NHTSA Complaint #10608785 — 2000 BUICK LESABRE

STARTING EARLY JUNE MY SON CALLED ME TO INFORM ME THAT THE BUICK WAS STALLING OUT ON HIM ALL THE TIME. HE SAID THAT HE COULD BE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND THE CAR WOULD JUST SHUT OFF, CAUSING ALL ELECTRICAL, STEERING, AND BRAKES TO NOT WORK. HE ATTENDS SCHOOL IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA IN THE MOUNTAINS AND THIS WORRIED ME. I HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AND EACH TIME WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DIFFERENT THINGS AND NOTHING FIXED THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SINCE SWITCHED VEHICLES WITH HIM FOR HIS SAFETY AND HAVE CONTACTED MY LOCAL BUICK DEALERSHIP TO FIND THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER IS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER IS PERIODICALLY LOOSING CONNECTION TO THE KEY WHICH HAS A CHIP IN IT (QUITS TALKING TO), AND SHUTS THE VEHICLE OFF. LIKE AN ALARM FEATURE. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THE LESABRE AND OTHER VEHICLES FOR QUITE A WHILE. IN ORDER TO FIX IT I WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW IGNITION CYLINDER, POSSIBLY A COUPLE OF KEYS, HAVE THEM SENT TO A LOCKSMITH, GET THEM KEYED TO THE CYLINDER, THEN INSTALL THE NEW IGNITION CYLINDER. YET IT IS NOT ONE OF THE VEHICLES LISTED ON THE GM IGNITION RECALL LIST. HOW CAN SUCH A SAFETY ISSUE GO OVERLOOKED AND ALSO UNREPORTED. THE VEHICLE IS AN EXCELLENT VEHICLE WHILE RUNNING BUT I FEEL THAT GM SHOULD FACE THE FACT AND TAKE OWNERSHIP FOR ALL OF THESE IGNITION FAILURES NOT JUST A FEW MAKES AND MODELS BUT ALL GM MANUFACTURED VEHICLES. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE, MY SON SAID HE WAS NEARLY REARENDED WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF ON HIM A NUMBER OF TIMES AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS WHILE TRYING TO PULL OFF THE ROAD FOR SAFETY. OR HE WAS STUCK HOLDING UP THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC WITH PEOPLE BEEPING AT HIM WHILE HE HAD TO WAIT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD TILL THE CAR WOULD START AGAIN. PRETTY SCARY!!! THANK YOU,! AND PLEASE LOOK OUT FOR THE LITTLE GUY AND HOLD GM RESPONSIBLE. *JS