NHTSA Complaint #10925659 — 2008 BUICK LUCERNE

WHEN READY TO LEAVE WORK THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. DETERMINED THE FUEL PUMP WAS NOT OPERATING. REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT START. I FOUND THE FUEL PUMP RELAY WAS THE ULTIMATE CAUSE OF FAILURE. AFTER REPLACING THIS RELAY TWO OTHER TIMES I DECIDED TO LOOK FURTHER INTO THE CAUSE. I DISMANTLED THE FUSE BOX TO FIND IT WAS NOT COMPLETE INSIDE. THE FUSE BOX IS FILLED WITH FEMALE TO FEMALE COUPLERS TO CONNECT THE BOTTOM WIRING HARNESS TO THE FUSES. THE FUEL PUMP RELAY SHOULD HAVE FOUR OF THE COUPLERS INSTALLED IN THE FUSE BOX. THERE ARE ONLY THREE INSTALLED. THE MALE PINS ARE LONG ENOUGH TO TOUCH AND MAKE CONTACT. THEY WILL EVENTUALLY OVERHEAT. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND A FIRE HAZARD; AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE ISSUE. BUICK STILL HAS NOT ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL AND REFUSES TO ACTUALLY INVESTIGATE THE REASON THIS IS HAPPENING. THE AVERAGE CONSUMER IS BEING HIT WIT A $400.00 FUSE BOX AND $600.00 FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT. I ACTUALLY HAVE SINCE INSTALLED MY ORIGINAL FUEL PUMP. THE REPLACEMENT PUMP DID NOT HAVE A SENDING UNIT FOR THE FUEL GAUGE. WHY ARE THE DEALERS REPLACING PROBABLY PERFECTLY FINE FUEL PUMPS. THIS HAS BECOME A RACKET.