12 of the 327 complaints about the 1998 Buick Park Avenue are about the transmission — 4% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 57,000 miles.
12
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
POWER TRAIN
LOSS OF COOLANT INTERNALLY TO COMBUSTION/COMPRESSION CHAMBERS, HYDRO LOCKED ENGINE, THICK SMOKE FROM ENGINE EXHAUST, COOLANT MIXING INTO OIL, UNSTABLE TEMPERATURE REQUIRING VEHICLE STOPPAGE TO AVOID OVERHEATING/FIRE, CAR WILL NOT RUN. INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE AND HEAD GASKET DAMAGE.
NHTSA complaint #10434115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE PCM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR
NHTSA complaint #10128037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
LOOSE BOLT STUCK IN TRANSMISSION. NAR 07/09/2003*MR THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE, BECAUSE THE BOLTS BACKED OUT, WHICH CAUSED THE GASKET TO LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY APPROX $1400. IN REPAIRS AND FEELS THAT THESE DAMAGES WERE CAUSED BY THE DEALERSHIP AND THAT SHE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR DEFECTIVE PARTS PLACED ON A BRAND NEW VEHICLE. *CB THE ROTORS ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10026969 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH AND WITH NO WARNING, THE ENGINE LOCKED UP. CONSUMER MADE CONTACT WITH DEALER. *AK THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT BOTH THE ENGINE AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD PROBLEMS EARLY ON. *SCC
NHTSA complaint #10037707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE PROBLEMS WITH START UP/ VEHICLE FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *MR THE BATTERY HAD GONE DEAD OVERNIGHT. (PRIOR TO THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT, THE BATTERY APPEARED TO BE CHARGED) THE ENGINE EXPLODED AS SOON AS THE KEY WAS TURNED ON. THERE WAS SLIPPAGE IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE INTAKE PLENTIUM, FUEL RAIL, THE IGNITION WIRES, 2 INJECTORS, ENGINE COVER SHIELD, OIL FILLER CAP, MAP SENSOR, PCV COVER, AND THE BATTERY ALL WERE REPLACED. *SCC
NHTSA complaint #10022539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ON MAY 25, 2003 I STARTED TO PULL OUT ONTO A STREET, AND MY 1998 BUICK PARK AVENUE GOT PART WAY OUT INTO THE STREET AND THEN WOULD NOT MOVE, EXCEPT AT A SNAIL'S PACE. FINALLY I WAS ABLE TO PULL ON OUT, BUT NOT BEFORE A CAR WAS RIGHT UPON ME. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND TSB EXISTED ON A VALVE IN THE TRANSMISSION. I BELIEVE THIS TSB SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO A RECALL, BECAUSE I ALMOST GOT HIT WHEN I PULLED OUT BECAUSE THE CAR MORE OR LESS STALLED WHILE I WAS ENTERING THE STREET. IF YOU SEE THAT YOU HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC, ONE DOES NOT EXPECT THE CAR TO SUDDENLY CREEP OR STALL. THIS PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY PROBLEM-I EXPERIENCED IT FIRST HAND. *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10023458 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. BEARING CAME LOOSE AND DAMAGED INTERNAL PARTS.
NHTSA complaint #10007644 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
CONSUMER STATES EVERY TIME THAT SHE HAS TAKEN VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS, IT SEEMED THAT THE MILEAGE ODOMETER ACCELERATED AT A MUCH FASTER RATE, CONSUMER STATES THE MILES THAT ARE BEING DRIVEN ARE NOT THE CORRECT MILEAGE THAT IS BEING PLACED ON THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #562086 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
WHILE VEHICAL WAS PARKED WITH ENGINE RUNNING, IT POPPED INTO GEAR AND ROLLED AWAY, MAKING IMPACT WITH NEIGHBORS HOUSE.
NHTSA complaint #748409 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH
NHTSA complaint #609084 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED. YH
NHTSA complaint #609204 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
SHIFT LEVER IS HARD TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. NLM
NHTSA complaint #605982 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.