NHTSA Complaint #10633561 — 2008 BUICK LUCERNE

WHILE DRIVING, I WENT OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND BELL STARTED FLASHING, AND MESSAGE CENTER SAID "ENGINE POWERING DOWN", THEN IMMEDIATELY SAID "ENGINE POWERED OFF". THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. I WAS ABLE TO PULL SOMEWHAT OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED THE KEY, AND NO RESPONSE. AFTER APPROX. FIVE MINUTES, I TRIED THE KEY AGAIN, AND THE CAR STARTED (NOT SMOOTHLY), AND WAS FINE. AFTER ONE WEEK, THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 20 MPH (AUG 24), AND AGAIN HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH (AUG 27). EACH TIME, WE WERE FORTUNATELY NOT AROUND OTHER VEHICLES. AFTER THE SECOND STALL, WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM GM FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH. TALKED TO THE RECALL CENTER, WHO TOLD US IT WAS NOT UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE WE DID NOT KNOW IF THE KEY HAD ACTUALLY TURNED OFF. WE HAD TAKEN ALL OTHER KEYS AND FOBS OFF THE KEY, BUT THE THIRD INCIDENT OCCURRED ON AUGUST 27. WE THEN TOOK THE CAR TO THE GM DEALER WHO DID A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK ON SEPTEMBER 2. HE FOUND A LOOSE GROUND WIRE, AND FELT IT WAS FIXED. WE PICKED UP THE CAR, DROVE APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES AND THE CAR STALLED AGAIN. WHEN IT STARTED, WE DROVE IT BACK TO THE GM DEALERSHIP. IT HAS NOW BEEN AT THE GM DEALER SINCE SEPTEMBER 2. THEY CONTINUE TO TEST DRIVE AND RUN DIAGNOSTIC CHECKS AND NOTHING SHOWS UP. WE HAVE CONTACTED GM RECALL CENTER THREE TIMES SINCE, AND HAVE HAD NO RETURN PHONE CALLS. *TR