NHTSA Complaint #10511731 — 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE

AN AUDIBLE "SLOSHING" SOUND HAD BEEN DETECTED FOR SOME TIME BUT ORIGIN/EXACT LOCATION OF SOUND NOT IDENTIFIED. WHEN PARKING CAR AFTER DRIVING IN THUNDERSTORM ALL WARNING SYSTEMS LIGHTS FLASHED, RADIO STOPPED, AND RADIO AND TURN SIGNALS FAILED. CAR DID RESTART AFTER SITTING FOR BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME AND SYSTEMS WORKED EXCEPT FOR XM RADIO. TOOK VEHICLE TO BUICK DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS LEAKING WINDSHIELD, REMOVED AND REINSERTED FUSE FOR XM RADIO, AND REFERRED TO COMPANY WHO HAD REPLACED WINDSHIELD SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE. WINDSHIELD COMPANY DETERMINED WINDSHIELD NOT LEAKING, BUT DRAINED WATER FROM MOTOR BLOWER AND BLEW OUT DRAINAGE TUBES. ONE WEEK LATER, WATER STARTED TO POUR ON TO PASSENGER FLOOR MAT. WARNING LIGHTS FOR ALL SYSTEMS FLASHED AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN AND CARE WOULD NOT RESTART FOR A FEW MINUTES (AND COULD NOT CONNECT TO ONSTAR). WHEN CAR RESTARTED, LIGHTS DID WORK, BUT TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS INSIDE CAR DID NOT, NOR DID SPEEDOMETER, POWER WINDOWS, PASSENGER AIRBAG, ETC. HAD TO DRIVE 60 MILES TO DEALERSHIP WITHOUT THESE WORKING. PAID TO HAVE "FOAM SEAL" REPLACED TO PREVENT RAIN FROM ENTERING CAR (THE PRESUMED SOURCE OF PROBLEM). THEY ALSO CLAIMED TO HAVE DRAINED WATER FROM MOTOR BLOWER HOUSING CLEARED TUBING. ON THE WAY HOME FROM REPAIR, WATER AGAIN POURED FROM AREA OF MOTOR BLOWER ONTO PASSENGER FLOOR MAT, AND ONCE AGAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS NOT WORKING. BUICK STILL DOES NOT KNOW WHERE WATER IS COMING FROM, [BUT BELIEVES THAT SINCE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WORKING FINE...AFTER SITTING THERE FOR 24 HRS...EVERYTHING IS FINE. OBVIOUSLY IT IS NOT. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE DATING AS FAR BACK AS 3 YEARS. I WILL ADD THAT THIS FOLLOWS 2 YEARS OF DEALING WITH STABILITRAK ...WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE A "SAFETY" SYSTEM BUT CAN BE LIFE THREATENING WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY REDUCES POWER IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND/OR NO MAINTENANCE LANE. *TR