Power window dropped or fell into door and broke after failure of regulator or track. This is the third such incident on the same vehicle in approximately 12 months, but involved a different window each time. Each repair cost approximately $500. Both manufacturer and dealer claim it has not received an unusual number of complaints, but manufacturer has released at least one technical service bulletin on this problem (tsb #3483, the federal safety agency id #10017398).
2002 Buick Lesabre visibility complaints
Page 5 of 5: complaints 101 to 118 of 118, newest first, as owners wrote them.
I own two buick lesabre's, one is from 2000 and the other is from 2002. Both vehicles have or are under 50,000 miles. The windows have stopped working in three of the 2000 model and two of the windows in the 2002 model no longer work. The failures have occurred within 1-7 days of each other on each vehicle. Seems to be timed.
Recently, my 2002 buick lesabre (purchased new in 2002) had the two rear windows fail within a few months of each other. In both cases, the cable which raises/lowers the window broke. The cable cannot be replaced alone but the motor and regulator must also be replaced. The cost for this at a gm dealer was $479.00 while the same job cost $290 at a non-gm repair center (gemini/goodyear). I lodged a complaint with buick and then researched the problem on the internet. I found a complaint about the same problem on a 1999 buick lesabre. This is obviously a defective design and one which is known to buick for several years prior to the 2002 model. While it is not a safety issue (unless there is adverse weather such as freezing cold or driving rain), it is an economic one. Why no recall by buick? Is it because the problem crops up after the 3 year warranty is no longer in effect. I suspect so.
Rear window regulator on 02 buick lesabre needed to be replaced-over $500. Less than a year later the front passengers window regulator needed to be replaced-$400. The dealer indicated a "bulletin" existed. The mechanic on the 2nd occurrence said it is a common problem. My brother has a lesabre as well, and guess what? Window regulator problems!!! With a bad design like this, why can't someone force gm to recall these parts?
Dt*: the contact stated the rear passenger window was opened and would not close. The vehicle was taken to the service dealer who replaced the power window motor regulator. The problem has now occurred on the rear driver side window. The dealer and manufacturer have been alerted of the current problem. Prior to the failure, there was a loud noise before the incident happened. Updated 07/05/06.
In october of 2005 the passenger rear window slipped down and would not roll up again and I had to have the components replaced at a cost of $400 to me because there are no aftermarket parts and I had to buy the entire unit, half of which I did not need. Now the driver side rear window has done the same and I will have to spend an additonal $400 to fix this. I have to add that these windows were rarely rolled up or down. I feel this is totally planned obselescence by the auto maker and an effort to make more money on the car.
Blower motor failed rendering the front window defroster useless. The local garage I took it to said that this was the third such failure they've seen. They attempted to replace the unit but ran into a problem because of a design change in the replacement blower. They took the car to a gm dealer that was able to ,after a considerable amount of time, install the replacement blower. I was pleased until I received the invoice which included the charge for labor of $488.00. I'm waiting for a return phone call from gm as to whether or not they'll reimburse any of this cost.
Dt: the consumer stated that the 2002 buick lesabre was having brake problems. If the road was wet the consumer had to push on the brakes three times to get the vehicle to stop. The consumer took the car back to the dealership three times. The problem was when the weather condition was bad/wet weather.. The salesman drove the car once when it was wet, but the dealer said nothing was wrong. The consumer contacted gm and the bbb. Gm sent a letter back to the consumer. The consumer claimed that the heat did not work in the fall. The heat will go for 3 or 4 days and not work , and then it will. *ak. The consumer believed the pdas were faulty.
Dt: the consumer stated that while traveling 20 MPH on the 2002 buick lesabre the window in the back passenger's door shattered. The consumer had the window repaired. Three weeks later the other side broke. The consumer consulted with his dealership, and they said that the cable loosened from the window motor. The consumer called gm. The first window they fixed for free, and they charged the consumer for the next window repair. Both of the windows were operating correctly now. The consumer stated that there was never anyone riding in the back seat that would have caused this to happen. The first window shattered on 9-7-2005, and the second one was on 10-3-2005. There were no injuries reported. *ak (11/08/05) the left rear power window was inoperative. The regulator was replaced. On the second occasion, the passenger rear window fell down due to a loose regulator cable.
Dt: the rear driver's side window will go all the way down when it should only go half way down for child safety. It will not come back up. One end of the cable inside the window came loose. Contacted he dealer, and the consumer was taking the vehicle in today. Noticed this on september 4, 2005. *ak the dealer removed the regulator however he was unable to put back. The dealer wanted to charge the consumer $600.00 the consumer purchased the regulator from another dealer for a lesser charge and installed it himself.
Dt: the rear passenger's side window broke inside the door on july 13,2005. The rear driver's window broke on september 12, 2005. Contacted the dealer, they were going to charge the consumer for repairs. There was no warning when this happened.
While driving in inclement weather, the windshield wiper blades separated. This caused the windshield wiper blades to scratch the windshield, resulting in poor visibility. The consumer contacted the dealer, but there was no response from theem. *ak *sc
The mirrors on the driver and passenger side fell down while closing the door. *ak
Reduced & impaired visibility through front windshield due to reflection of dash/slope of windshield. Causes loss of clarity, especially during bright daylight driving.
While driving and with no warning the left windshield wiper stopped working. *ak it was raining hard when the left wiper failed, but the right wiper continued to work, and then the left wiper arm nut had come off. The dealer replaced the nut with a nylon insert so that it would not come off. *scc
Consumer was unable to see out of the front windshield, a reflection from the windshield caused a glow.
There is a reflection from the windshield which is very blinding to the driver. Also the defroster vent on the dash reflects off the windshield so that visibility is impaired. Dealer has no fix. My fix was to place a dark rug on the dash. I feel that this is a design flaw and the manufacturer should correct it.
Defroster vent on dash is designed in such a way that it reflects off the windshield even on a cloudy day. Consumer is unable to drive vehicle due to this reflection. Dealer admitted it was a design flaw, but has no remedy.
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