Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Buick Regal

1454648505167

Comments

  • tmac8tmac8 Member Posts: 32
    I have a fully loaded 2002 Regal LS with the 16" wheel GT suspension (black), and am extremely happy with this automobile. No problems with it at all, and only one recall. Jack44 had a good idea and I'll tell you why. My Regal listed for $29,000 new, and Kelly blue book selling to private party now is 15-16,000 dollars. Even with zero percent financing on a five year loan, you won't be able to sell it within that time without having to come up with pocket cash to pay off the loan. Don't get me wrong, I'd buy another one in a heartbeat, I would just buy one a year old and let someone else eat the massive depreciation. That's my opinion...hope it helps.
    Tom
  • bigunit67bigunit67 Member Posts: 62
    I am having trouble with 3 of my window motors and the switch contact pad (as I'd call it) for the driver's side window. What was the ave price you paid for motor replacement and was it done at a dealership or private mech. shop? It's not too far down my horizon so I'll have to shortchange everyone at Christmas and fix the windows :-(

    I've not been by in a while, but read all the threads arguing about Buick quality, etc. I have a 98 GS and it's not quite the lemon but it has "issues". The aforementioned window motors need to be replaced, the rack & pinion steering had to be replaced at 60k, it suffers from something called 'radial force variation' and is almost impossible to fit tires upon and will wiggle like Britney Spears on stage if you're not careful, the climate control display has failed twice, the oil pan gasket has had to be replaced, the valve covers are leaking oil (relatively small leak now but have to keep my eye on it) and the tranny is flaring as it is shifting into 3rd and 4th gear.

    And, before anyone jumps on me for wondering if I lack in the "due diligence" dept, yes, I check the items I should check regularly and have it checked by a mechanic on a reg basis so I can take advantage of his eye for problems, in addition to what is/isn't done at the dealership where I bought the car.

    The car represents qualities that I like...the size, built-in performance, the Buick name and ride, but even though CR gives it a much better than average to excellent rating, I cannot deny that the current and future liabilities side of things is fast overtaking the assets side. As a kid in my teens and 20's, I drove a 1984 LeSabre (not exactly your babe-mobile) and got 261,000 miles out of it before I got rid of it.

    I really doubt that will be an issue with my Regal...unfortunately. It is a beautiful car with a ton of potential. There are those of you out there with great experiences to report and I am envious of you, trust me. It's not that all Regals are junk, but just that there isn't an overall guiding principle at work at companies like GM to assure build quality. No car is perfect but one can read the various threads on Edmunds and if your only yardsticks are # of complaints and their cost, US badged companies tend to lead the pack, unfortunately.
  • pinettedpinetted Member Posts: 104
    Bigunit67 I can also add the oil pan gasket to the growing list of problems my car has had. How much did it cost to have the gasket replaced?
  • kdawg79kdawg79 Member Posts: 26
    Hey bigunit,

    I had the three power window motors that went on my 98 GS and the three that went out on my MOm's 98 GS done at the dealership under the extended warranty. If I remember right they were about $500 each on the bill but some of that could have been because they were getting to charge it off to the extended warranty. In case you didn't see my earlier post, I finally traded my GS for an 03 Accord EX-V6 leather and I really like it so far.

    pinetta,

    I had two pan gaskets and finally a new pan put on mine. I don't remember the cost exactly but it was pretty substantial. I think I shredded most of the bills when I traded the car but I'll check and see. If I don't have it my Mom still has her 98 GS and she has had two pan gaskets put on it so I can check with her on the cost. It was also done at the dealership on extended warranty so it might be a little higher than what you would pay.

    kdawg
  • bigunit67bigunit67 Member Posts: 62
    Hey man,

    I got that replaced on my car when it was purchased. It was leaking when it had all of 19,000 miles on it (nice huh?). I don't know cost, but it took about 40 dollars worth of parts and 5 hours of shop labor, in the words of the service dept manager when he told me what they had to do. It's not as simple as just replacing the gasket. Since this is a "modern car", you have to remove a bunch of other stuff (including having the front end realigned) in order to do the job.
  • pinettedpinetted Member Posts: 104
    Kdawg79 and bigunit67 thanks for the replies. This car has been one big disappointment other than its performance. It has had problems in so many different areas its a joke. We live and learn.
  • armtdmarmtdm Member Posts: 2,057
    Had to have mine tightened at 900 miles but since then no problem. To date, 3 years and 49,000 miles the gasket leak, air bag in steering column and tire related issues but last few years a great car, the 3.8 L is a tank IMO and will easily go over 100,000 miles.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    The 3.8L probably has 200 K in it. A used car dealer lives two houses up and he talks about 200K 300K in them as used cars as beaters. My 93 had 155K on it and used less than .5 quart in 3000 miles. It was lower in power than it had been before. Probably timing chain stretching or worn. Would have been worth it to keep to see how long the thing would go. Transmission was perfect.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • grssracgrssrac Member Posts: 9
    I had the opportunity to visit my local Buick service center today (they were extremely helpful) and found out from a mechanic that the supercharger oil should be changed every 30K miles. This is NOT listed in the owners manual...they just suggest checking and adding as needed. Needless to say, I bought two bottles of supercharger oil for a total of $16 and a little squeeze-ball suction device from Autozone and in less than 10 minutes, the job was done. Warning: Used supercharger oil is the most foul smelling stuff in the world.

    Anyway, I have a '98 GS with 79K miles and no problems whatsoever. The car has just been incredible. Would I buy another one? If I had the cash, I would buy five.
  • armtdmarmtdm Member Posts: 2,057
    Well, I think it depends. I did change mine out at around 20,000 miles but it was neither foul smelling nor dirty in any manner. I refilled with synthetic 0W30 (understand the GM part is synthetic 5W30)and now have 49,000. I check the level every 10,000 or so but it is remaining clear and looks good. I do need to add a small amount each time which is a little strange on a sealed unit but I could just be putting more in then called for, you really cannot overfill as it is similar to a rear end, will flow out if overfilled. Manual says only to check it every 30,000 miles. IMO, if it is clear and no foul odor you can leave it in there.
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    From a friend...

    there are motor mounts in the way... you have to lift the engine some 8 inches... then there is an oil pick up and other clearance issues...

    it pays a mechanic 5 hours...
    I had one done in under 3 in my garage...

    well... here is how to do it...

    jack the car up... yes... it’s against auto 101... but use only 1 jack... you need the room to move around... remove the passenger front wheel... remove belts... pull off ac compressor... drain oil... an replace oil pan plug... CAREFULLY... pull the oil level sensor out... straight and GENTALLY!!!! This is a $50 sensor... Then, there are some plastic panels that need to come off to get to all the oil pan bolts... The oil pan bolts are 10mm... but a 3/8 seems to grip better... pull off as many oil pan screws as possible... you should be able to get them all ... air tools are your friend here... now... to get clearance to move the pan out.. remove all the dog bones... place the jack under the pan with a piece of wood between the jack and the pan... and lift the engine... lift the engine high enough to get the lower motor mount out... this is held in with 4 bolts… two on top 2 on bottom… 15mm bolts IIRC… then.. put about 6-8 inches of wood between the frame and balance pulley...(the big bottom one) this is to hold up the engine... now lower the jack... grab a 15mm ratchet wrench... and take off the motor mount bolts on either side of the block... there are 5... (small hands required) now work the pan out... careful of the oil pick up...

    now... that the pan is out... clean the pan, and the engine’s gasket seat... use a drying agent like brake cleaner, carb cleaner, or paint thinner to clean the gasket seat... put the new gasket in... But, prep the gasket first... There are 4 sides to the gasket... long and short... (front and back) on the 2 short sides and about 2 inches into the long sides going around the bends... apply RTV sealant... use a blue RTV sealant so you can see what you are doing... don’t be stingy... then put the gasket up... then the metal motor mount… then the pan... then put the pan up... then put RTV on every bolt and put them in... torque the bolts to ~120in lbs starting front the center bolt alternating sides with each torque in a circular alternating pattern... put everything else back... replace motor mount side bolts... lower the engine the same way you raised it... then lower bolts... put the oil level sensor back... CAREFULLY to 9-11FTlbs... Replace harness... then dog bones... then replace your oil filter... then make sure you didn’t leave anything off... like plastic panels... replace belts... and add 4 and a half quarts of oil... replace the wheel... lower the car… and try her out!
  • BushwackBushwack Member Posts: 258
    I've been having two re-occurring problems with my '00 GS and I'm a month away from warranty expiration.

    1. The front windshied fogs up when starting the car. Whether the engine is cold or hot, that darn foggy film will appear. Sure, I can hit a switch and it goes away in a couple minutes. But I shouldn't have to do that again and again and again and... This is the third time this requires attention.

    2. The outside temperature gauge gives false information. It could be 95 degrees outside but it will read 70 degrees. Doesn't effect the HVAC system, but it is an annoyance. This will be the fourth time I 'll have this attended to.

    I'll be taking the car in this week for its final warranty period check-up and I'll have these problems corrected. I'd like to get one more year out of this car. Come next year, I'll be looking at a higher end SUV or along the lines of an M45. Overall, I'm pleased with the cars performance and general comfort level. But fit an finish are still a distant second to the Japanese cars (yes, even those made in America).
  • bporter1bporter1 Member Posts: 229
    I recently had some work done to my Regal, which included new plugs and wires, a tune up, and a coolant flush,fill. During the coolant change I had the shop check my hoses and replace the thermostat. I was returning from a drive in Northern New Jersey when the low coolant light came on for a couple of minutes, went out then stayed on again for a couple of minutes. The temp gauge never got above midway and I turned the heater on high. This morning I checked the level and it looked low. I later added some coolant. I just hope it is not the head gasket going. A water pump or something like that I can deal with. The car is a 99 GS and has 80,780 miles on it. A lot of what other people are or have experienced, I have too. The shop I took the car to is very reputable, but this is now really bugging me because of the problems associated with the DEXCOOL. I will let everyone know how it turns out.
  • nimmernimmer Member Posts: 6
    My family regal coupe has 50,000 miles on it. What do you guys/gals think about the following:

    Drain completely the radiator coolant and replace with new coolant.

    Drain the auto transmission fluid and replace the filter and add new auto trans fluid

    Drain completely and replace new brake fluid.

    Thoughts about these items and things that I should be aware of.

    Thanks
  • guy21guy21 Member Posts: 129
    Has anyone else looked at their front body lift points and found them collapsed. Basically these are just a welded body seam behind the front wheels that GM says are o.k. to lift the front of the vehicle from. At 60,000 miles, these seams on my Regal have folded over and are pushing up into the body. Has anyone addressed this with their dealer or GM?

    The rear points are the same design but don't seem to collapse, probably due to the lower weight of that end of the vehicle.
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    Check the A/C also...
  • armtdmarmtdm Member Posts: 2,057
    I am willing to be the reason for the low coolant light is simply they failed to add enough coolant to the overflow tank which is where the light switch is triggered. Happens all the time,. too cheap to add a little extra coolant. Or, the switch itself could be bad but unlikely. They may also have not released all the trapped air in the system with the flush
  • bporter1bporter1 Member Posts: 229
    If the shop that I took my car to did not add enough coolant, I would think that the light would have come on sooner. It has been a month since the car was at the shop. I will say this though, the trip the other night was the longest the car had been on since it was in the shop.I did alot of town driving. I don't know if that had anything to do with it. So far since I have added coolant, no problems yet.
  • bigunit67bigunit67 Member Posts: 62
    Some of you a while back were talking about putting new plugs, like the ACDelco iridium plugs for instance, in your Regal's when you changed out. I've got a standard non-modified GS and wondered what differences you guys noticed when moving up the spark plug food chain in everyday use?

    Thanks...
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    If your car is not modified, there would be no appreciable difference...Other than not having to change plugs for 100K miles...as they say...

    If you go to Iridium plugs, the ones I took out of my 2002GS are [ ITR4A 15 ]...ACDelco Part# 12568387...Gap at [.060]
  • sdasda Member Posts: 6,936
    In USA Today 11/4, money section, there is an article sourcing Consumer Reports as saying the Buick Regal as being the most reliable family sedan, bumping the Camry, and Maxima.

    2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech, 2006 Acura TL w/nav

  • grssracgrssrac Member Posts: 9
    This article is also in the 11/4/2003 edition of the Wall Street Jorunal...the fourth section, which is "Personal Journal" on page D5. The Regal is rated as more reliable than Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Mazda. I hope the "Regal replacement" car in 2005 will be as reliable...it would be a shame to lapse behind the Japanese tin cans.
  • pinettedpinetted Member Posts: 104
    I wonder how old the cars were they tested. If it was one of those initial quality tests the data is suspect at best. In a recent crash tests GM had multiple vehicles in all catagories that recieved poor crash test results, granted I don't think the Regal was one of them. High quality poor crash test results who are you going to believe. If the tested my car for quality it would put a big dent in that rating.
  • greg132greg132 Member Posts: 2
    http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2003/10/16/227790.html

    Geez, I always thought that Lacrosse was Canada's national sport. Maybe the Regal name will live on in Canada? Or do they have to come up with some other name after spending a few million?
  • verdi942verdi942 Member Posts: 304
    I just tracked down the article. CU's rating is based on 665,000 responses for all vehicles. My favorite part is where a GM flack takes credit for the good Regal showing by claiming it as one of the new, better cars GM is building - this for a model unchanged since '97! I do agree, though. My '99 and '02 have been reliable. Who knew Camrys and Accords were worse? Hey, maybe we'll get another 10% in the used car market!
  • fredvhfredvh Member Posts: 857
    What kind of mpg are you getting? Did you consider the LeSabre during the purchase dates?
  • danielj6danielj6 Member Posts: 285
    I have to say that my interest in the Regal has been re kindled lately. After checking prices of other makes, especially foreign and their declining quality. The Regal has been reliable.

    I happened to see new white Regal parked in the street and another almond color on the highway and really caught my eye. What good looking car this is!

    What is the going price for LS and GS with rebates now a days? Any of
    you guys bought one lately??

    I've been thinking of trading my 2000 Sable S.W. for a sedan. I also researched the Hyundai Sonata but I'm unsure really.
  • verdi942verdi942 Member Posts: 304
    For both cars [LS's] is about 22-25 mixed and 30+ in straight highway work. By mixed I mean suburban, highway and Manhattan traffic in about equal amounts. I try to go fast while using a light foot. BTW, that's better than my friend's 4 cyl Focus gets! I'm still real happy with the Regal and I can only hope the new model, probably with a different name, will be even better.

    Also, it's great to see CU giving Regal it's top reliability rating after giving it a low road test rating years ago.
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    Rebates should be pretty good as Regal sales are down over 50%...So in buying consider keeping it for some time as the resale value will not be very good...Also with the Regal name going away in 2005...

    But, if you want a real performance car that is fun to drive fast, keep considering the RegalGS...I stress the GS...And there are a lot of things you can do to the car that will make it even faster and quicker...
  • danielj6danielj6 Member Posts: 285
    Thank you Jack for answering!
    I just visited the GM's Buick web site and took a good look at the models, features, specs, price and rebates by region.

    According to my calculations, I could get an '04 LS for $22.5 after rebates. I might get between $8000 and $9000 for my Merc Sable on trade. The difference is too big.
  • digmyregaldigmyregal Member Posts: 12
    I have a '99 Regal LS and can suddenly get nothing but hot air (very hot) from the driver's side vents. The passenger side vents act normal, providing nice cold air when the a/c is turned on. It does the same thing when I use the vent. I have the dual climate control and have tried every setting with no change. Any ideas? I live in Florida and having nothing but hot air is not going to cut it, even in winter!!
  • bigunit67bigunit67 Member Posts: 62
    Jack44,

    You said Regal sales are down over 50%. I'm just curious where you got your data from. Not just in here but in other rooms people cite figures like this and I was wondering where yours might be coming from. I'm not arguing with you at all, mind you, as with even the Buick dealer where I purchased mine (used) 2.5 years ago they do not currently have a new GS on the lot, nor have they had a used one in 9 months - so I was told. As I've said in posts before, I think the potential of the car is great, but apparently the population of this chat room is the extent of those who think so and are willing to buy one.

    Ironic to read that the Regal is now the #1 car in the reliability department whereas mine has had more problems than Trident gum has had getting that fifth dentist to go along with the other four. The Camry is/was supposed to be #1 for the past 57 years and I've had more than one friend complain about the engine oil gelling issue that you can read a volume or two about online.

    Thanks

    P.S. - To "digmyregal"...when I bought my 98 Regal, the climate control module had to be replaced by the dealer. I had the same issue you did with it blowing two different temps of air from pass/driver sides no matter the setting on the display screen. Maybe you can luck out and find an intermediate repair step that saves you having to get the whole shooting match done, but that was my experience with it. Don't quote me on this, but back in 2001 I was told it was "about" $500 to change it out. Maybe others can back this price up or shoot it down, but that's all I know. Luckily, it has performed well since the repair. A pity it can't be as simple as a few circular control knobs versus the complicated effort it is now. But that's just the rambling of a 30-something who believes in using the "KISS" philosophy whenever possible :-)
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    http://media.gm.com/

    Under News..Production Data
  • navnornavnor Member Posts: 1
    HELP !!!! 99 regal lse When turning on ignition, dash gauges go crazy, all digital displays go crazy, including temp control. Even the ABS controller motor starts running. After starting engine, everything goes normal. Replaced battery, checked all cables and grounds. Now, when turning on ignition, after test cycle is complete, the service engine, ABS, trac control, and air bag light stay on. If service engine light is on bright, the car will start and run fine, lights usually go off when driving. If service engine light is very dim (and seems to flash really really fast) the engine will not crank. Have to shut off key and keep trying. Sometimes when driving, ABS and trac control lights come on. Sometimes when lights are on, brake pedal can be pushed all the way to the floor, with very little or no braking. Release the pedal and lights will go off, everything is back to normal. 60k miles, no extended warranty, cant afford to have dealer fix this car any more.
  • pinettedpinetted Member Posts: 104
    Navnor I had a similar problem but it would occur when I was driving. The dealer had to remove the dash panel and send it out to have it repaired. It took about 3 days not including the other 3 visits before I got them to do something. It was fixed under warrenty luckily.
  • verdi942verdi942 Member Posts: 304
    I've had a similar problem. There were some false triggerings of the ABS system, accompanied by flashing dash readouts, etc. Shutting down and waiting 30 seconds usually cured it, until the next time. Very unpredictable. Still under warranty, I haven't been bothered for a while, but the dealer is on notice from me that it needs fixing. Now, an intermittent blinking of the headlights at highway speed has me worried. Problem is, it's tough to show these things to the mechanics. A behind-dash wiring [circuit board?] problem sounds possible. Those things can be vibration/temperature/moisture sensitive. I hope whatever it is fails completely before the warranty runs out, so Buick will fix it. Nuts, isn't it? Love the car otherwise, though.
  • jetbingjetbing Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a 2003 Regal LS with 19,000 miles. I am satisfied with this car overall except for its acceleration. It is just slightly quicker than my 1990 Camry w/ 4 cylinder (in a very good shape), although it does not sound as harsh as the Camry. What I observed recently is the engine only went up to a little more than 3000 rpm even when I pushed very hard when I was trying to get onto a busy freeway from ramps. I have observed this for quite a few times. It has never gone to 3500 rpm or more as far as I saw. For normal acceleration, the engine only goes up to 2500 rpm. I was wondering if the engine is okay and if the slow acceleration is related to the low rpms. Is there any way to improve the acceleration? I would appreciate anybody's input.
  • greg132greg132 Member Posts: 2
    You're not alone! I had this exact same problem this past summer with my 2003 Regal, so at least we know that this problem has been around a while and has not been fixed. Yet. Details: It happened only once on a very hot day. The air to the right of my steering wheel was VERY VERY hot (not just outside air but it was generating super heat, like 95 degrees), but the passenger side was fine. No matter what controls I pressed on the climate control, the hot air did not go away. I had to close all the vents on the driver side. I did not use the passenger controls at all when this happened, it just happened one time, and the next time I turned on my car after using for a while it did not happen again. Very very weird. Must be some sort of computer glitch. I wonder if there is a TSB about it. If you get this problem again or consistently please post here.
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    The LS should go up to it's red line, about 5300RPM...Of not, there is a problem...

    Does car just shut off or what happens...Is it at Wide open Throttle???...
  • verdi942verdi942 Member Posts: 304
    Sounds like maybe the max speed governor is a little too anxious to shut you down. Or the transmission is shifting too soon. If I really put my foot into my LS, the shifts happen as high as 4500+, and it moves a LOT faster than a 4 cyl Camry.
  • jetbingjetbing Member Posts: 2
    Thanks Jack44 and verdi942!! Jack44, what is Wide open Throttle?

    I feel my 3.8L engine is just not powerful when accelerating, although it runs great when cruising. With average driving/acceleration, the first shift of transmission happens around 17-20 mph and the second comes quickly at around 25-30 mph. After the second shift, it appears to be impossible to make the engine run above 3500rpm even with the accelerator pushed to the floor (the engine sounds pretty harsh at this time but acceleration is just so so). I feel the engine works hard but just cannot speed up the heavy body quickly and easily. What the problem could be? Any suggestions?

    Another test I just did was accelerating the car from stop by pushing the accelerator to the floor. The engine reached 4000+ rpm but, again, I felt the acceleration was not as quick and easy as a 3.8L 6-cyl should do.

    Would it be necessary to take the car to a Buick dealer for check?

    Thanks!
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    WOT is just that, wide open...When you floor it...There has to be a problem with the PCM in that it is not allowing the engine to go past 4000rpm...Also..Go to my profile and e-mail me...I can give you some other suggestions...
  • mwdreammwdream Member Posts: 91
    Just a guess.... my regal would just shut down on me while driving (safe huh?) Dash lights would go crazy, etc... and it would just turn off. Thank god I never got into an accident.

    They replaced my ignition switch and it hasn't happened again.

    Good luck
  • bporter1bporter1 Member Posts: 229
    Has anybody had any problems with their driver side electrochromic mirror. Mine is getting a little blurry and it seems that the LCD is starting to spot up. I hope it does not get worse, because I don't want to buy a mirror for this car. The luxury items are nice but boy thet really suck when thet break down.
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    Maybe the blurry is from the LSD...
  • black13black13 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 Regal LS and I’ve become interested in cranking up the horsepower in it. I’m not looking for rocket speed, but a little something to give me a little more boost coming out of toll plazas and merging.
    Someone mentioned upgrading the ECM chip and the muffler. However he expresses concerns about making those upgrades because my car has over 130,000 miles on it.
    Does anyone have any suggestions? I’d like to get up to the 240 hp range.
    Also, please settle a debate we’re having: Does greater horsepower increase or decrease fuel mileage (same # of cylinders)?
    Thanks for any suggestions.
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    more HP. You could check this link out:

    http://www.holley.com/nosnitrous/index.html

    However, this will place greater stress on your engine and driveline components, something not many would recommend at 130,000 miles. Course if you found a somewhat new motor and trans at a junkyard and found someone who would do the swap, that might be the most cost effictive way of reaching that 240HP. Especially if the swap came out of a newer Regal GS.

    Does greater HP increase/decrease fuel mileage?
    Regal GS 240Hp 18/28 mpg
    Regal LS 200Hp 20/30 mpg
  • verdi942verdi942 Member Posts: 304
    Occurs at any speed over 50 MPH when accelerating. As Regal owners know, this is NOT normal. It's faint - almost like a buzz in the right foot, but it's there. Backing off the gas greatly reduces it. Ditto putting three more pounds of air in the tires. But it's still there. Might it be a worn CV joint? The ABS? No sign of abnormal wear on the tires, which have been rotated religiously from new. Only 23K on this LS. I'd like some ideas before I take it in to Buick this week. Thanks for any input.
  • bigunit67bigunit67 Member Posts: 62
    Verdi942, this may be a reach but I thought I'd tell you about a weird vibration issue I had with my car that defied conventional means (had to get nuclear to fix it, haha). About 15 months ago I had a bizzare vibration in my Regal GS that developed at approx 60,000 miles. New tires didn't solve it, changing out rims failed to help...what it turned out to be is something called "radial force variation". GM (at that time) had a 42 pg TSB out on the problem, which was afflicting many cars in their line, not just Buick's. It doesn't matter that you go to a regular shop and have them do a traditional balancing job on your tires. They can balance perfectly on that machine and still be bad per the RFB machine's readings.

    If this eventually seems like it might be your problem, you'll have to find a dealer that has one of these high falutin' gizmos to test your car on. Make sure they do it while you're under warranty (noted you have 23k miles) juuuust to make sure it's not something else, like steering components or other front-end components lurking about. In my area, it costs about $40 - 50 to have your tires/rims analyzed.

    I'm not trying to jump the gun and give you the $1,000 answer to what may very well be a $50 problem, but if you and your shop follow trial and error and nothing works, keep this in the back of your mind as something to perhaps mention.

    My dealer was having this problem with a car with 7k miles on it at the same time I was having my issues, so age/wear isn't necessarily cause #1. If it turns out to be something tire or rim based, you will likely have to have a set of tires/rims "radially forced balanced" to "fit" your car. I know all that sounds like I've put gin on my morning cereal instead of milk, but I got to watch a guy test out 8 tires to find 4 that would work, when they finally figured out why I was vibrating...at speeds above 45 - 50 mph.

    I don't wish this upon you buddy, but in case anyone else out there has a car bedeviling you in a similar fashion, grab a pitchfork and head down to your local GM dealership and get them to work on it asap ;-)
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    the Hunter 9700 balancer measures the amount of force variation in the wheel and tire combination. It should be less than 17 or something like that. If more, they can measure the rim runout and tire and the machine's computer will tell them where to move the tire relative to the rim. There has been a problem with the LeSabre/Aurora/ParkAve/Seville/Deville with sensitivity to wheel force variation that interacts with very light suspension components to cause vibration.

    The cure on Cadillacs was to install Michelins, which have a better track record for tires that crush the same amount all the way around. The different in the amount of crush with the same weight on the wheel causes the axle to move up and down the same as an unbalanced tire would do.

    The Buick dealer did this with my LeSabre, 2 times. He also rechecked the alignment, which had an excessive toe problem. I had commented that the ride was smooth except when accelerating up a long interstate hill in Tennessee after the first force balance at 2500. Then when I rotated the tires at 7000 miles, the feel was back. My worse tire (12) is on the left front. That's well within tolerance. I'm used to the X-Ones on my 98 LeSabre which are "perfect" on that car, smooth and forgiving. I think the symmetrys on the new car aren't as good as the X-Ones.

    A good Buick dealer where the service manager will talk to you about problems they have found should be able to help you. Might have to pay for an alignment at 20K but getting the thing smoothed out shouldn't be impossible.

    Good luck. BTW you can check to see if your dealer has a Hunter 9700 force balancer at hunter.com. There is a box in the upper right hand corner to click to look up a list of stores/repair shops in your area that have the machine. Even out joint vocational school has one sitting next to a standard balancer.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

Sign In or Register to comment.