DAVES89 Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 (edited) My wife came home last night complaining that the steering was hard at low speeds on her 2010 Enclave. So this morning I went to the Buick Enclave forum and did some research on this. It appears that there is an extended warranty on the steering box of 10 years and 150,000 miles of which we are within. So I called Buick and they confirmed it, gave me the information i needed for the dealer and we are setting up the appointment now for what should be a no cost repair. Sure is a lot different now then when I had warranty issues as a younger man. Edited January 4, 2018 by DAVES89 (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Hope it goes your way. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 Service writer cordially gets you in, mechanic is trained and compelled to find more work, service manager is paid base plus a bonus on all work beyond the original service request. Yep, should be smoooth. Keep us posted. Bernie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithbrother Posted January 4, 2018 Share Posted January 4, 2018 It’s so EASY to just say NO, how hard is that, Dale in Indy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 5, 2018 Author Share Posted January 5, 2018 That's a good point and I addressed it with my wife. I told her to play the "my husband handles this" when she drops it off/picks up the car. The Envlave is a great vehicle and nicer then my Reatta but it doesn't matter as I still drive the Reatta as a vehicle of choice. Never thought I would settle on one car line [almost was Honda] and glad it was Buick. Great heritage and great cars! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 2 hours ago, DAVES89 said: That's a good point and I addressed it with my wife. I told her to play the "my husband handles this" when she drops it off/picks up the car. The Envlave is a great vehicle and nicer then my Reatta but it doesn't matter as I still drive the Reatta as a vehicle of choice. Never thought I would settle on one car line [almost was Honda] and glad it was Buick. Great heritage and great cars! If I had enough space I would have a Reatta. It was one of my top 5 favorite Buicks that I drove working for Buick. It would need to be a convertible if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 I had a 4800 pound, 219 cubic inch Enclave. That's at least one Buick off the list. Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 53 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said: I had a 4800 pound, 219 cubic inch Enclave. That's at least one Buick off the list. Bernie About as bad as a 76 Lesabre with a 3.8 V-6, but only at 4300 lbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 9, 2018 Author Share Posted January 9, 2018 On 1/5/2018 at 4:23 AM, DAVES89 said: That's a good point and I addressed it with my wife. I told her to play the "my husband handles this" when she drops it off/picks up the car. The Envlave is a great vehicle and nicer then my Reatta but it doesn't matter as I still drive the Reatta as a vehicle of choice. Never thought I would settle on one car line [almost was Honda] and glad it was Buick. Great heritage and great cars! Well the sensor was replaced and yes they did find other "things". The endgate had a recall that I was ignoring as it was working well. I wanted to "save" the recall for when it started to fail, but they fixed it today. They also discovered a leaky rack and pinion [I had been adding power steering fluid] so I knew it was leaking. Estimate on repairs was $1800.00 plus tax. Sai I would think about it and called my local alignment shop and they can do a new unit, labor and alignment for less then $1000.00. Appointment is set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 18, 2018 Author Share Posted January 18, 2018 The story continues. The sensor was never to be replaced. It appears that the rep I spoke to at Buick either misspoke or I misheard. Only the Power Steering Pump was replaced as according to the mechanic "The sensor never fails". Steering still was stiff, but my wife was told when we picked up the car that when the rack and pinion was replaced it would get easier. Rack went in on Monday at a local alignment shop and steering was still stiff. So I go back to the dealer and I knew what they were going to say "Our pump is G M original equipment and has to be good. The rack is at fault as it is aftermarket". I asked them to test the pump pressure and sure enough the pump was defective. I am now [Thursday am] waiting for them to complete the install of the pump and then I am off to the alignment shop for... a leaking rack and pinion. Doesn't anyone make good parts anymore? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39BuickEight Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Nobody makes good parts anymore because nobody keeps their vehicles anymore. Many parts have lifetime warranties, even brake pads, because they know the owner will change cars every 2 years anyway. It's just one of the irresponsible ways many Americans spend their money. They like to think they need a different car all the time and then complain about their finances. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byondxtrme Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 May wanna check with the tech, on the power steering gm is having us use trans fluid instead of power steering fluid and flush system, then bleed certain way to fix right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 19, 2018 Author Share Posted January 19, 2018 You are correct on the trans fluid instead of power steering fluid. Dealer told me and then put on the no charge invoice for the alignment shop to see. I have an appointment for an inspection on Tuesday next week with the alignment shop to check out the rack. Story continues... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 Normally I would have moved technical/mechanical related threads to their respective forum (Post or Pre-war) however given the more "general interest" nature of the subject ie experience with warranty work I am leaving it here in General. Thanks and carry on Dave, I anxiously await the next installment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 Sharks in the service department and vampires in the showroom. I can see them getting picky about the red fluid. Of all the cars I have owned there was only one that, even my Wife will tell you, I hated. A visit to the service department is a lot like the old country music songs; I'm in a bar, I'm alone, my wife left, my dog died, the house burned down. Always predictable. My Silverado has 168,000 miles and has never been back for service. I laughed at the "free" oil change coupon they gave me. However, I do buy all my hard parts from the dealer, just brake stuff so far, including rotors. Did the rears once, front twice. In automotive design, if you stick with two parallel frame rails front to rear, bolted on body, a longitudinal engine and transmission, and rear wheels that push, you are going to end up being a happy owner. But less will go wrong and you will probably keep the vehicle longer. Bernie 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 (edited) 2 hours ago, 60FlatTop said: Sharks in the service department and vampires in the showroom. I can see them getting picky about the red fluid. Of all the cars I have owned there was only one that, even my Wife will tell you, I hated. A visit to the service department In automotive design, if you stick with two parallel frame rails front to rear, bolted on body, a longitudinal engine and transmission, and rear wheels that push, you are going to end up being a happy owner. But less will go wrong and you will probably keep the vehicle longer. Bernie I agree wholeheartedly. I intend driving my '92 Roadmaster to my funeral. Unless a '96 come along cheap. Just wish a BUICK engine had been designed for it, 'stead of a SBC! Ben Edited January 19, 2018 by Ben Bruce aka First Born (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 (edited) 12 minutes ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said: I intend driving my '92 Roadmaster to my funeral. Makes me think of Will Rogers. Edited January 19, 2018 by 60FlatTop (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 10 hours ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said: I agree wholeheartedly. I intend driving my '92 Roadmaster to my funeral. Unless a '96 come along cheap. Just wish a BUICK engine had been designed for it, 'stead of a SBC! Ben The LT1 that was installed in the 94 - 96 Roadmasters is all you'd ever want and more. Terrific performance and I get 23 - 25 mpg on the highway in my 94 that has about 140K on the clock. Keep looking for that 96. BTW, there's a forum for "GM Longroofs." You can google longroof forum to find it. There's usually a few cars for sale on that forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 (edited) 6 minutes ago, RivNut said: The LT1 that was installed in the 94 - 96 Roadmasters is all you'd ever want and more. Terrific performance and I get 23 - 25 mpg on the highway in my 94 that has about 140K on the clock. Keep looking for that 96. BTW, there's a forum for "GM Longroofs." You can google longroof forum to find it. There's usually a few cars for sale on that forum. How is it different than the one in the '92? I know they are good, just do not say BUICK. Ben Edited January 20, 2018 by Ben Bruce aka First Born (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 In 91 - 93, the LO3 put out 170 hp, the LO5 put out 180 hp (both 5.7 SBC with TBI.) Then in 94 the Roadmaster got the 5.7 liter LT1 which put out 260 hp (sequential point fuel injection.) It was a derivative of the 1992 300 hp Vette engine, a milder cam and iron heads brought down the hp. The LT1 was the same engine used in the Caprice Classic Police package and was the same engine found in the Z28 Camaro and Pontiac Firebird. The Estate wagon was discontinued after the 96 year. ALL 96s are 'special edition' because Buick knew it was the last year for the Roadmaster so don't let a seller tell you it's really rare. Find one for sale tthat's in good shape and JUST GO DRIVE IT! You'll know right away that you're sitting in something totally different than what you have now. If you can, find one with the towing package, it will have posi, along with auxiliary oil and transmission coolers. Tow rated at 5,000 lbs which can be upped to 7,000 with a weight distributing hitch. Great road car. Plus you can haul a bunch of stuff in it. Like a full sized 4 x 8 sheet of plywood flat BETWEEN the rear wheel wells. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted January 20, 2018 Share Posted January 20, 2018 11 hours ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said: How is it different than the one in the '92? The big difference in the LT1 is the switch to reverse cooling. The coolant returning from the radiator goes to the cylinder heads first. The reduced head temperature allows more aggressive timing and slightly higher compression ratios. That is the performance plus. Higher temperatures in the cylinder block area (heated in the heads) enhances the lifespan of the block and lower end. Previous convention was exactly the opposite. The water pump on the LT1 is driven by the camshaft. This increases its life to about 140,000 because stress is removed from the bearing. Today the only major concern would be a failure of the oil cooler or it's piping. They are 500,000 miles engines. I had two '94 Roadmasters lost to rust, mechanically they were fine. Both had trailer packages. I still have a black '94 Impala SS which is the same car. The 3.08 gears make it pull real good. It is a 9C1 cop car with leather seats and aluminum wheels, and feels like it. I enjoy driving the car a lot. I am the tech advisor for '91-'96 Roadmasters through the Buick Club of America. I average about one call a month for advice. My personal source is http://www.impalassforum.com/ It is a very active group and informative. Based on the Impala SS, it also included Chevy, Buick, and Cadillac cars derived from the B-body platform. The recommendation to drive one is great, but be careful. It may follow you home. Bernie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted January 22, 2018 Share Posted January 22, 2018 On 1/20/2018 at 11:09 AM, 60FlatTop said: he big difference in the LT1 is the switch to reverse cooling. The coolant returning from the radiator goes to the cylinder heads first. I believe this was one of Smokey Yunick's innovations. I remember reading an article sometime in the 70's talking about his modification of SB Chevy engines in the 60's to reverse the flow as is now common on the LS motors. Another example of just how clever he was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 Latest on the Enclave. I had an appointment for the Enclave at the alignment shop today at 10:30 to evaluate the rack and pinion's leak. But on Sunday while I was watching the NFL play off games my wife took the Enclave to run errands and called me complaining that the steering was "stiff again". So I set an appointment with the dealership also for today that would be before the alignment shop so they [the alignment shop] could be sure it wasn't the power steering pump again. Before the dealership tested the pump I asked them if they would run a test on the rack to determine if anything else was wrong besides that external leak. I also asked them to check the EBCM as the Buick Enclave forum has discussed them failing on occasion. They agreed to this as they are as tired of this as I am. Test came back that the EBCM was good, but the rack test indicated an internal leak as it didn't pump enough fluid. This was indicated on the service order/report and the dealership also provided me with a "diagnostic tree" from the Buick Enclave Service Manual which shows the steps the tech is to take when diagnosing this issue. I offered to pay for this rack/EBCM test test as this was not part of the Buick extended warranty program and as the mechanic had to install the original pump under warranty for reduced pay, then the second pump for free because it was defective. The dealership was surprised that I offered to pay and charged me for an hour of diagnostics, which I thought was fair. With this new information I then went to the alignment shop who put the car up and spotted the leak and said "We can do the rack, when are you available"? All this without looking at my testing info. Because they saw the leak and knew that was enough to replace the unit, but also knew that I had proof of an internal failure they couldn't dispute. So the pump from the dealership is good and the rack will be replaced tomorrow, which could mean this issue could be resolved tomorrow. I certainly hope so. BTW both the dealership and the alignment shop have been very helpfull and professional. My wife was surprised that I never lost my temper during this process. My reply was that there was no need to lose my temper as both shops I was working with were engaged and wanted a successful resolution as I did. