1990 BUICK PARK AVENUE Recalls, Complaints & Safety

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

Defect Description

OWNERS MANUALS DID NOT FULLY EXPLAIN HOW FRONT SHOULDER BELT COMFORT FEATURE WORKS.

Consequence

CARS WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 208, AND INCORRECT USE OF SAFETY RESTRAINTS COULD LEAD TO PERSONAL INJURY TO OCCUPANTS IF AN ACCIDENTSHOULD OCCUR.

Remedy

INSERT STICKER THAT PROVIDES MISSING INFORMATION IN OWNERS MANUALS.

51,834 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Complaint Statistics

12 total complaints

Top Reported Components

Component	Complaints
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP	4
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR	1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS	1
TIRES	1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES	1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE	1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY	1

Incident date: Aug 10, 2001

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE JAMMED 1/3 OF THE TIME. THE CONSUMER HAD TO STEP OUT OF THE VEHICLE, STILL BUCKLED AND THEN THE SEAT BELT UNBUCKLED.*AK FAILURE OF THE SEAT BELT TO RELEASE WHEN THE BUTTON WAS PRESSED HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. *PH *JB

Incident date: Jan 1, 2002

OUR BUICK STARTS JUST FINE BUT OFTEN DIES OUT INTERMITTENTLY AT STOP SIGNS, WHEN WE SLOW DOWN, WHEN WE ARE JUST IDLING, WHEN WE FIRST START IT AND WHEN WE PUT IT IN REVERSE OR DRIVE. IT HAPPENS WHETHER IT'S COLD OR HOT, BEEN RUNNING FOR A LONG TIME OR NOT, GOING 50 MPH OR 2 MPH, IT JUST DIES OUT. W... Read more

Incident date: Feb 22, 2000

I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS COMPONENT WAS SUBJECT TO RECALL ON THE 1990 BUICK REGAL WHICH APPEARS TO USE IDENTICAL COMPONENTS. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

Incident date: Feb 17, 2000

WHEN MOVING TRANSMISSION PAWL FROM PARK TO DRIVE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES THE PEDAL RESISTED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Incident date: Mar 13, 1997

KELLY-SPRINGFIELD TIRES GT,P205/75R14 TIRES FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE.

TWICE WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, CAUSING POOR VISIBILTY AT NIGHT. POSSIBLE CAUSE DEFECTIVE AUTOMATIC LIGHT SENSOR. *AK

Incident date: Jun 8, 1997

ABS: WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THEY WOULD GET SPONGY & THEN PULL HARD TO RIGHT. TOOK TO DEALER & DIAGNOSTICS WAS PERFORMED. PROBLEM INTERMITTENT. FINALLY MECHANIC FOUND PROBLEM & HAD THE REAR BRAKES ADJUSTED. *AK

Incident date: Feb 15, 1997

OWNER SAID THAT HE WAS ABOUT TO PULL OFF AND THE BRAKES WENT OUT. *AK

Incident date: Dec 10, 1995

ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED. *SD

Incident date: Feb 1, 1994

SEAT BELT LOCKING MECHANISM FAILS TO RELEASE WITHOUT TURNING VEHICLE OFF. *DSH

NHTSA Safety Investigations — BUICK PARK AVENUE

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

EA — Closed — Model Year: 1999

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE

BY LETTER DATED MARCH 12, 2008, GENERAL MOTORS CORP. (GM) HAS NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (IDENTIFIED BY NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 08V-118) TO ADDRESS A DEFECT IN APPROXIMATELY 207,542 MODEL YEAR (MY) 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL GS AND PONTIAC GRAND PRIX GTP VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH T... HE L67 SUPERCHARGED VERSION OF GM'S 3800 SERIES II V6 ENGINE.THE RECALLED REGAL GS VEHICLES WERE BUILT FROM AUGUST 1996 TO JUNE 2003 AND THE GRAND PRIX GTP FROM MARCH 1996 THROUGH JANUARY 2003.ACCORDING TO GM, OIL MAY ESCAPE PAST THE VALVE COVER GASKET ON THE FRONT CYLINDER BANK (CYLINDERS 1-3-5) AND DEPOSIT ONTO HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM COMPONENTS.UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THIS OIL TO IGNITE A SMALL PILOT FLAME, WHICH MAY SPREAD TO THE ADJACENT PLASTIC SPARK PLUG WIRE CHANNEL, THE SPARK PLUG WIRES THEMSELVES, THE PLASTIC ENGINE COVER, AND OTHER UNDER HOOD COMPONENTS.REPORTS INDICATE THIS MOST OFTEN OCCURS ON HIGHER-MILEAGE VEHICLES SHORTLY AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN AND THEN PARKED.TYPICALLY, THE FIRE WAS DISCOVERED WITHIN 5 TO 15 MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED.DURING THIS TIME WINDOW, UNDER HOOD TEMPERATURES MAY BECOME ELEVATED.SUCH ELEVATED TEMPERATURES COMBINED WITH A LACK OF AIRFLOW THROUGH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT MAY PERMIT A SMALL PILOT FLAME TO PROPAGATE AND IGNITE OTHER FUEL SOURCES.TO CORRECT THE SAFETY DEFECT, GM WILL INSTALL AN IMPROVED DESIGN FRONT VALVE COVER GASKET AND SPARK PLUG WIRE RETAINER.THIS REMEDY WILL BE SUPPLIEDFREE OF CHARGE FOR ALL RECALLED VEHICLES.UNTIL SUFFICIENT PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO REPAIR ALL OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES, GM STRONGLY RECOMMENDS THAT OWNERS OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS: (1) THEY STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT OWNERS DO NOT PARK THEIR VEHICLE IN A GARAGE, CARPORT, OR OTHER STRUCTURE; (2) IF OWNERS NOTICE A BURNING ODOR, THEY SHOULD HAVE THEIR DEALER INSPECT THE VEHICLE - THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT CHARGE; AND (3) USE PREMIUM FUEL (91 OCTANE OR HIGHER) IN THE VEHICLE AS RECOMMENDED IN THE VEHICLE'S OWNER MANUAL.THE ACTION TAKEN BY GM IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.THE SUBJECT FIRE INCIDENT RATE ON THE C-, G-, AND H-PLATFORM SUBJECT VEHICLES IS LOW.THE AGENCY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS ISSUE AND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS RESUME.Read more

EA — Closed — Model Year: 1998

FRONT SHOULDER BELT MALFUNCTION

There is no summary currently available

PE — Closed — Model Year: 1998

FRONT SHOULDER BELT MALFUNCTION

There is no summary currently available

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2005	0	10	View
2004	0	17	View
2003	1	38	View
2002	1	41	View
2001	2	71	View
2000	3	104	View
1999	3	174	View
1998	2	327	View
1997	3	355	View
1996	3	68	View
1995	1	164	View
1994	0	63	View
1993	1	102	View
1992	1	104	View
1991	1	134	View
1990 (current)	1	12
1989	0	28	View
1988	0	21	View
1987	0	14	View
1986	0	16	View
1985	0	15	View
1984	0	2	View

Model	Recalls	Complaints
REGAL	207	4,454	View
CENTURY	103	2,397	View
ENCLAVE	86	3,218	View
SKYLARK	71	755	View
LACROSSE	64	2,885	View
LESABRE	64	4,872	View
RIVIERA	46	439	View
ENCORE	41	854	View

1990 BUICK PARK AVENUE

Complaint Statistics

Top Reported Components

NHTSA Safety Investigations — BUICK PARK AVENUE

BUICK PARK AVENUE — All Years Overview

BUICK PARK AVENUE — Year by Year

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