1996 BUICK CENTURY — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

I went to turn my wheel and it wouldn't turn left then the rack and pinion broke the wheel just turns 360 to the left but no movement in turning lost all steering

WHILE BACKING INTO MY DAUGHTER'S ATTACHED GARAGE, THE GAS LINE RUPTURED AND LEAKED A LOT OF GASOLINE BEFORE I SHUT-OFF THE IGNITION. I PROMPTLY RE-STARTED THE CAR AND BACKED IT OUT OF THE GARAGE, UNWITTINGLY RISKING IGNITING THE GASOLINE IN THE PROCESS, BUT STILL AFRAID OF THE GAS/FUMES IN THE GARAGE IGNITING AND BURNING US, THE CAR AND THE HOUSE DOWN! WE GOT A WATER HOSE AND BROOM AND SWEPT AS MUCH OF IT OUT OF THE GARAGE AS WE COULD. WE WERE LUCKY. THE POINT OF THIS COMPLAINT IS THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF G M CARS BEING DRIVEN AND PARKED IN GARAGES WITH QUITE OLD, DETERIORATING GAS LINES WHOSE DRIVERS ARE TOTALLY UNAWARE OF IT. OUR EXPERIENCE, ALONE, COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. MY SON-IN-LAW HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS 1995 OLDSMOBILE CIERA, ALTHOUGH HE BELIEVES THAT THE SQUIRRELS AROUND HIS HOME LIKE TO CHEW ON THE PLASTIC GAS LINES. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THESE OLD PLASTIC GAS LINES REPRESENT AN ENORMOUS RISK TO THE SAFETY OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHILE THEY'RE NOT EVEN IN OR NEAR THE SOURCE OF IGNITION. THEY COULD, IN FACT, BE IN BED AT THE OTHER END OF THE HOME WHEN IT ALL BLOWS-UP! *TR

STARTED CAR AND GASOLINE STARTED GUSHING OUT FROM BENEATH THE CAR BETWEEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND THE FRONT WHEEL-WELL. AS THE CAR WAS PARTLY IN THE GARAGE, I DROVE IT OUT OF THE GARAGE AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. THIS STOPPED THE FLOW OF GASOLINE. A MECHANIC LATER DETERMINED THAT THE PLASTIC GAS LINE HAD FAILED AND, AFTER CUTTING-OFF THE DAMAGED PART, HE SPLICED THE LINE BACK TOGETHER WITH A BRASS COUPLING. THAT SEEMS TO HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THE PROBLEM, FOR NOW. THE REALLY SCARY THING IS THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF GM CARS "OUT THERE" IN GARAGES AND ON THE ROAD WITH DETERIORATING PLASTIC GAS LINES! PROBABLY SOME OTHER BRANDS, AS WELL. AN ACQUAINTANCE OF MINE HAD THE SAME GAS LINE FAILURE ON HIS 1996 OLDSMOBILE CIERA. *TR