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 9 minutes ago, DAVES89 said: the mechanic had to install the original pump under warranty for reduced pay, then the second pump for free because it was defective. I must not be reading that right. My Wife is never surprised at me. However, there have been many times that she told me she was praying and then tells me what I was doing at the time. BTW, you know that car is a big fiat, don't you. Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RivNut Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 8 minutes ago, 60FlatTop said: I must not be reading that right. My Wife is never surprised at me. However, there have been many times that she told me she was praying and then tells me what I was doing at the time. BTW, you know that car is a big fiat, don't you. Bernie Fiat Acronym for "Fix It Again Tomorrow." But it's built in Lansing, MI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 Bernie, it doesn't matter to me that you think I didn't need to offer to pay for this diagnostic charge or how much I thought the dealership pays or not pay the tech for warranty work or that diagnostic charge. The fact remains is that I did not have this final bit of information [and had to pay for it] to potentially prove to the alignment shop that I had done my due dilligence and that there was more wrong with this rack then a small seal leak at the boot. The way I look at it is that other then the inconvienance of going back to both shops to get this resolved, I got a power steering pump, rack and pinion, labor, alignment, and diagnostics of my entire steering system [sensors and all ] for less then $850.00. That to me is a deal and one I was glad to pay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 "fix It Again Tony" But those Epsilon platforms are Greek to just about everyone. I had to correct that with a small f. My key board quit making capital f's. I have a few comments to make about that and I bet you'd figure them out, even without capital f's. Bernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 It is not a Fiat. Has nothing to do with Fiat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 Residual: the Epsilon platform. http://www.autonews.com/article/20080914/OEM/309149839/awkward-gm-fiat-alliance-had-benefits-but-was-doomed-to-fail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 24, 2018 Author Share Posted January 24, 2018 (edited) New replacement rack in, also no charge with obviously an alignment. Steers just like it did before this nightmare started. Now we wait to see if any steering issues reappear. Edited January 24, 2018 by DAVES89 (see edit history) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 25, 2018 Author Share Posted January 25, 2018 The alignment shop I had install the rack also sold me a set of Michelin Defenders for the Enclave. We are about 2000 miles from a free tire rotation so I will have them inspect the rack at that time. 24 hours and about 30 miles [not much of a sample size] and still all good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted January 25, 2018 Share Posted January 25, 2018 3 minutes ago, DAVES89 said: The alignment shop I had install the rack also sold me a set of Michelin Defenders for the Enclave. We are about 2000 miles from a free tire rotation so I will have them inspect the rack at that time. 24 hours and about 30 miles [not much of a sample size] and still all good. May I ask if there is more than one manufacturer of steering racks for the vehicle? I'm sure there are lots of retailers, but I was wondering if there is more than one company building them, with perhaps better quality workmanship or materials? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 25, 2018 Author Share Posted January 25, 2018 I don't know. Amazon says they have new G M units, however the service writer at the dealership said they would install a rebuilt unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 26, 2018 Author Share Posted January 26, 2018 Got a call from the alignment shop today asking me how it went today. I thanked him for calling but my wife just got home and didn't complain so I think it is okay. I said I would take it out for a drive [still haven't] and that I would be scheduling a tire rotation as part of my new tire warranty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted January 30, 2018 Author Share Posted January 30, 2018 So far so good. I thought I had a leak but after I put a piece of clean cardboard down to check for drippings there was nothing there. So looks like all is good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted February 13, 2018 Author Share Posted February 13, 2018 2 weeks and all is well. As Sergent Preston said to his German Shepherd; "Well King this case is closed". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now