2006 Buick Lucerne Complaint Log

(1) EXTREMELY POOR STEERING, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, 65 MPH OR HIGHER,. MAY NOT CAUSE A WRECK, BUT MOST CERTAINLY WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO A ACCIDENT. (2) NONE , SO FAR. (3) NOTIFIED BUICK BY MAIL 05-16-06/ BUICK PHONED BACK, "WE HAVE FILED YOUR LETTER." NOTE: THIS IS A CONDITION FROM THE DAY THE CAR WAS BOUGHT, THROUGH TODAY, 09-26-06. SO, THERE HAS BEEN NO 'INCIDENT (S) TO REPORT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE SETTING THE CRUISE CONTROL THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD 5 TO 7 MPH. DUE TO THIS PROBLEM THE VEHICLE TAKES 15 TO 30 SECONDS TO RETURN TO THE SET SPEED. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT OCCURS UNDER ALL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THIS WAS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED. UPDATED 7/11/2006 - DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR FOGGED UP. THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD MOVE TO FULL. WIND WAS COMING THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH. *NM

DRIVER'S MIRROR DOES NOT ADJUST ADEQUATELY TO VIEW THE BLIND SPOT TO THE DRIVER'S LEFT REAR. THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR ADJUSTS CORRECTLY. THE DRIVER'S SIDE "TRAVELS" ABOUT 1/2 LESS. I NARROWLY AVOIDED COLLIDING WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE CHANGING LANES. THE OTHER DRIVERS HORN ALERTED ME TO THE PROBLEM. OTHER BUICK LUCERNES IN THE DEALERS SHOWROOM HAVE THE SAME "PROBLEM". *NM

2006 BUICK LUCERNE. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH STABILITRAK SYSTEM *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE STABILITRAK PROBLEM SUBSIDED FOR ALMOST A YEAR, BUT HAS NOW RETURNED AND IT IS MUCH WORSE. PREVIOUSLY, THERE WERE ONLY ERRONEOUS WARNING LIGHTS AND BEEPS. NOW, THE STABILITRAK SYSTEM IS OCCASIONALLY DECIDING THAT THERE IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND APPLYING THE BRAKES WITHOUT WARNING. THE LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE ARE NO DAYTIME LIGHTS FOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS UNDER A GLARE SHIELD AND WITHOUT PROPER LIGHTING IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO READ THE SPEEDOMETER OR ANY OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES. THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED. UPDATED 05/16/2006 - THE CONTACT CLAIMED IT WAS A DESIGN/SAFETY PROBLEM AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD HAVE TAKEN ACTION. *AK *NM

THE DASH LIGHTS ON MY BUICK LUCERNE WILL NOT COME ON WHEN THE LIGHT SWITCH IS ON THE AUTOMATIC SETTING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD SINCE THE GAUGES, INCLUDING THE SPEEDOMETER ARE NOT FULLY VISIBLE. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE MANUFACTURER. UPDATED 6/23/2006 - *NM

CANNOT READ INSTRUMENT PANEL DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. CANNOT TELL HOW FAST I AM GOING OR READ ANY OTHER ALERT THAT APPEARS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. *JB

MY 2006 BUICK LUCERNE DASH INSTRUMENTS ARE ALSO UNREADABLE DURING SUNNY DAYS. I HAD A REPAIR KIT INSTALLED SEVERAL YEARS AGO BUT IT DID NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM. NO MORE BUICKS FOR ME. *TR

DRIVING HOME AFTER ACCEPTING DELIVERY OF MY VEHICLE I NOTICED A FRONT END VIBRATION. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL LUCERNES DO THIS AND THAT I SHOULD DRIVE IT 500 MILES BEFORE RETURNING. I INSISTED THAT THEY FIX IT AND WHEN THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME IT NO LONGER VIBRATED. THE PAPER WORK REVEALED THAT THEY HAD PERFORMED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND REFERRED TO SERVICE BULLETIN NR. 000310007G. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BRIGHTNESS CONTROL WOULD NOT WORK DURING THE DAYLIGHT. AS A RESULT OF THIS ISSUE, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR THE CONTACT TO SEE THE PANEL DURING THE DAY. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. UPDATE 7/18/2006 - *NM

DASH BOARD GAUGES ARE NOT VISIBLE IN THE DAY TIME. THEY ARE PROPERLY ILLUMINATED AT NIGHT. CONSULTED DARBY BUICK IN VENICE FLORIDA AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NO CORRECTION. SAFETY DEFECT. *NM

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BUICK LUCERNE. DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS, THE COMPONENTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL COULD NOT BE SEEN BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO DARK. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER KEPT PUTTING HIM OFF AND WOULD NOT ASSIST. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. UPDATED 04/03/08. *LJ

TOTAL INSTRUMENTAL PANEL IS NOT READABLE IN THE DAYLIGHT. NO WAY TO INCREASE THE LIGHTING. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO NOT KNOW HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING. NO ACCIDENT IS INVOLVED - AT THIS TIME. *NM

FAILURE INFO UNKNOWN. THE PANEL INSTRUMENTS ARE NOT VISIBLE DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS WHILE THE HEADLAMP SWITCH IS IN THE "AUTO" POSITION. IN "PARK" AND "HEADLIGHT" POSITION THE PANEL LAMPS ARE ON. A VERY SIMPLE WIRING CHANGE CAN CORRECT THIS AND MAKE THE SPEEDOMETER AND GAUGES VISIBLE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE TRUCK LID WAS UP, THE WIND WAS BLOWING AND CLOSED THE TRUNK LID 6 INCHES. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THE CONTACT WAS HIT IN THE HEAD WITH THE LID. THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRUNK LID CLOSES TO EASILY. UPDATED 03/15/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS OBSCURED BY THE GLARE FROM SUNLIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE STRUCTURE OF THE DASHBOARD PANEL WAS A MANUFACTURING STANDARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. UPDATED 10/17/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DASH BOARD GAUGES ARE NOT READABLE DURING THE DAY. THE CONTACT MUST SHIELD THE AREA WITH AN OBJECT TO BE SEEN. THE SALESMAN AT THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED THE PARKING LIGHTS BE USED DURING THE DAY. UPDATED 3/9/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE IT WAS DISCOVERED THE DASH PANEL GAUGES SUCH AS THE TACHOMETER AND THE SPEEDOMETER WERE POORLY LIGHTED AND MADE VISIBILITY LIMITED. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER. CONTRARY TO THE MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN, THE DEALER REWIRED THE DASH PANEL LIGHTING AND BYPASSED THE DASH DIMMER SWITCH SO THE LIGHTING ILLUMINATED AT THE BRIGHTEST POSSIBLE LEVEL. AS A RESULT, THE DASH PANEL LIGHTS COULD NOT BE DIMMED. UPDATED 03/09/06

THE LEFT-FRONT CHROME PLATED WHEEL ON MY 2006 BUICK LUCERNE HAD A STRESS CRACK DEVELOP OVER TIME. AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME IMPACT BECAUSE THERE WAS A SLIGHT FLATTENING OF THE RIM, BUT THE DAY THE RIM FAILED I HAD NO IMPACT WITH ANY ROAD HAZARD WHATSOEVER; THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR CAME ON AND I WAS LOSING AIR FAST. ONCE I COULD GET IN TO HAVE THE WHEEL CHECKED THE HAIRLINE CRACK, INSIDE THE RIM, WAS DISCOVERED. I PURCHASED A NEW WHEEL THROUGH MY BUICK DEALER, AND FILED A CLAIM WITH BUICK FOR SOME AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION. IN MY OPINION A WHEEL OF THIS EXPENSE SHOULD NOT FAIL IN THIS MANNER. MY PREVIOUS VEHICLE, ANOTHER BUICK, WAS DRIVEN FOR 14 YEARS AND 427,000 MILES, AND I NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A WHEEL. THE WHEELS ON MY LUCERNE WERE PRODUCED IN CHINA ("CHINA" IS STAMPED INSIDE THE RIM) AND ARE OF OBVIOUS POOR MATERIAL AND QUALITY - ARE THEY TESTED TO MEET D.O.T. STANDARDS? BUICK HAS DENIED MY CLAIM, BASED ON THE "AGE" OF THE WHEEL. I AM NOT JUST CONCERNED WITH THE COST OF THE WHEEL, BUT ALSO WITH THE SAFETY OF THESE WHEELS. I DRIVE 400-500 MILES A WEEK FOR WORK MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY; I AM CONCERNED OF LOSING A WHEEL AT 65-70 M.P.H. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY OTHER PROBLEMS REPORTED LIKE THIS? I STRONGLY FEEL THIS NEED TO BE CHECKED INTO, ESPECIALLY NOW, WITH TAXPAYER-BASED LOAN MONEY HAVING GONE TO GM AND WITH MORE ON THE WAY, GM NEEDS TO MAKE SURE THEY WILL STAND BY THEIR PRODUCTS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BUICK LUCERNE. WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE LOUDLY WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. BUICK STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT REPAIRING THE BRAKES DUE TO THE HIGH REPAIR EXPENSES. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO VISIT HIS LOCAL DEALER. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, FAILURE SPEED, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,000. THE CONSUMER STATED TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS BUT TO NO AVAIL, THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER WAS SUPPOSED TO CONTACT HIM BUT THE CONSUMER HAS NOT HEARD FROM THE DEALER IN THE AS OF YET. UPDATED 08/29/07 *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ARE ON; THE DASHBOARD PANEL IS UNABLE TO BE READ. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE HEADLIGHTS COULD MANUALLY BE TURNED ON AND THE DASHBOARD WILL ILLUMINATE SO THE GAUGES CAN BE READ.

