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2001 BUICK REGAL — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

fire · 837184 · 2011-01-17

Vehicle

Make
BUICK
Model
REGAL
Year
2001
Manufacturer
General Motors, LLC
Component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
Miles at failure
150,000
Speed
20 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

I HAVE A 2001 BUICK REGAL THAT HAS A 3.8 LITRE SUPERCHARGED ENGINE. THIS VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR STARTING ON FIRE FROM OIL DRIPPING ONTO THE EXHAUST. I HAD THE RECALL DONE OVER A YEAR AGO. I DROVE THE CAR EVERY DAY. RECENTLY I LEFT THE CAR PARKED FOR TWO DAYS. WHEN I STARTED DRIVING THE CAR TOWARD WORK I NOTICED THAT IT WAS SHUTTERING SLIGHTLY AND AFTER ABOUT FOUR MILES I TURNED AROUND TO HEAD BACK HOME. ON THE WAY BACK I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM THE FLOOR NEAR THE SHIFTER. I QUICKLY PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND GOT OUT. THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES AND WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. I WAS NOT HURT BUT THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. I CALLED BUICK TO TELL THEM WHAT HAPPENED. I GOT THEIR CLAIM DEPARTMENT. I TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED. THEY ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO FILE A CLAIM. I TOLD THEM I WAS CONCERNED THAT I HAD THE RECALL DONE AND THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES ANYWAY AND THAT I WANTED SOMEONE TO LOOK AT IT TO DETERMINE IF THE RECALL WAS DONE CORRECTLY OR POSSIBLY THE RECALL DOESN'T WORK. THEY TOLD ME SOMEONE WOULD CALL ME WITHIN 10 DAYS. NO ONE CALLED AND I GOT A LETTER IN THE MAIL SAYING THEY WERE NOT LIABLE AFTER TWO YEARS AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THE CAR. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE RECALL DOES NOT WORK, THAT NO ONE EVER CAME TO LOOK AT THE CAR AND THE DISMISSED ME WITHOUT TAKING ME SERIOUSLY AT ALL. THE CAR WAS IN PERFECT DRIVING SHAPE AND HAD NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS. I TOLD BUICK THAT I WAS CONCERNED THAT IF THE RECALL DOESN'T WORK PEOPLE COULD BE KILLED (I WAS L

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10376960
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown