1997 Buick Lesabre engine and engine cooling problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, AN ABNORMAL SOUND EMITTED FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT EXHIBITED A NO-START CONDITION. SHE REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THEN SMOKE ENGULFED THE FRONT-END OF THE VEHICLE. A MECHANIC CONCLUDED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED. SHE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, YET NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 99773. UPDATED 11/3/09 *CN UPDATED 11/06/09.*JB”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, IT SPUTTERED, JUMPED, BACKFIRED, AND SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE EMITTED A LARGE AMOUNT OF FUMES AND SMELLED OF GASOLINE. SHE NOTICED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS ORANGE AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE IGNITION MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MODULE WAS REPLACED, BUT ONLY LASTED FIVE DAYS. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE MECHANIC TOWED HER VEHICLE TO THE SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,000.”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT SMELLED A VERY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. WHILE PERFORMING A ROUTINE INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT HALF OF THE RADIATOR FLUID WAS MISSING. HE ADDED MORE RADIATOR FLUID AND NOTICED THAT FLUID CONTINUE TO DISAPPEAR IN THE VEHICLE EVERY FOUR DAYS. AFTER NUMEROUS REFILLS OF RADIATOR FLUID, HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE MAIN GAS LINE WAS LEAKING, WHICH CAUSED THE STRONG ODOR. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V116000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM). THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 153,000.”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE EXPLODED WITH A VERY LOUD NOISE. HE SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND CHECKED THE ENGINE. WHEN HE OPENED THE HOOD, HE NOTICED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE ENGINE COVER WERE SHATTERED INTO MANY PIECES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT HE NEVER SAW A VEHICLE WITH THIS TYPE OF DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V116000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM). THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL SINCE THE FAILURES ARE IDENTICAL. THE VEHICLE IS STILL AT THE SHOP AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 13,000.”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHEN THE VEHICLE FINALLY STARTED, IT BACKFIRED. ONCE THE CONTACT ARRIVED HOME, HE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT THE COOLANT WAS LOW. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $600 AND THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,525.”