12 of the
104 complaints about the 2000 Buick Park Avenue are about the
braking system — 12% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
42,185 miles.
I WAS DRIVING A BUICK PARK AVE 2000. AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN I MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN ONTO A BUSY 3 LANE CITY STREET. WHEN I ACCELERATED AND BEGAN CHANGING LANES THE CAR LUNGED A LITTLE AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. I TRIED PRESSING THE BRAKE AND IT FELT LIKE THERE WAS A BLOCK OF WOOD UNDERNEATH IT. THE BRAKE WAS NOT WORKING AND THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING I WAS APPROACHING A BUSY INTERSECTION AND THE LIGHT WAS RED. I TRIED DOWN SHIFTING BUT NOTHING CHANGED. I KEPT TRYING TO BRAKE BUT .IT DIDN'T WORK AND THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING SO AS I APPROACHED THE RED LIGHT THE ONLY THING I COULD THINK TO DO WAS TRY MAKING A SHARP TURN WITH THE CARS THAT WERE TURNING HEADED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION I WAS GOING. I MANAGED TO SLICE BETWEEN TWO CARS IN THE TURN BUT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME INCREDIBLY STIFF AND I COULDN'T NEGOTIATE THE TURN AS HOPED. I RAN INTO TWO CARS THAT IN TURN WERE PUSHED INTO TWO OTHER CARS AS A RESULT OF MY NOT BEING ABLE TO BREAK OR CONTROL THE STEERING INTO THE TURN. THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE WHO WENT TO THE HOSPITAL AND HAD INJURIES.
NHTSA complaint #10573618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 74,221 milesArvada, CO
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK PARK AVENUE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A LEFT TURN AT 5 MPH WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED THEY SUDDENLY LOCKED CAUSING THE STABILITY CONTROL FEATURE TO ACTIVATE ITSELF. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE INTO THE NEXT LANE ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED AND REPROGRAM THE STEERING SENSOR. NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 00V114000; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: FOUNDATION WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING OVER $200. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ALSO STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,221 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,800. UPDATED 08/22/11*LJ UPDATED 3/06/2012
NHTSA complaint #10412152 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 63,000 milesCenterport, NY
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR WHEN BRAKES APPLIES - NO PRESSURE AND ALMOST NO BRAKING OF THE VEHICLE POSSIBLE. THIS OCCURRED AT A STOP OF THE VEHICLE AND THEREFORE NO CRASH. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A CORRODED BRAKE LINE HAD FAILED LEADING TO A COMPLETE LOSS OF FLUID AND BRAKES. THE BRAKE FLUID LINES FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR TO THE MIDPOINT LOOKED FINE, BUT WERE COMPLETELY CORRODED FROM THAT POINT BACK TO THE REAR WHEELS. ONE OF THE LINES HAD BEEN REPLACED PREVIOUSLY BY THE PRIOR OWNER ALTHOUGH WITHOUT THEIR SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN PERFORMED IN 2000-2003.
NHTSA complaint #10177633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 47,370 milesLumberton, NC
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ALL BUT MANUAL BRAKES. I MANAGED TO REACH A NEARBY SERVICE GARAGE WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ONE OF THE BRAKE LINES BETWEEN THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE MODULATOR VALVE HAD CORRODED AND FAILED. THIS OCCURRED WHERE THE TUBING IS WEDGED TO A FLEX HOSE. THERE IS A SECOND LINE BETWEEN THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE MODULATOR VALVE AND IT ALSO SHOWED SIGNS OF CORROSION AT THE SAME LOCATION. BOTH LINES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. I HAVE RETAINED THE OLD LINES.
NHTSA complaint #10148108 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 34,200 milesRaleigh, NC
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE INCIDENT ORIGINALLY FELT LIKE POSSIBLE WARPED BRAKE DISC (SLIGHT THROBING IN THE BRAKE PEDAL). WHITHIN TWO WEEKS IT BECAME A CLICKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END EVEN WHITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL PRESSED. INVESTIGATIO DISCLOSED A BUILDUP ON THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE DISC. THIS BUILDUP WAS RADIAL IN NATURE; ABOUT .375 INCH WIDTH, ABOUT .010 INCH IN HEIGHT, WITH A LENGTH OF BRAKE PAD WIDTH. ITS APPEARANCE WAS SIMILAR TO WELD BEAD. THE BUILDUP WAS REMOVED BY HAND BURNISHING. THIS REMOVAL DISCLOSED A CRACK IN THE BRAKE DISC WHICH RAN ALONG ONE EDGE OF THE BUILDUP. MY ANALYSIS OF THIS PROBLEM IS; THE DISC SURFACE JUST AHEAD OF THE CRACK DEFLECTS INWARD WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE CRACK THEN ACTS AS A SCRAPER BLADE ON THE PAD. THE BRAKES DO FUNCTION THROB AND NOISE FREE SINCE THE BURNISHING, BUT I AM SURE THAT THE BUILDUP WILL REOCCUR.
NHTSA complaint #10108463 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Murphy, NC
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
NAR 05/21/2003 *MR DANGEROUS OPERATIONAL DEFECT. THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FOR STEERING AND BRAKING IS LOSE.
NHTSA complaint #10020374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 37,000 milesAtoka, TN
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
WHILE DRIVING FRONT LEFT WHEEL WAS SMOKING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTOMOBILE REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY DETERMINED THAT ANTILOCK BRAKE CONTROL MODULE WAS APPLYING PRESSURE TO FRONT LEFT ROTOR, CAUSING IT TO SMOKE AND WEAR OUT.
NHTSA complaint #10034247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 37,000 milesAtoka, TN
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHILE DRIVING FRONT LEFT WHEEL WAS SMOKING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTOMOBILE REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY DETERMINED THAT ANTILOCK BRAKE CONTROL MODULE WAS APPLYING PRESSURE TO FRONT LEFT ROTOR, CAUSING IT TO SMOKE AND WEAR OUT.
NHTSA complaint #10034247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Livermore, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
BRAKE SAFETY DEVICE TO INDICATE WHEN BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IS INOPERATIVE. BRAKE PAD HAD WORN COMPLETELY OUT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO ROTORS,THERE WASN'T ANY WARNING.
NHTSA complaint #8019158 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Excelsior, MN
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING THE BRAKES IN A NON-EMERGENCY STOP, BRAKES MADE A TERRIBLE SOUND. DEALER FOUND A SMALL PART OF DEFECTIVE HUBCAP WITH EVIDENCE OF 2 BROKEN CONNECTORS TO A SMALL ROUND RING, POSSIBLE PART OF ABS SYSTEM.
NHTSA complaint #566296 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mount Pleasant, SC
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
BRAKES WERE REPAIRED AT 16,455 MILES AND AGAIN AT 40,149 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #752070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Euaclaire, WI
PARKING BRAKE
WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD HORN IS INOPERABLE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT ENGAGE AT TIMES, DEALER REPLACED. PASSENGER WINDOW WILL NOT WORK FROM PASSENGER SIDE, DEALER REPLACED DOOR MODULE. CONSUMER THINKS THAT THERE IS AN EXHAUST LEAK AND IT IS CAUSING A LOUD CLATTER UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION WHEN COLD. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #893650 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.