| Components - Details | |
|---|---|
| NHTSA Complaint Number: 005035579 | Incident Date: May, 04 2005 |
| Consumer's City: PFLUGERVILLE | Consumer's State: TX |
| Vehicle Transmission Type: AUTO | Manufacturers Name: General Motors, LLC |
| Model Name: CENTURY | Model Year: 1998 |
| Vehicle Involved in a Crash: No | Component's Description: Visibility:power window devices and controls |
| Vehicle Involved in a Fire: No | Persons Injured: 0 |
| Vehicle's VIN#: 2G4WY52M2W1 | Date added to File: May, 23 2021 |
| Date Complaint Received: Aug, 23 2005 | Complaint Type: IVOQ |
| Incident Reported To Police: No | Purchase Date: May, 04 2001 |
| Was Original Owner: No | Anti-lock Brakes: Yes |
| Number of Cylinders: 6 | Date of Manufacturer: - |
| Was Vehicle Towed: - | Description of the Complaints: We have 2 buick century automobiles; a 1998 and a 2001. both have power windows. power window units in both autos failed this summer. a small plastic piece that connects the regulator cable to the power window motor breaks allowing the window to slip down and not be closed. the repair is expensive since buick does not sell the connector devise; instead it requires customers to purchase a complete ''dealer only'' power window regulator assembly for over $300. since may we have had 50% of our power windows go out on the 1998 buick century and one go out on the 2001; without the money to purchase the dealer part have had to have a mechanic prop the windows in the closed position with a wooden dowel. since one of these windows is the driver''s window we believe that this presents a safety issue. our mechanic told us that he sees a lot of this problem since ''this is a bad design''. my dealer told me that this was related to heat, however they do sell buick''s with this window design throughout the country, including areas where heat should have been considered in the design and engineering. a google search came up with over 500 complaints on this part. the buick discussion board on this shows a 50% failure rate in their own survey. i believe that gm has an obligation to develop an improved version of the plastic part and an obligation to make that part available to allow the assembly to be repaired instead of completely replaced. please look into this issue and consider a recall to replace these failure prone plastic parts with metal parts that will withstand ordinary use in all climate conditions found in the united states. we are concerned both about the cost and the safety of driving around in an automobile that either cannot be locked and secured or in a vehicle with a window that can not be opened in an emergency if the owner is unable to afford the repairs and is forced to simply prop the window in the up, locked and secure position. thank you. |