2006 BUICK LUCERNE CSX RECEIVED DELIVERY JANUARY 2006 - SAFETY ISSUE - IMPOSSIBLE TO READ SPEEDOMETER, COMPUTER READOUT OR ANY OTHER GAUGES ON INSTRUMENT PANEL ON A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY. DASH LIGHTS CONTROLLED AUTOMATICALLY AND LIGHT UP AT NIGHT BUT NOT IN DAYTIME. TOTALLY UNABLE TO READ VEHICLE SPEED.*JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED DURING THE DAY THE SPEEDOMETER AND GAS GAUGE CAN NOT BE READ. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THIS IS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED. UPDATED 02/13/06. *JB

IMPOSSIBLE TO READ SPEEDOMETER & OTHER GAUGES DURING SUNLIGHT. GAUGES LIGHT UP AT TWILIGHT,BUT, NOT DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND CANNOT BE CORRECTED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THIS CONDITION HAS EXISTED SINCE THE TIME THE NEW VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FROM THE SHOWROOM. *JB

2006 LUCERNE CSX - IMPOSSIBLE TO READ SPEEDOMETER AND THE OTHER DASHBOARD GAUGES DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. THIS HAS BEEN SINCE DAY OF PURCHASE, JANUARY 2006 ERIE LOCATED FACTORY REPRESENTATIVES ADVISED FACTORY KNOWN PROBLEM AND IS WORKING ON IT. HOWEVER AFTER FOUR MONTHS I AM STILL SUFFERING THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS THE ILLUMINATION ON THE DASH COULD NOT BE SEEN AND THE GAUGES WERE NOT VISIBLE. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 09/05/06. *JB

YOU CAN NOT READ THE DASH BOARD INSTRUMENTS IN THE DAY TIME. YOU CAN NOT SEE HOW FAST YOUR GOING, HOW MUCH FUEL YOU HAVE OR IF YOU ARE OVER HEATING. WHICH MAKES FOR UNSAFE DRIVING. AT NIGHT THE DASH BOARD INSTRUMENTS ARE WELL LIT AND YOU CAN READ EVERY THING. I'VE REPORTED THIS TO THE BUICK DEALER WITH NO RESULTS. THIS DEFECT IS ON MY NEW 2006 BUICK LUCERNE LXS. *JB

WHILE ENTERING A CURVE ON THE EAST -WEST CONNECTOR IN FRANKFORT, KY, MY WIFE LOST CONTROL OF OUR 2006 BUICK LUCERNE. THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 45 AND SHE WAS GOING NO MORE THAN 35-40. SHE WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE CAR AND BRING IT UNDER CONTROL. THE RIGHT FRONT PART OF OUR CAR HIT A GUARDRAIL, SHE THOUGHT THAT SHE WAS ABLE TO BRING IT UNDER CONTROL MOMENTARILY, THEN LOST CONTROL AGAIN. THE CAR SPUN AROUND AND HIT THE CEMENT BARRIER, WHERE THE CAR STOPPED. DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE RIGHT REAR AND THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY SEVERED FROM THE VEHICLE. WE HAD NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR BEFORE, ALTHOUGH SEVERAL DAYS EARLIER, WHEN I DROVE THE CAR, I NOTICED SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE CAR DID NOT SEEM TO RESPOND IMMEDIATELY TO MY CONTROLS. THE CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 18,000 MILES. FORTUNATELY, MY WIFE WAS NOT INJURED AND NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE INVOLVED. WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY $10,000 IN DAMAGES TO THE CAR. OUR PRIMARY CONCERN IS THAT THE WHEEL WAS COMPLETELY SEVERED FROM THE CAR. THE TIRE IS NOT FLAT, BUT THE WHEEL SEPARATED AT THE HUB (I THINK THAT IS THE CORRECT TERM). SINCE THIS IS A NEW CAR (2006 WAS THE FIRST MODEL), WE WONDER WHETHER THERE MAY BE SOME TYPE OF DEFECT? WE CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THE WHEEL WOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE (INTACT) WHEN SHE WAS NEVER GOING MORE THAN 35-40 AND, MOST LIKELY, SLOWER THAN THAT WHEN SHE HIT THE CEMENT BARRIER. IF NECESSARY, WE CAN PROVIDE A COPY OF THE ACCIDENT REPORT, A LIST OF REPAIRS TO BE MADE ON THE VEHICLE, AND PICTURES THAT WE TOOK OF THE VEHICLE. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *JB

2006 LUCERNE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ARE HARD TO SEE DURING THE DAY. *TS ***NAR*** THE TRUNK RELEASE IS HIDDEN IN THE GLOVE BOX. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS VERY INCONVENIENT. *NM

2006 BUICK LUCERNE WITH INSTRUMENT PANEL DEFECTS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS CHROME PLATED GADGETS AND WHEN THE SUN HITS THE DASHBOARD IT SHOCKS HIS EYES. *KB THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE FAKE WOOD TRIM REFLECTS BADLY. *JB