Problems · NHTSA complaints

1997 Buick Park Avenue problems

Owners filed 219 complaints about the 1997 Buick Park Avenue with NHTSA between Nov 1996 and Oct 2019. The most-cited component is seat belts (49).

Complaints
219
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
21
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Seat belts49
  2. Engine and engine cooling42
  3. Service brakes, hydraulic35
  4. Electrical system21
  5. Power train20
  6. Steering17
  7. Fuel system, gasoline13
  8. Structure11
  9. Visibility10
  10. Suspension10
  11. Vehicle speed control5
  12. Equipment4
  13. Seats4
  14. Exterior lighting3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19961
199722
19989
199937
200028
200130
200217
200312
200416
200513
20066
20076
20085
20091
20104
20113
20123
20131
20142
20151
20161
20170
20180
20191

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Seat belts

49 reports1 related recall
“I OWN A 1997 PARK AVE ULTRA WITH SEVERAL RECALL REPAIR ISSUES THE FOLLOWING WERE ADDRESSED BY GM BUT NOT PROPERLY REPAIRED: (FAULTY) ABS SYSTEM (WITH CAMPAIGN CODE STICKER) REPLACED ABS SYSTEM CUTS OUT RANDOMLY CAUSING CHANGES IN STOPPING DISTANCE (IN SEVERE BRAKING SITUATIONS THE ABS SYSTEM HAS CUT OUT ON ME GETTING OFF OF THE HIGHWAY CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO APPLY EXCESSIVE PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES JUST TO COME TO A NORMAL STOP) FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT REPLACEMENT(NO CAMPAIGN STICKER) MIDDLE REAR SEAT BELT ANCHOR WAS NEVER FIXED OR TORQUED TO PROPER SPECIFIED STANDARDS WHILE IN FOR REPAIRS LET ALONE ADDRESSED AT ALL RACK AND PINION HAS MULTIPLE ISSUES SOME DUE TO AGE AND MILES BUT REGARDLESS THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY IS LOOSE AND BEARINGS ARE SHOT THE FAULTY RECALL REPAIRS ON MY VEHICLE DON'T INSTILL TRUST IN GM'S ABILITY TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE A SECOND TIME. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 25, 2012Steering, Service brakes, hydraulic, Seat beltsODI 10449285

Engine and engine cooling

42 reports1 crash14 fires
“AFTER 20 MILES OF SMOOTH DRIVING WITH NO INDICATION OF ANYTHING GOING WRONG AND WHILE PULLING INTO THE PARKING LOT OF MY OFFICE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I ALWAYS IMMEDIATELY SHUTOFF MY VEHICLE ANY TIME SUCH THING HAPPENS TO PREVENT ANY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, I PROCEEDED TO WALK INTO THE PARTS STORE NEXT TO MY OFFICE TO GET POWER STEERING FLUID DUE TO THE LOW FLUID LEVEL I HAD, HOWEVER WHEN I TRIED TO TURN OVER THE MOTOR THE MOTOR WOULD NOT TURN. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS "HYDROLOCKED" AND THAT THERE IS A COOLANT PASSAGE WHICH IS COMMONLY KNOWN TO LEAK INTO CYLINDER 6 AND LOCKING THE MOTOR REQUIRING THE INTAKE AND GASKETS TO BE REPLACED. THIS HAPPENED LESS THAN 30DAYS AFTER MY VEHICLE PASSED INSPECTION AT A DEALERSHIP. ALSO NOTING THAT THE DEALER WAS TOLD I WAS LOSING ABOUT A GALLON OF COOLANT WEEKLY. A COOLANT ELBOW WAS REPAIRED, THEN TWO DAYS LATER IS WHEN THE MOTOR LOCKED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 18, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10377074

Service brakes, hydraulic

35 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ANTILOCK BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. CURRENTLY, THE ANTILOCK BRAKES WILL ENGAGE DURING BRAKING. OCCASIONALLY, THEY ENGAGE BY THEMSELVES. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT HEARS A GRINDING SOUND WHEN SHE IS NOT BRAKING. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY FAILURES AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,800.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 22, 2008Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10243075

Electrical system

21 reports4 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ODOR OF BURNING PLASTIC. THE CONTACT NOTICED A LITTLE SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE PANEL. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF THE REAR DEFROSTER, DISCONNECTED THE PLUG, REMOVED THE REAR PANEL, AND NOTICED THAT THE ELECTRICAL FEED AND MODULE WERE MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BAY RIDGE CHEVROLET (1575 86TH ST, BROOKLYN, NY 11228, (833) 452-1829) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT PART NUMBER: 25623688 (RED RADIO ANTENNA MODULE), THE AC (DELCO PT1183), AND THE REAR WINDOW ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE CONNECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 9-5585220430. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 16, 2019Electrical systemODI 11268973

Power train

20 reports
“DT: CONSUMER STATED: WHILE BACKING VEHICLE OUT INTO THE STREET, JUST CHANGED THE OIL A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, THE FRAME BROKE RIGHT FROM WHERE THE OIL FILTER WAS. THEN, THE DRIVESHAFT BROKE. NEIGHBOR HEARD A NOISE WHEN IT HAPPENED. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 31, 2005Power train, StructureODI 10122507

Steering

17 reports
“I HAVE A 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE, WHEN I TURN TO THE RIGHT ONLY EVEN THE SLIGHTEST BIT I HEAR A GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION AREA. I HAD THE WHEEL BEARINGS CHECKED AND REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE BEARING AND STILL HAD THE SAME NOISE. I DO NOT KNOW IF ITS PART OF THE STEERING OR MAYBE THE PILOT BEARING IF IT HAS ONE ON THE SIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION. MAYBE THE RACK PINION SYSTEM. I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO TO FIX IT. PLEASE HELP...? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 16, 2014Steering, WheelsODI 10564545
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.