1998 Buick Park Avenue problems
Owners have filed 327 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Buick Park Avenue. Engine is the most reported problem area, at 34% of complaints. After that come fuel system (10%) and seat belts (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 327 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 34% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 8 and 46
- Injuries and deaths
- 7 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 73,000 miles 108 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 2 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 10 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 18 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 35 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 17 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 9 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 12 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 4 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Among the 108 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 73,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 77,000 miles (43 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 8 complaints mention a crash; 46 complaints mention a fire; 7 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1998 ranks 2nd most-complained-about out of 13 model years of the Buick Park Avenue with enough data (187 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
With brakes applied, vehicle lunged forward at a high rate of speed, jumped the curb, injuring three people who were sitting in a restaurant booth. The brakes were applied the entire time. The vehicle finally stopped, and vehicle died out and the air bags did not deploy.
Consumer stated that on 11/06/03 vehicle was involved in a head on collision in which he sustained injuries. When consumer's vehicle was hit head on consumer hit the post of the windshield, bounced back and was thrown forward. He hit head on the windshield. The seat belt never held him. Consumer sustained seat belt burns across the collar bone. About 2 years ago shoulder belts were repaired due to a recall.
Lifters damaged from apparent coolant leak in upper intake manifold at 80,000 miles. Rod bearing knock occurred at 81,820 miles. Cause as yet unknown. Possibly related to earlier coolant leak problem. Now in need of a new engine.
Dt: consumer states: passenger seat belt won't work, the seat belt will not pull out from the retractor. Had trouble with it normally, can pull on it and it will come out, but now it's stuck. Consumer adds seat belt was hard to retract and now has failed completely. There is a recall but vehicle did not qualify.