27 of the
452 complaints filed about the Buick Roadmaster
are about the transmission —
6% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1992.
27
Complaints
6%
Share of all complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
SINCE NEW THIS 1996 BUICK ROADMASTER STATION WAGON HAS HAD 4 TRANSMISSIONS INSTALLED IN IT. THIS PARTICULAR CAR HAS THE FACTORY INSTALLED 5000LB TOW PACKAGE. THIS CAR USES THE GM, 4L60E, 4 SPEED, ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION. ACCORDING TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER, THE 4L60E TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WHEN IT ONLY HAD ROUGHLY 40,000 MILES ON IT. HE TOLD ME THE 2ND TRANSMISSION WENT OUT 40,000MILES AFTER IT WAS INSTALLED. THE PREVIOUS OWNER TOLD ME HE HAD THE 3RD TRANSMISSION INSTALLED WHEN THE CAR HAD 85,000 MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 119,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, AND THE 3RD TRANSMISSION FAILED WHEN THE CAR HAD 142,000 MILES ON IT. THE 4L60E TRANSMISSION IS A VERY POOR TRANSMISSION FOR THE TASK ASSIGNED. THE CAR ALREADY WEIGHS 4500LBS AND IS RATED TO TOW 5000 MORE LBS. MAKING UP ROUGHLY A 10,000LB PLATFORM. THIS TRANSMISSION FAILS IN MANY, MANY VEHICLES IT WAS INSTALLED IN REGARDLESS OF PURPOSE, USE, OR CARE.
NHTSA complaint #10135912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER STATED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THE VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN SHIFTING GEARS.*AK. CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER WHEEL FELL BROKE OFF DUE TO THE NUTS AND BOLTS HAD BROKEN OFF, THE BRAKES WENT OUT, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE, THE THERMOSTAT WENT OUT, PASSENGER WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL DOWN, TURN SIGANL WAS INOPERATIVE, WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED, AND THE UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED.*SLC
NHTSA complaint #8003609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN VEHICLE WAS EITHER IN DRIVE OR REVERSE AND MAKING A TURN, COULD HEAR A CLUNKING NOISE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AT LOW SPEEDS. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER AT LEAST 4 OR MORE TIMES. EACH TIME MECHANIC INDICATED NON-SLIP DIFFERENTIAL WAS CAUSING CLUNKING NOISE. MECHANIC DRAINED DIFFERENTIAL, AND REPLACED IT WITH AN ADDITIVE TO HELP RELEASE BETTER.BUT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK DEALER HAS: REPLACED THE SERPENTINE BELT, SERVICED THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL TWICE, AND DRAINED AND REFILLED FLUIDS, PROBLEM STILL REMAINS. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #895337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN VEHICLE WAS EITHER IN DRIVE OR REVERSE AND MAKING A TURN, COULD HEAR A CLUNKING NOISE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AT LOW SPEEDS. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER AT LEAST 4 OR MORE TIMES. EACH TIME MECHANIC INDICATED NON-SLIP DIFFERENTIAL WAS CAUSING CLUNKING NOISE. MECHANIC DRAINED DIFFERENTIAL, AND REPLACED IT WITH AN ADDITIVE TO HELP RELEASE BETTER.BUT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK DEALER HAS: REPLACED THE SERPENTINE BELT, SERVICED THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL TWICE, AND DRAINED AND REFILLED FLUIDS, PROBLEM STILL REMAINS. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #895337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
VEHICLE WAS LEFT UNATTENDED IN PARK GEAR AND RUNNING, GEAR JUMPED OUT OF PARK AND INTO REVERSE RESULTING IN COLLISION WITH FENCE AND DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. *MJS
NHTSA complaint #550446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN VEHICLE REACHED 46 THOUSAND MILES TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK AT 36000 MILES, DEALER CHANGED FILTER AND FLUID, 10000 MILES LATER, IT COMPLETELY FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #985208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THREE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE BRACKET ON WHICH THE GENERATOR AND POWER STEERING PUMP ARE MOUNTED, SHEARED, CAUSING COMPLETE POWER LOSS. TRIP ODOMETER WINDOW IS POORLY ALIGNED, THE LEFT MOST DIGIT CANNOT BE READ WITHOUT STRAINING TO SEE IT. REFLECTION OF THE TOP DASH IN THE WINDSHIELD IS ATROCIOUS. BACK DRIVER'S SIDE PANEL WITH THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT HAS A LOCK ON THE SMALL DOOR, BUT THE WHOLE PANEL CAN BE EASILY REMOVED AND CARRIED AWAY. REAR WINDOW BUTTON ON THE REMOTE CONTROL IS TOO EASY TO TRIGGER, THIS RESULTS IN UNWANTED OPENING OF THE REAR WINDOW. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #973371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
216-329-5525(MR ROKASY): VEHICLE VIBRATES/SHIMMIES AT 50 TO 65 MILES PER HOUR, COULD BE CAUSED BY DRIVE SHAFT/REAR DIFFERENTIAL; ALSO, VEHICLE PULLS TO RIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #972415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.