NHTSA Complaint #11091994 — 2011 BUICK LUCERNE

A MANUFACTURER DEFECT EXISTS IN THE AREA OF THE REAR FUSE BOX LOCATED UNDER THE REAR SEAT ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE SEAT BRACKET APPLIES PRESSURE TO THE FUSE BOX COVER DEFLECTING IT FROM ITS STANDARD POSITION. THIS DEFLECTION PUTS LATERAL PRESSURE ON THE FUEL PUMP RELAY. THIS LATERAL FORCE CAUSE AN WEAKED CONTACT BETWEEN THE RELAY AND THE FUSE BOX CONNECTORS. INCREASED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE CAUSES THE RELAY TO OVERHEAT AND MELT ITS BASE AND FUSE BOX. THE HEAT IS INTENSE ENOUGH TO CASE THE CONTACT PINS OF THE RELAY, AND SOCKET OF THE FUSE BOX AND SOFTENS THE METAL FURTHER DEGRADING THE CONTINUITY AND INCREASING RESISTANCE. THIS MANDATES A REPLACEMENT OF THE FUSE BOX SINCE SIMPLY REPLACING THE RELAY AFTER THE HEAT DAMAGE MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO REMEDY THE DEFECT. A MANUFACTURER TSB EXHISTS HOWEVER, THIS COMPONENT IS MORE LIKELY TO FAIL ON A LONGER HIGH SPEED DRIVE. IF IT FAILS AT SPEED, VEHICLE CONTROL ISSUES MAY ARISE AMONG WITH DRIVER PANIC WHEN THE ENGINE STALLS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.