Problems · NHTSA complaints
2001 Buick Park Avenue problems
Owners filed 64 complaints about the 2001 Buick Park Avenue with NHTSA between Dec 2000 and Feb 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (12).
Complaints
64
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system12
- Visibility11
- Steering9
- Engine7
- Engine and engine cooling7
- Vehicle speed control6
- Power train6
- Fuel system, gasoline4
- Air bags3
- Exterior lighting3
- Structure2
- Fuel system, other2
- Seat belts2
- Tires2
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 Nov 14, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
8
6
3
8
7
5
7
3
1
2
1
0
0
5
2
1
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 8 |
| 2002 | 6 |
| 2003 | 3 |
| 2004 | 8 |
| 2005 | 7 |
| 2006 | 5 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
12 reports1 crash2 fires
“ANY TIME THE THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED THE GAS NEEDLE GOES ON THE WRONG SIDE AND WILL NOT COME BACK IN PLACE UNTIL THE DASH IS REMOVED AND THIS PROBLEM IS FIXED AT A DEALERSHIP AND THIS COST.”
Visibility
11 reports1 fire1 related recall
“HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, AFTER ABOUT 4 YEARS THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES ON THE VEHICLE BECOME FOGGED OVER SO BADLY THAT YOU CANNOT SEE THE ROAD VERY CLEARLY AT NIGHT. THIS IS DUE TO THE AUTO MAKERS USING PLASTIC FOR THE LENS COVER INSTEAD OF USING GLASS ON THE ASSEMBLIES, IF THEY USED GLASS THERE WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM, THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE WINDSHIELD. *TR”
Steering
9 reports
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5-10 MPH AND MAKING TURNS THE VEHICLE SHUTTERED IN MOTION AND SOUND. THERE WAS ALSO DIFFICULTY IN STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WHICH DIRECTED THAT THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE AND A POWER STEERING RETURN HOSE TO BE REPLACE. THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED BY THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED BY THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP THAT THERE HAD BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE AND THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSE BY WAY THE HOSES WERE MANUFACTURER WHICH ALLOWED FOR THE HOSES TO SOFTEN CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WEAR AND TEAR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ALERTED THE CONTACT THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY REPAIR.”
Engine
7 reports4 fires
“OUR 2001 BUICK HAS HAD A ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE IT IS THE SAME CAUSE AS THIS RECALL- [XXX] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -CLOSE INVESTIGATION SUBJECT : ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES , 1 RECALL(S) DATE INVESTIGATION OPENED: OCT 22, 2002 DATE INVESTIGATION CLOSED: MAR 09, 2004 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA02030 COMPONENT(S): FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
7 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK PARK AVENUE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, BUT THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE, BUT THE ISSUE STILL PERSISTS. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE FAILURE COULD CAUSE INJURIES IF IT OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING IN TRAFFIC. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.”
Vehicle speed control
6 reports1 crash
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK PARK AVENUE. WHILE THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET AT 70 MPH HE ATTEMPTED TO DISENGAGE IT, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OVER 70 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ALSO EXPERIENCED FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLES HEAD LIGHTS, HIGH BEAMS AND THE FUEL GAUGE GAVE AN INCORRECT READING. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF FUEL THE GAUGE DISPLAYED FULL AND WHEN THERE WAS NO FUEL IT ALSO DISPLAYED FULL. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86743 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88,651. UPDATED 3/7/11 *CN UPDATED 04/29/11”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 14, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.