2000 BUICK LESABRE Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

BRAKES FAILED BECAUSE BRAKE LINE CORROSION. NO WARNING AT FIRST, THEN THE BRAKE WARNING CAME ON. ALMOST DID NOT STOP AND ALMOST HIT A CAR IN FRONT. *TR

Mileage: 39,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY ALTHOUGH THE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, BUT THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE CURRENT MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WAS 87,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE CONSTANTLY ENGAGED TO SOME DEGREE; THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A GRINDING NOISE AND THE ROTORS WOULD GET HOT. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED LOOSE NUTS ON THE VACUUM BOOSTER AND EXHAUST FUMES WERE BEING EMITTED INTO THE CABIN. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND REFERENCED RECALL 99V238000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM) BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 43,000.

Mileage: 43,000

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2000 BUICK LESABRE LTD HOME FROM WORK AND HER BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN SHE TRIED TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. SHE WAS ABLE TO STOP, BUT THE BRAKES WERE BARELY THERE. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT, AND I CHECKED IT OUT WHEN SHE GOT HOME. I FOUND THAT THERE WAS ALMOST NO BRAKE FLUID LEFT IN THE RESERVOIR. I TOOK MY OTHER VEHICLE TO THE STORE AND BOUGHT SOME BRAKE FLUID AND REFILLED THE RESERVOIR AND CHECKED UNDER THE VEHICLE FOR LEAKS. I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD ROTTED OUT IN THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE BETWEEN THE REAR WHEELS, DIRECTLY BEHIND THE COMPRESSOR MOTOR FOR THE LOAD LEVELING SHOCKS THAT ARE ON THIS VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL BUICK DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY, AND THEY CONFIRMED WHAT I HAD FOUND, THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED AND ROTTED OUT. I ASKED ABOUT A SAFETY RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE BUT THEY SAID THERE WAS NONE. I FOUND IT VERY ODD THAT THERE WAS NO SIGNS OF CORROSION ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE OR ON THE BRAKE LINES OTHER THAN DIRECTLY BEHIND THE COMPRESSOR MOTOR FOR THE SHOCKS. THEY REPLACED BOTH REAR BRAKE LINES AT A COST TO ME OF $568.31. *TR

Mileage: 88,071

ON DECEMBER 12, 2009, I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN. AT THAT TIME, MY CAR MADE A LOUD NOISE (MY HUSBAND THOUGHT I RAN OVER A TRASH CAN) THE BRAKES IMMEDIATELY CAME ON AND THE CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT. I MOVED FORWARD AGAIN AND IMMEDIATELY THE BRAKES CAME ON AGAIN AND PULLED THE RIGHT. THE STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVATED CAME ON. I HAD TO DRIVE VERY SLOW TO GET MY CAR HOME AND THIS HAPPENED THE WHOLE WAY. I WAS VERY CLOSE TO MY HOME. A COMPUTER HAS BEEN PUT ON THE CAR AND THE CODES DON'T MAKE SENSE TO THE MECHANIC. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO THE GARAGE, HAS BEEN THERE SINCE 12/17/09 AND THEY CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT ON THE HIGHWAY WE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. WHAT AUTO CO. WOULD PUT A SYSTEM ON YOUR VEHICLE THAT WOULD THROW YOUR BRAKES ON FOR NO REASON. *TR

Mileage: 120,000

I WAS DRIVING AND CAME TO A RED LIGHT. UPON PRESSING MY BRAKES, IT MADE A LOUD CRUNCHING/GRINDING NOISE AND THE CAR STARTED SKIDDING AS IF I WAS DRIVING ON ICE, BUT THERE WAS NO ICE ON THE GROUND. MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON. I ASSUMED IT WAS THE BRAKES THAT NEEDED CHANGING. TOOK THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC AND PUT NEW BRAKES ON THE CAR. ABS LIGHT STILL COMES ON AND IT IS NOT STOPPING CORRECTLY. I HAVE TRIED RESETTING THE BATTERY, AS SUGGESTED ON THE BUICK WEBSITE. THAT DIDN'T HELP THE SITUATION. LIGHT STILL IS ON, AND CAR IS NOT STOPPING CORRECTLY. *TR

