NHTSA Complaint #11102356 — 2009 BUICK LUCERNE

MY 2009 BUICK LUCERNE WOULD NOT START IN MY DRIVEWAY ON THE MORNING OF JUNE 8, 2019. THE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE IS 109466. THE ENGINE WOULD CRACK BUT NOT START. I FOUND THAT THE RELAY FOR THE FUEL PUMP WAS BURNT WHICH IS LOCATED UNDER THE REAR SEAT IN A FUSE BOX. THIS WAS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED AGAIN AND RAN. THAT EVENING AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 160 MIIES, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 45 MILES PER HOUR. I LOST ALL POWER FUNCTIONS OF THE VEHICLE BUT WAS ABLE TO AVOID HAVING AN ACCIDENT WHILE PULLING OFF THE ROAD. AT THE TIME MY WIFE WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND MY MOTHER WAS IN THE REAR SEAT BEHIND MY WIFE. THE FUSE BOX IS LOCATED UNDER THE REAR SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER. AS LONG AS WE OWNED THIS VEHICLE NOBODY HAS SAT BEHIND THE DRIVER AS I'M 6'3" TALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO COUNTRYSIDE AUTO GROUP LOCATED AT N8167 KELLOM RD. BEAVER DAM, WI 53916. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THERE REPLACED THE FUSE BOX, REPLACED THE RELAY WITH A LOW PROFILE RELAY, AND TRIMMED THE METAL SEAT BRACKETS SO IT WOULD NOT PUSH DOWN ON THE FUSE BOX. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT FROM THE WEIGHT OF PEOPLE SITTING ON THE SEAT PUT PRESSURE ON THE BOX WHICH CAUSED THE RELAY TO SHORT OUT AND FAIL. THE REPAIR COST $647.79 AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM I FOUND OUT THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THE 2009 BUICK LUCERNE AS THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN #15-NA-051. IT CLEARLY SHOWS HOW TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. MY CONCERN IS THE SAFETY ISSUE RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM IS YOU LOSE COMPLETE POWER FUNCTION OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD HAPPEN AT ANYTIME. THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM NO MATTER WHAT THE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE IS AT TIME OF FAILURE. I WILL INCLUDE A PIC OF THE BURNT RELAY. I WAS NOT RETURNED THE MELTED FUSE BOX.