFORMED A CARFAX ON THE CAR AND FOUND THAT THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE WAS FOLLOWED AND FOR THE FIRST 80,000-90,000 PLUS MILES WAS ONLY DRIVEN BETWEEN 5000-6000 MILES PER YEAR FOR THE FIRST 14 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND TEST DRIVING I BEGAN TO NOTICE A NOISE AND DECIDED TO PERFORM A BREAK JOB AND INSPECT THE SUSPENSION WHEN I FOUND THE SUBFRAME CROSSMEMBER RUSTED/ROTTED OUT ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. THIS PART SUPPORTS THE ENGINE AND OTHER VITAL PARTS IN THE SUSPENSION. INSPECTION OF THE REAR SHOWED ONLY MINOR RUST. AFTER HAVING THE CAR INSPECTED BY A SECOND PARTY I WAS WARNED THAT TO DRIVE THE CAR WITH THIS ROT COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT AND WOULD BE DANGEROUS UNTIL REPAIRED. THE BREAK THROUGH OF THE RUSTED/ROTTED AREA COULD EASILY BE CAUSED BY HITTING REPEATED BUMPS, LARGE POTHOLES, OR BY DRIVING OVER RAILROAD TRACKS. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE RUST/ROT OF THE SUB MEMBER CROSSFRAME WAS ABNORMAL AND PROBABLY CAUSED BY DEFECT IN THE MATERIAL/FRAME, SEEING THAT THE RUST/ROT WAS MOST SEVERE IN THIS ISOLATED AREA WITH ONLY MINOR RUST ELSEWHERE. CARFAX REPORTS LIST THIS CAR IN VERY GOOD CONDITION WITH NO REPORTING BY THE BUICK DEALER OR THERE MECHANICS THAT PERFORMED A MAJORITY OF THE MAINTENANCE ON THIS VEHICLE AS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH ROT IN THE SUBFRAME CROSSMEMBER THOUGH THE PROBLEM IS PRESENT AND SEVERE. IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE NEED OF A BRAKE JOB THIS DEFECT IN QUALITY OF WORKMANSHIP/MATERIALS WAS LIKELY TO LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT AT SOME POINT AND CAUSE INJURY OR POSSIBLY DEATH. *TR