Mileage: 160,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK LESABRE. THE MECHANISMS THAT ALLOW THE WINDOWS TO GO UP AND DOWN WERE REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE FIRST TWO MECHANISMS WERE REPLACED ON JULY 5, 2007 AND THE THIRD ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2007. THE MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED THE REPLACEMENTS GUARANTEED THE WORK FOR ONE YEAR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 23,176. THE CONSUMER STATED BUICK ONLY PROVIDED FREE OIL CHANGES FOR 1 YEAR AND NEVER REMEDIED THE WINDOW DEFECT. THE DEALER STATED PERFORMED FRONT BRAKE REPAIRS ON VEHICLE. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

Mileage: 23,176

BRAKE FAILURE..AVOIDED CRASH BY QUICK MANEUVER..ENDED UP IN FIELD. BRAKE LINE RUSTED OUT OLD PART IS AVAILABLE BRAKE LINES SHOULD BE RUST PROOF. *JB

Mileage: 61,462

WHILE DRIVING DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED MORE THAN ANY OTHER LIGHT. ALSO, THE DRIVER'S SIDE BACK OF SEAT LAID AUTOMATICALLY ON ITS OWN. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. UPON HAVING A FULL TANK OF GAS, THE METER WOULD READ EMPTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *AK THERE WAS A NOISE IN THE DASH, THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD JUMP TO EMPTY, THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD GO TO ZERO, THE HEADLIGHT WOULD GO DIM WHEN THE WEATHER WAS RAINY, THERE WAS A RUMBLE IN THE LEFT FRONT END, A SHIMMY WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND WHEN RAINING, THE DASH LIGHT WOULD GO FROM BRIGHT TO DIM THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENT, THE RADIO WOULD CUT OUT, THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS INOPERATIVE, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP INTO OVERDRIVE ON SLIGHT ACCELERATION, THE AUTOMATIC DOORS WERE INOPERATIVE, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERATIVE, THERE WERE INTERMITTENT LOSS OF HEAT WOULD START BLOWING COLD AIR, THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHILE THE FUEL GAUGE MILEAGE WOULD NOT STAY ON, THE ELECTRICAL REMOTE WAS INOPERATIVE, AND THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE ENGINE. *SC

Mileage: 34,000

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR AND THE VEHICLE JERKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE REAR CALIPERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WORN OUT PARTS. *AK *JB

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND HIT A TREE AND MAILBOX. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD AND BACK INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO A HOSPITAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. *AK

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB DEALER FOUND BRAKE PEDAL ROD RETAINER CAME LOOSE AND WAS REPLACED. *TT

Mileage: 39,951

THE FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT SHORTED OUT ON BOTH OF THE CONSUMER 2000 BUICK LESABRE'S WHICH RESULTED IN INACCURATE FUEL READING. THE ROTORS AND GASKETS ALSO FAILED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SENDING UNITS ON BOTH VEHICLES. *MR *SCC *NLM

Mileage: 26,078

WHEN THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKE THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. *NLM

THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD. *JB

CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED, THE PEDAL WOULD GO DOWN TO THE FLOOR.*JB

WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM THE BRAKE PEDAL ROD RETAINER HAD LOOSENED. *SCC

Mileage: 39,987

CONSUMER STATES HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS RECALL#00V114000 BRAKE HYDRAULIC CONTROL LEAKS. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR BECAUSE VIN IS NOT INCLUDED. TS

THE ROTORS ON THE VEHICLE WARPED EXCESSIVELY CAUSING VIBRATIONS WHILE BRAKING. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *TS *NLM

Mileage: 26,553

CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH COMING TO A STOP. CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE LIKE METAL AGAINST METAL WHEN BRAKING. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A TIE ROD END, BRAKE SHOES, AND ROTORS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS BADLY WARPED, REPLACED, NOTICE VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL, STEEL WORN THROUGH, FRONT ROTORS WARPED AGAIN, REPLACED.

BRAKES LOCKED UP AND VEHICLE SKIDDED IN DAMP WEATHER. NO WARNING INDICATION LIGHT. THIS WAS 3RD INCIDENT THAT NOTHING WAS SHOWING UP ON DIAGNOSTIC TEST. PROBLEM HAS TO BE DUPLICATED FOR DEALER TO FIND A REMEDY. *AK CONSUMER STATED BRAKES LOCKED UP TWICE IN ONE DAY.*SLC

ON MAY 22 POLICE REPORT NUMBER [XXX] WIFE LOST CONTROL AND REPORTED VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE CHECKED..REPAIRS WERE MADE AND TODAY ON JULY 15 VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME AND ENGINE WAS RACING AND WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. VEHICLE WAS TURNING 4100 RPM AND WOULD NOT IDLE.THE CAR NORMALLY RUNS AT 65 AT 2000 RPMS SO 4100 RPM WOULD BE IN EXCESS OF 100 MPH. CRUISE WAS TAKEN OFF HOWEVER VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SPEED OUT OF CONTROL.ALL ATTEMPTS TO GET VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN FAILED. THE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVEWAY I HAVE NOT REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER YET.DEALER UNAWARE OF ACCIDENT.ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON WET ROADS AND THE ACCELERATOR MAY HAVE STUCK THEN. I KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG...HELP ME IT MAY SAVE A LIFE. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

BRAKES SQUEAK IN DAMP WEATHER. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT ALL OF BUICK LESABRES DO THAT. *AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR , CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 45MPH ON FREEWAY BRAKE LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL CAME ON & STARTED TO CHIME BEFORE GOING OFF. HAD STARTED TO BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN & BRAKES LOCKED UP. VEHICLE WENT INTO A SPIN, AND HIT A FREEWAY BARRIER. LATER IN DAY, CONTACTED MANUFACTURER & WAS GIVEN THE RUN AROUND & NO HELP. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE BRAKING BRAKE PEDAL STICKS UNEXPECTEDLY. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY ON WET PAVEMENTS WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THERE IS A LOSS OF BRAKE POWER, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR DUE TO MISSING BRAKE SHAFT RETAINER CLIP, WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF PRESSURE. YH

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL BECOMES VERY HARD AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURS. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PROBLEM REOCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES, EVEN AFTER REPAIRS. BUICK HAS SINCE REPURCHASED VEHICLE. *AK *ML

WHILE TRAVELING CONSUMER NOTICED THAT ABS BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER ATTEMPTED TO FIX BY CLEARING THE CODES, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK *ML

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY,AT APPROX. 65-70 MPH ON DRY SURFACE WHEN ACCELERATOR CABLE POPPED OUT OF ITS BRACKET, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO TO FULL THROTTLE AND EXCEED SPEEDS OF 90 MPH. DRIVER STARTED TO APPLY BRAKES , IT TOOK ABOUT1 1/2 TO 2 MILES BEFORE VEHICLE COULD SLOW DOWN, AND THEN SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE BRAKING , FLAMES STARTED COMING OUT OF FRONT BRAKES. *AK

OWNER NOTED UNUSUAL SOUND WHEN APPLYING BRAKE PEDAL IN A HARD, BUT NOT PANIC, STOP. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER WAS EXTENDING OUT 1 INCH FROM FIREWALL WHEN HARD BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE WAS APPLIED. BRAKES FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FOUR STUDS WHICH SECURE THE BRAKE BOOSTER TO THE FIREWALL WERE NOT TIGHTENED PROPERLY. THE FOUR NUTS WHICH SECURE THE FOUR BOOSTER STUDS TO THE FIREWALL WERE ONLY ENGAGED THE LENGTH OF THE NUT, LEAVING ABOUT 1 INCH OF THE STUD THREAD EXPOSED. OWNER FASTENED THREE OF THE FOUR NUTS, SINCE THE FOURTH STUD WAS OBSCURED BY THE STEERING COLUMN. THE FOURTH NUT WILL BE REFERRED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR DURING THE NEXT SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. BRAKES NOW FUNCTION OK WITHOUT NOISE OR BOOSTER MOVEMENT, BUT THIS FAILURE TO PROPERLY ASSEMBLE THE BOOSTER TO THE FIREWALL COULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF BRAKES IF THE FOUR NUTS HAD TOTALLY DISENGAGED FROM THE BOOSTER STUDS.