1997 Buick Lesabre service brakes, hydraulic problems

“I HAVE DISCOVERED A BRAKE FLUID LEAK FROM THE ABS MODULATOR ASSEMBLY IN MY 1997 BUICK LESABRE. THERE IS A RECALL (#00V114000) FOR THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM IN 2000 LESABRES. THIS CAN CAUSE THE BRAKING SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION! THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO COVER EARLIER YEARS. IN THE MEAN TIME I AM GOING TO PURCHASE A NEW ABS MODULATOR ASSEMBLY. I FEAR THE NEW VALVE ASSEMBLY WILL DEVELOP THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM”

“1997 BUICK LESABRE BACKFIRES AT STARTUP, ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES, AND THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. *MR THERE WAS A WHINING NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND REAR BRAKE NOISE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED INFO IN REFERENCE TO WARRANTIES RELATED TO HIS MAKE/MODEL. *SC *JB”

“CONSUMER HEARS AN UNUSUALLY LOUD "THUMPING, GROANING AND CRUNCHING" NOISE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. ALSO STOPPING DISTANCE HAS SEEM TO INCREASE GREATLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED ON LIGHTLY SNOW COVERED ROADS. PH”

“REAR BRAKES SOUND LIKE METAL RUBBING AGAINST METAL WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE CHECKING THE BALL JOINTS AGAIN AND FOUND THAT TWO OF THE BALL JOINTS, ONE ON EACH SIDE, DID NOT HAVE ANY GREASE, WHICH MEANS THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE WORN OUT. *YD”

“I HAD TAKEN THIS VEHICLE BACK TO THE BUICK DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT AT 34K MILES AND TOLD THEM IT HAD A "MISS" AND THAT IT "HESITATED" DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THEY SAID IT WAS A SPARK PLUG AND REPLACED ONE. THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER BUICK DEALER IT NEEDED 4,200.00 TO MAKE IT ROAD WORTHY INCLUDING A NEW WATER PUMP, NEW TRANSMISSION, NEW BRAKES AND ROTORS. THE SERVICE CODE ON THE CAR SHOULD HAVE INDICATED FAILURE OF THESE PARTS WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE FIRST DEALER.”

“THERE WAS A THUMPING SOUND AFTER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, A TECHNICIAN INDICATED THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE BRIDGED THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDER GASKET AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE BRAKE FLUID BUILT UP ON THE BRAKE LINING/PAD OF THE BRAKE SHOE, THE BRAKE FLUID IS MANUFACTURED WITH A SILICONE BASE, WHICH APPARENTLY COATS THE BRAKE LINING, AND CAN NOT BE REMOVED, THEREFORE THERE IS POTENTIAL BRAKE FAILURE, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE SILICONE IN THE BRAKE FLUID FORMULATION.*JB”