DRIVING TOWARDS A STOPLIGHT AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR ON A 1996 BUICK CENTURY. PUMPING GAVE ONLY PARTIAL REAR BRAKING. DROVE TO FRIEND'S HOUSE (DURING WHICH THE BRAKES WORKED NORMALLY THE WHOLE WAY). WE PULLED THE DRIVER SIDE TIRE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FIBROUS FINELY WOVEN TUBE COVER (FIBERGLASS?) TO THE EXTREMELY THIN AND FRAGILE WIRES TO ABS SENSOR LOOKED BURNT. CUTTING IT OFF WE DISCOVERED THE WIRES INSIDE HAD SHORTED OUT. WHEN WE CLEARED THE SHORT AND INDIVIDUALLY WRAP INSULATED THE WIRES, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT THEN CAME ON. A GRAVEL SKID TEST REVEALED NO ABS AT ALL. WE FOUND THAT DEAD SHORTING THE WIRE TO THE SENSOR WITH A JUMPER WIRE WILL CAUSE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT TO GO OUT, BUT OBVIOUSLY DISABLES THE ABS. WE REPLACED THE SENSOR (WHICH REQUIRES THAT THE WHOLE BEARING/STUD ASSEMBLY TO BE REPLACED), AND THEN THE ABS LIGHT WENT OUT. A GRAVEL SKID TEST REVEALED THE ABS WORKING FINE AND HE SAYS THE NORMAL BRAKING IS NOW BETTER TOO. SOME RESEARCH REVEALS THAT THE ABS DETECTS NO TIRE TURNING DURING A SKID VIA THE SENSOR, AND RELEASES HYDRAULIC PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES UNTIL THE TIRE IS DETECTED BY THE ABS AS TURNING. WE THINK THAT WHEN A SHORT TO THE SENSOR OCCURS, THE SENSOR CAN'T DETECT THE TIRE TURNING AGAIN AND THUS THE ABS UNIT NEVER STOPS BLEEDING FLUID PASS THE BRAKE (AND THE INITIAL SHORT MAY EVEN SET OFF THE ABS WITHOUT AN ACTUAL SKID OCCURRING - THAT IS WITHOUT THE SENSOR EVER SENSING A TIRE NOT TURNING). ANYONE HAVING RANDOM NEAR-TOTAL OR TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE MIGHT DO WELL TO EXAMINE THE WIRES AND TERMINALS LEADING TO THE ABS SENSORS - AND REPLACE SUSPICIOUS UNITS (WE PAID ABOUT $90 FOR A UNIT FROM A COMMON AUTO PARTS CHAIN). A GRAVEL SKID TEST MIGHT ALSO REVEAL AN ABS SYSTEM NOT WORKING EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO ABS WARNING LIGHT LIT. REPLACING THE BEARING/STUD/ABS SENSOR ASSEMBLY IS MODERATELY HARD. *TR

DRIVING TOWARDS A STOPLIGHT AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR ON A 1996 BUICK CENTURY. PUMPING GAVE ONLY PARTIAL REAR BRAKING. DROVE TO FRIEND'S HOUSE (DURING WHICH THE BRAKES WORKED NORMALLY THE WHOLE WAY). WE PULLED THE DRIVER SIDE TIRE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FIBROUS FINELY WOVEN TUBE COVER (FIBERGLASS?) TO THE EXTREMELY THIN AND FRAGILE WIRES TO ABS SENSOR LOOKED BURNT. CUTTING IT OFF WE DISCOVERED THE WIRES INSIDE HAD SHORTED OUT. WHEN WE CLEARED THE SHORT AND INDIVIDUALLY WRAP INSULATED THE WIRES, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT THEN CAME ON. A GRAVEL SKID TEST REVEALED NO ABS AT ALL. WE FOUND THAT DEAD SHORTING THE WIRE TO THE SENSOR WITH A JUMPER WIRE WILL CAUSE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT TO GO OUT, BUT OBVIOUSLY DISABLES THE ABS. WE REPLACED THE SENSOR (WHICH REQUIRES THAT THE WHOLE BEARING/STUD ASSEMBLY TO BE REPLACED), AND THEN THE ABS LIGHT WENT OUT. A GRAVEL SKID TEST REVEALED THE ABS WORKING FINE AND HE SAYS THE NORMAL BRAKING IS NOW BETTER TOO. SOME RESEARCH REVEALS THAT THE ABS DETECTS NO TIRE TURNING DURING A SKID VIA THE SENSOR, AND RELEASES HYDRAULIC PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES UNTIL THE TIRE IS DETECTED BY THE ABS AS TURNING. WE THINK THAT WHEN A SHORT TO THE SENSOR OCCURS, THE SENSOR CAN'T DETECT THE TIRE TURNING AGAIN AND THUS THE ABS UNIT NEVER STOPS BLEEDING FLUID PASS THE BRAKE (AND THE INITIAL SHORT MAY EVEN SET OFF THE ABS WITHOUT AN ACTUAL SKID OCCURRING - THAT IS WITHOUT THE SENSOR EVER SENSING A TIRE NOT TURNING). ANYONE HAVING RANDOM NEAR-TOTAL OR TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE MIGHT DO WELL TO EXAMINE THE WIRES AND TERMINALS LEADING TO THE ABS SENSORS - AND REPLACE SUSPICIOUS UNITS (WE PAID ABOUT $90 FOR A UNIT FROM A COMMON AUTO PARTS CHAIN). A GRAVEL SKID TEST MIGHT ALSO REVEAL AN ABS SYSTEM NOT WORKING EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO ABS WARNING LIGHT LIT. REPLACING THE BEARING/STUD/ABS SENSOR ASSEMBLY IS MODERATELY HARD. *TR