NHTSA Complaint #11175137 — 2014 BUICK REGAL

OFF AND ON OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS, THERE WAS A LOSS OF BRAKES DIRECTLY AFTER STARTUP. AFTER 30 SECONDS OR SO, THE BRAKES WOULD FUNCTION NORMALLY. THIS CAR IS NORMALLY GARAGE KEPT. WALKING TO THE CAR AT NIGHT TO LEAVE, I NOTICED OIL ON THE GARAGE FLOOR COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR. AFTER OPENING THE HOOD, I NOTICED OIL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. AFTER REMOVING THE PLASTIC ENGINE COVER, I SAW THAT THE OIL WAS COMING FROM WHAT I LEARNED IS THE VACCUM PUMP. THERE WAS A VISIBLE BREAK IN THE PUMP HOUSING. I WENT TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO INQUIRE ABOUT GETTING THIS SERVICED UNDER WARRANTY. THEY STARTED THAT THIS PART IS ONLY COVERED UNDER THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY AND NOT POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH THE VACUUM PUMP IS DIRECTLY MOUNTED TO AND CONNECTED TO THE INTAKE CAMSHAFT. MY BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED 3 1/2 MONTHS OR 219 MILES PRIOR, YET THE CAR IS STILL UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNWILLING TO HELP AND QUOTED ME $104 FOR A NEW AC DELCO VACUUM PUMP. I WAS ABLE TO ORDER A NEW AC DELCO VACUUM PUMP FROM ROCK AUTO FOR $43. AFTER RECEIVING THE NEW PUMP, A MECHANIC FRIEND WAS HELPING ME TO REPLACE THE PUMP. WHEN THE OLD ONE WAS REMOVED, IT WAS SHOWN TO HAVE DISINTEGRATED. THE INSIDE OF THE PART WAS IN MANY PIECES. THE PART THAT ENGAGES THE CAMSHAFT WAS ALSO BROKE INTO PIECES AND AT THIS POINT I BELIEVE THAT SEVERAL OF THOSE ARE NOW INSIDE THE ENGINE. AT THIS POINT I AM GOING TO TAKE THE OLD PART TO THE DEALERSHIP, ALONG WITH PHOTOS OF THE ENGINE AND DEMAND THAT THIS IS NOW FIXED UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, AS THE POWERTRAIN IS DIRECTLY AFFECTED. HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING, THE LOSS OF BRAKES COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC.