Mar 18, 2013Visibility & wipers
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK VERANO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ACTIVATED BUT WOULD NOT CLEAR THE WATER FROM THE WINDOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WIPERS WERE PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. THE WIPER BLADES WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,000.
NHTSA ODI 10503509
Nov 6, 2012Visibility & wipers
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK VERANO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD PROPERLY, CAUSING SEVERE OBSTRUCTION OF THE CONTACT'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WIPER BLADES SEVERAL TIMES HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS PERFORMING ACCORDING TO THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 590 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,000. ..UPDATED 01/30/13 *BF UPDATED 2/1/2013 *JS
NHTSA ODI 10483466
Nov 3, 2012Speed controlEngine
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH IN THE RIGHT LANE OF A 4-LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY, MY ENGINE QUIT, AND ALL GAUGES WENT DARK. I HAD STEERING, BRAKES, TURN SIGNAL AND HAZARD LIGHTS, AND TELEPHONE. I WAS LOSING SPEED, AND WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. HOWEVER, I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. I WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. I PUT ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND USED MY CELL PHONE TO CALL THE DEALER. AFTER 10 - 15 MINUTES OF WAITING, I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DEALER HAD JUST ARRIVED AND FOLLOWED ME TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY KEPT THE CAR OVERNIGHT. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE EPISODE, SO THEY RESET THE COMPUTER. I AM SUSPICIOUS THAT THE COMPUTER ACTIVATED THE ENGINE IMMOBILIZER FEATURE. THE ENGINE STALL WAS PRECEDED BY SEVERAL INSTANCES OF THE INTELLILINK SCREEN GOING DARK, AS THOUGH THE LIGHT BULB HAD BURNED OUT. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10483248
Jul 26, 2012SuspensionTransmission & drivetrain
A CONSTANT "PERCOLATING" OR RATTLING SOUND IS HEARD WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY AND ESPECIALLY ON UNEVEN SURFACES. THE NOISE GETS WORSE AND MORE CONSISTENT AS THE CAR IS DRIVEN. SINCE NOBODY CAN TELL ME WHAT IT IS, I MUST ASSUME IT COULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN. THE NOISE BECAME WORSE AFTER A STRUT WAS REPLACED AT 100 MILES. THE NOISE GOT LOUDER AFTER AN ATTEMPT TO FIX IT BY INSTALLING A NEW COIL (F-SPRING?). I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR SO THEY WILL NOT MAKE ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR IT WHEN I REQUEST SPECIFIC ACTIONS. I HAVE HEARD SIMILAR NOISES IN AT LEAST 7 OTHER SAME MODEL CARS. THREE SEPARATE PEOPLE HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR AND CONFIRM THE NOISES. IF THERE IS A STRUCTURAL WEAKNESS IT WOULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10467742
Jul 11, 2012Engine
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK VERANO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,700.
NHTSA ODI 10465310
Apr 13, 2012Engine & cooling
THE ENGINE OF THIS NEW 2012 BUICK VERANO STALLED FOUR TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN FREEWAY. THE SECOND TIME WAS IN FRONT OF A RED LIGHT. THE THIRD TIME WAS IN A LOCAL STREET AT ~35 MILES/HOUR. THE FOURTH TIME HAPPENED WHEN THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS DRIVING IT. SIMILAR PROBLEM EVERY TIME: THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED AND BECAME VERY ROUGH. THE CAR CANNOT GO FASTER THAN 10 MILES/HOUR FOR A MINUTE OR TWO AND THE ENGINE WOULD COMPLETELY DIE. THERE'S ALWAYS A MISFIRE CODE. THE VEHICLE APPEARED OK AFTER 5-10 MINUTES LATER BUT THE "CHECK ENGINE" MAY STAY ON. THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT SUSPECTED THE FUEL WAS BAD. WHAT'S IRONIC IS THAT THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN WHEN THEY WERE DRIVING IT AFTER THEY DRAINED THE FUEL AND PUT IN NEW GASOLINE. THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR FROM BUICK WITH ~600 MILES ON IT. SOMETHING IS SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THE SUDDEN STALLING OF THE ENGINE CARRIES TOO HIGH RISK OF REAR-END COLLISION. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10455104