What 204 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Buick Lacrosse Hybrid

WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AT 20 MPH THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING AND THE SERVICE CHARGING SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON. A FEW MINUTES LATER AS I WAS BACKING INTO A PARKING SPOT IN A PARKING LOT AT WORK THE CAR SHUT OFF AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME AND A MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT AND SEEN THAT THE ENGINE WAS HYDRO-LOCKED WHICH HE WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK. AFTER CHECKING THE SPARK PLUGS, COILS, VALVE COVER, TIMING, OIL, COOLANT, ALTERNATOR, STARTER, BATTERY, FUSE BLOCK AND WIRING HARNESS, THE PLUGS NEEDED REPLACED, THERE WAS METAL SHAVINGS IN THE OIL AND SOME TYPE OF FLUID IN SOME OF THE SENSOR PLUGS ON THE MOTOR. AFTER REPLACING THE PLUGS AND OIL AND OIL FILTER AND CLEANING OTHER COMPONENTS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR TO THE STORE AND THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH SERVICE CHARGING SYSTEM AND SERVICE STABILITY TRAK I STOPPED AT AUTOZONE TO HAVE THEM SCAN THE ENGINE AND THE CODE CAME BACK WITH MALFUNCTION WITH SPARK PLUG #3 SO I BOUGHT A NEW PLUG AND ON THE WAY HOME ABOUT 10 MINS AFTER LEAVING AUTOZONE THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. MY MECHANIC CAME AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT TO RESTART AND GET IT BACK HOME WHICH WAS ONLY A FEW BLOCKS. AFTER DOING ANOTHER TUNEUP AND GETTING IT TO DRIVE AGAIN 2 BLOCKS FROM MY PLACE A ROD WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE FRONT BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE BLOCK WHICH THEN REQUIRED FOR A NEW ENGINE. I CALLED GM, BUICK, THE CAR LOT I GOT THE CAR FROM AND EVERYONE SAID THERE WAS NO LONGER A WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE SO THE ONLY CHOICE I WOULD HAVE WAS TO PAY $10,000 FOR A NEW ENGINE NOT INCLUDING LABOR PRICE. MY CAR INSURANCE DIDN'T COVER MECHANICAL FAILURES EITHER SO I WAS STUCK WITH A $30,000 CAR THAT WASN'T DRIVABLE. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN JAN. 2015 WITH 31,000 MILES ON IT AND THIS HAPPENED IN NOV 2015 WITH 40 SOME THOUSAND MILES ON IT. ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WAS KEPT UP TO DATE ALSO.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO RICK HENDRICK CHEVROLET CHARLESTON (1500 SAVANNAH HWY, CHARLESTON, SC 29407) WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V173000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) BUT THAT THE RECALL WAS CLOSED. THEY DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH A DEFECTIVE STARTER. THE STARTER WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE PERSISTED DESPITE THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SAME DEALER. UPON INSPECTION, THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH A DEFECTIVE GENERATOR CONTROL MODULE WHICH THE CONTACT LINKED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V173000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT SPOKE TO A SERVICE MANAGER WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THE DEFECTIVE PART ON HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT REPLACED. THE DEALER REFUSED TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE UNDER THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

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CAR RUNS FOR 10 - 15 MINUTES THEN JUST TURNS OF , WAIT A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND IT TURNS BACK ON LIKE AS NOTHING HAPPENED THEN IT TURNS OFF AGAIN DOES SAME THING ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON FOR A MINUTE OR TWO THEN TURNS OFF.

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MY 2012 BUICK LACROSSES NEWEST PROBLEM IS ONE THAT ACTUALLY SCARES ME. I CAN BE DRIVING ALONG AT 65 MILES AN HOUR AND IT WILL KINDA JERK A COUPLE OF TIMES, THEN USUALLY IT WILL FLASH 'SERVICE THE STABILITY TRACK' THEN I LOSE POWER STEERING AND IT DIES. I'M LUCKY IF I CAN MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.I LIVE IN A RURAL AREA AND THE HIGHWAYS AROUND HERE ARE TWO LANE WITH MINIMUM SHOULDERS. SO WHEN THE CAR DOES THIS IT IS DANGEROUS. IT HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES NOW. IT WILL RESTART AFTER ABOUT 15-30 MINUTES AND DRIVE JUST FINE. I'VE TAKEN IT TO A MECHANIC AND NOTHING SHOWS UP ON THE COMPUTER, EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD. BUT ITS NOT, THIS IS BY FAR THE WORST OF THE PROBLEMS I'VE EXPERIENCED WITH THIS CAR AND THERE HAVE BEEN QUITE A FEW.

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MY CAR WOULD NOT START AND THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE BATTERY WAS CHARGED AND I TOOK IT FOR A RIDE THEN TURNED THE CAR OFF. IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. WAITED UNTIL THE NEXT DAY AND IT STARTED IT AGAIN BUT THERE IS HESITATION IN STARTING. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS THE SAME THING THAT IS LISTED AS A RECALL BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED.

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MY VEHICLE STALLED OUT WHILE I WAS ON THE EXPRESS WAY. THEN IT WOULD NOT START WITHOUT A JUMP. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT. COMPUTER PUT OUT A CODE P062F. NOW I HAVE TO GET A JUMP ALMOST EVERY OTHER DAY.

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TAKATA RECALL. AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN ON ITS OWN IN THE MIDST OF 70 MPH TRAFFIC AND AS I PUSHED ON BRAKES MY VEHICLE JERKED. WHEN I TRIED TO SPEED BACK UP MY CAR SLOWLY ACCELERATED. I WAS TERRIFIED WHEN IT SLOWED DOWN BECAUSE THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST HIT ME. MY CAR IS NOW GIVE ME A WARNING SIGN 'STABILIZE TRACK ASSIST' BUT I HAD MY BREAKS CHECK AND THEY WERE FINE. NOW I START TO SMELL A BURNING SMELL SOMETIMES WHEN I'M DRIVING

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THE CAR STOPS RUNNING IT SHUTS OFF. WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT.

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DRIVING MY CAR WAS JUST GREAT ON MY 81ST DAY OF OWNERSHIP IT ALL CHANGED I WAS LEAVING A RED LIGHT IN VICKSBURG OFF THE INTERSTATE ONTO WARRENTON RD I EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ALL POWER TO EVERYTHING IN THE VEHICLE AND IF ANYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH THAT ROAD THE ARE HARDLY ANY ROOM TO PULL OVER SO BAD THAT IF I HAD A PASSENGER HEY WOULD HAVE TO CLIMB OVER TO THE DRIVER SIDE TO GET OUT OR ELSE SLIDE RIGHT INTO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, TALK ABOUT BAD TIMING WITH THE EXCEPTION FOR THE RADIO THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY CLICK ONCE NO ABNORMAL SMELLS SMOKE OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE ME TO THINK OF ANY ENGINE DAMAGE. AFTER HOURS OF WAITING THE TOW TRUCK CAME CHECKED THE CAR TRIED TO BOOST IT AND COULDN'T GET A CHARGE AFTER GETTING IT HOME I TOOK THE BATTERY TO THE ADVANCE AUTO PARTS TO CHARGE IT AND THEY SAID IT WAS A DEAD CELL SO J BROUGHT ANOTHER BATTERY GOT IT HOME JUST FOR IT TO CLICK STILL NO CRANK, IT'S PUSH TO START SO IT WAS JUST ONE SINGLE CLICK AND THE ENGINE LIGHT IS THE ONLY LIGHT ON THE DASH THAT WOULD ILLUMINATE. SO I CALLED ONSTAR THEY TOLD ME IT NEEDED TO BE TAKEN TO A DEALER IMMEDIATELY DUE TO A CHARGING ISSUE AFTER TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID IT'S THE MOTOR LOCKED UP WHICH IS OBSERD DUE TO THE FACT THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF IT DOING ANYTHING ABNORMAL BEFORE IT SHUT DOWN AND WITH IT BEING NEW I WAS TOLD IT WOULD SHUT DOWN BEFORE IT RAN HOT AND MESS UP THE ENGINE AND ALSO MAKES ME WONDER WHY IT WOULD EVEN BE CONSIDERED BECAUSE OF THE FACT OF THE ENGINE PROTECTION MECHANISM. NOW THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP JUST SITTING THERE AND I HAVE NO WAY TO WORK AND STILL HAVE TO PAY CAR NOTE AND INSURANCE ON A VEHICLE I DON'T EVEN HAVE ACCESS TO ANYMORE. THE DEALERSHIP IS DIXON AUTO AND BODY SALES AND I'M STUCK WAITING WITH NOTHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO AS FAR AS A RIDE.

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WHEN DRIVING RADIO AND DASH LIGHTS GO OFF FOR A SECOND AND COME BACK ON THIS OCCURS 5 AND 10 MINUTES APART.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO UNKNOWN DEALER IN 2014 TO BE SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V173000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER; THE REPAIR DID NOT PREVENT THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL FLICKERED AND THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO ADVISED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOST POWER STEERING ABILITY WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

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MY BATTERY HAS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED 3 TIMES ALREADY WITH NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY. ALSO, SERVICE STABILITYLINK KEEPS COMING ON AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE IT DISAPPEARS AND COME RIGHT BACK. WHEN I AM TAKING OFF GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY OR SPEEDING UP MY CAT STALLS BEFORE TAKING OFF.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE BATTERY INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED, THE BATTERY INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CHARGING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HILEY BUICK GMC (LOCATED AT 3535 W LOOP 820 S, FORT WORTH, TX 76116 817-632-8800) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

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VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN WHILE IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY, STREETS, ETC . CANNOT BREAK , STEER , ETC. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. SOMETIMES WILL START RIGHT BACK UP WITH A JUMP BUT WILL SHUT DOWN AGAIN AS DRIVING. BRAND NEW BATTERY . VERY UNSAFE !!! TAKEN TO GMC DEALERSHIP BUT STILL NOT FIXED.

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ALL POWER FEATURES SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON STREET. LOSS PARTIAL CONTROL OF STEERING, BRAKING POWER WAS REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY AND ENGINE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH COMING OFF THE EXPRESSWAY, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITH THE BRAIN BOX. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,798.

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SINCE I'VE OWNED THE CAR IT'S BEEN VERY HARD TO DRIVE ON THE HWY ONCE I HIT A CERTAIN SPEED IT LOSES CONTROL VERY EASY ALSO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE KEEPS FAILING LOSS OF BATTERY ALL THE TIME I SMELL A BURNING PLASTIC SMELL COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR EVERY SO OFTEN AND THE FRONT SEAT LOCKS UP ALL THE TIME ALSO SEEMS TO HAVE A FAILURE TO IT AS WELL AND THE 2012 BUICK LACROSSE I OWN SAYS THERE NO RECALL WHEN I RUN THE VIN BUT HAS THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE 2012 BUICK LACROSSE THAT IS ON RECALL

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TRUNK POPS OPEN WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED INTERMITTENTLY.

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WE HAVE A 2012 BUICK LACROSSE WITH EASSIST. WHEN DRIVING AT AROUND 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED THE VEHICLE DOOR LOCKS SUDDENLY UNLOCK AND LOCK, THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS AND THE RPMS GO WAY UP AND A LIGHT COMES ON THAT SAYS "SERVICE POWER STEERING". WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 3 TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE AND THEY SAY THAT BECAUSE THERE IS NO CODE DROPPED IN THE COMPUTER WHEN IT DOES IT AND THEY DON'T HAVE IT HAPPEN WHEN THEY TEST DRIVE IT, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. THE CAR HAS 53K MILES ON IT AND THIS HAS PROBABLY HAPPENED ABOUT 2 DOZEN TIMES. THE ENTIRE EVENT LASTS FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS BUT IT IS VARY SCARY WHEN YOU ARE CRUSING ALONG AT 65+ MPH AND ALL OF THESE THESE EVENTS JUST HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY THE HIGH RPMS, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE ENGINE BRAKING AS THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED SEVERAL TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT TURNED THE KEY AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY CONSTANTLY HAD A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND NEEDED TO BE RECHARGED FREQUENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 13V173000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

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2012 BUICK LACROSSE. CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL FOR VEHICLE AND IS REQUESTING REPAIRS. *TA THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. *JB

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE DECREASED IN SPEED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V173000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000. UPDATED 02/18/15*LJ UPDATED 9/12/2017*CN

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2012 BUICK LACROSSE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO WIRING CONDUIT ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE WIRING CONDUIT FAILED TO MEET THE FIREWALL AT APPROXIMATELY TWO INCHES. WHICH LEFT THE TAPED WIRES LOOSE. AS HE LOOKED THROUGH THE COWL SCREEN, THE WIRES WERE TAPED TO WHERE THE WIRES ENTERED THE BODY. THE TAPES WIRES APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN TAPED 8-12 INCHES, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED ENGINE FAILURE., IF THE WIRES FAILED OR RUBBED TOGETHER.*JB

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AT AROUND 70 MPH THE DOORS UNLOCK AND LOCK AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS TO NEUTRAL CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVER REV. *TR

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VEHICLE WAS EXCESSIVELY ROUGH IN TRANSITION BETWEEN HYBRID AND ENGINE POWER AND WOULD JERK AS IF SOMEONE HAD PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK WHILE MOVING. VEHICLE LOST ELECTRICAL POWER TO AC, RADIO AND OTHER ACCESSORIES. VEHICLE SHUTOFF AND HAD TO BE STOPPED AND PLACED INTO PARK BEFORE IT WOULD RESTART. VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND THE STEERING WOULD STAY LOCKED IN POSITION UNTIL THE VEHICLE ROLLED ABOUT 10-15 FEET OR UNTIL THE VEHICLE TRANSITIONED TO ENGINE POWER. THESE CONDITION REPEATED MULTIPLE TIMES IN A TWO DAY SPAN, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. THE DEALER REPLACED A SOLENOID AND AN ENGINE MOUNT STATING THEY HAD EXCESSIVE WEAR. THE VEHICLE NOW STAYS RUNNING, BUT I CONTINUE TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE ROUGH TRANSITION BETWEEN MODES. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE OTHER PARTS AND THAT THE VEHICLE SHUTDOWN AND STEERING LOSS WILL OCCUR AGAIN. IF IT DOES, THE DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, INJURY, OR LOSS OF LIFE COULD EASILY OCCUR GIVEN THE LACK OF DRIVABILITY AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE CONDITION OCCURS. *TR

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