1997 Buick PARK AVENUE: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
150 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
91,525 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 62 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor is the most frequently named component, appearing in 15 of 150 complaints (10.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 25 | 16.7% |
| Steering behavior | 18 | 12.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 6.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 9 | 6.0% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 4.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 2.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts:Front:Retractor | 15 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 13 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 13 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 12 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 9 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 6 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Webbing | 6 |
| Structure:Frame And Members | 6 |
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor: 15; Engine And Engine Cooling: 13; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 13; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 12; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 9; Fuel System, Gasoline: 6; Seat Belts:Front:Webbing: 6; Structure:Frame And Members: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 9 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 9 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 18 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 19 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 9; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 18; 100,000 to 149,999: 19; 150,000 and above: 6
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (19). 88 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 28 |
| 2001 | 30 |
| 2002 | 17 |
| 2003 | 12 |
| 2004 | 16 |
| 2005 | 13 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2000: 28; 2001: 30; 2002: 17; 2003: 12; 2004: 16; 2005: 13; 2006: 6; 2007: 6; 2008: 5; 2009: 1; 2010: 4; 2011: 3; 2012: 3; 2013: 1; 2014: 2; 2015: 1; 2016: 1; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts:Front:Retractor leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 18 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 9 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10001293 · 2002-12-20 (December 20, 2002)
THE VEHICLES' PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER SEAT BELT FAILS TO RETRACT FROM SHOULDER RETRACTOR. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 97,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001293 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002902 · 2003-01-18 (January 18, 2003)
I HAVE A 1997 BUICK PARK AVENUE WITH 103,000 MILES. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN APRIL OF 1997. AFTER 10 MONTHS AND 16,000 MILES I BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSIMISSION SHIFTING HARD AFTER THE CAR GOT WARMED UP. IF I WOULD STOP AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR 15 SECONDS AND RESTART IT SHIFT SMOOTH FOR SEVERAL STOPS AND THEN START SHIFTING HARD AGAIN. I TOOK IT INTO A BUICK GARAGE AND THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR 10 DAYS AND COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. FINALLY THEY DECIDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THAT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. AT 9…
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002902 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003251 · 2003-01-23 (January 23, 2003)
1-23-3 ID LIKE TO REPORT A PROBLEM WITH A GENERAL MOTORS ENGINE, MORE SPECIFICALLY THE BOLTS THEY'RE USING ON THE 3800 SERIES 2 V-6 (PROBABLY A CHEAP PRICED CHINESE PRODUCT). I ASKED AT MY BUICK DEALERSHIP IF THEY SEND INFORMATION TO GM ABOUT A PROBLEM A VEHICLE IS HAVING IF THEY SEE IT AS DANGEROUS OR SEE IT MORE THAN ONCE AND THE GUY LAUGHED... HA HA REAL FUNNY. MEANWHILE PEOPLE LIKE ME FIX A PROBLEM THAT MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR A RECALL, OR AT MINIMUM GM COULD QUIT BUYING DEFECTIVE BOLTS TO USE ON THE 3800 SERIES 2 ENGINE BEFORE SOMEONE GET…
Owner-reported narrative. 97,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003251 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10004611 · 2003-01-24 (January 24, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THIS RESULTED IN CONSUMER BEING TRAPPED IN THE THEIR VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE ALTERNATOR FAILING. TS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004611 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10011858 · 2003-03-17 (March 17, 2003)
THE ROTORS WARPED PREMATURELY. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 29,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011858 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10018683 · 2003-05-14 (May 14, 2003)
FAILURE OF GAS GAUGE. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 49,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018683 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020100 · 2003-05-19 (May 19, 2003)
THE DEALER REPLACED THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD, WATER PUMP, GASKETS AND SERPENTINE BELT. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 47000 MILES ON IT. *NLM THE VEHICLE HAD REQUIRED MANY REPAIRS WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. THE COOLANT TANK KEPT GOING LOW AND THE UPPER AND LOWER GASKET ALONG WITH ALL COMPONENTS. THE WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED. *SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 47,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020100 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020457 · 2003-07-03 (July 3, 2003)
THE DRIVER SIDE SHOULDER BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE BELT HAD ABOUT 18-18 INCHES OF SLACK AT ALL TIMES. *NLM *CB *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020457 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
00V117000 · Seat Belts:Front:Webbing
Reported: 2000-04-18 (April 18, 2000)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE FRONT SEAT SHOULDER BELTS THAT MAY TWIST, ALLOWING THE WEBBING TO BECOME JAMMED IN THE RETRACTOR.
Consequence: WHEN THE SHOULDER BELT WEBBING BECOMES JAMMED IN THE RETRACTOR, THE BELT MAY BE UNUSABLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR THE PRESENCE OF UPDATED FRONT SHOULDER BELT BEZELS AND WHERE NECESSARY, INSTALL NEW FRONT SEAT SHOULDER BELT OPENING BEZEL KITS.
NHTSA campaign record ↗97V036000 · Seats:Mid/Rear Assembly
Reported: 1997-03-11 (March 11, 1997)
THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH CENTER REAR SEAT BELT ANCHOR BOLTS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES."
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM WOULD NOT WITHSTAND THE REQUIRED LOAD AND INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE CENTER REAR SEAT BELT ANCHOR BOLTS TO SPECIFICATION.
NHTSA campaign record ↗97V064000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Reported: 1997-04-28 (April 28, 1997)
THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE OR THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL MODULE CAN CAUSE THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) TO CYCLE DURING A NON-ABS BRAKE APPLICATION.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN AN INCREASE IN VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE OR THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL MODULE.
NHTSA campaign record ↗