Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Buick Park Avenue, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Seat belts52
- Engine and engine cooling44
- Service brakes, hydraulic38
- Power train24
- Electrical system24
- Steering20
- Fuel system, gasoline15
- Structure14
- Visibility14
- Suspension11
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 9 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 10 1997 Park Avenue vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 8 people died inside them, and 2 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Buick Park Avenue failed the safety check 1.69% of the time — 5% more often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 105,495 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 12.6–12.8 L/100 km (about 18–19 mpg US), CO₂ 290–294 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park Avenue # · Full-size · Premium gasoline | 14.9 | 9.8 | 12.6 |
| Park Avenue · Full-size · Regular gasoline | 15.2 | 9.9 | 12.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1997 Buick Park Avenue.
| 2000108 28 Apr 2000 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the front seat shoulder belts may twist, allowing the webbing to become jammed in the retractor. When the shoulder belt webbing becomes ja… |
| 1997091 28 Apr 1997 | Brakes Certain vehicles may exhibit a condition in which the electronic brake control module or the electronic brake and traction control module may cause the antilock… |
| 1997048 10 Mar 1997 | Seats And Restraints NOTE: INCLUDES PARK AVENUE/ULTRA. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 210 - SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES. VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH CENT… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
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."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Buick told its dealers about the 1997 Buick Park Avenue: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 635006 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING 4T65-E TRANSAXLE SPACER PLATE AND GASKETS FOR VARIOUS MODELS FROM 1997 THROUGH 2002. *TT |
| 634997 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING 4T65E TRANSAXLE SPACER PLATE AND GASKETS. *TT |
| 634993 | TECHNICAL INFORMATION REGARDING SHAKE / VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL, FLOOR, SEAT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON SMOOTH ROADS. *TT |
| 634985 | CONCERNS WITH SLIPS, HARSH UPSHIFT OR GARAGE SHIFTS, LAUNCH SHUDDERS, FLARES, ERRATIC SHIFTS AND INTERMITTENT CONCERNS, DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1811 OR P0748 SET. *TT |
| 634981 | SUBJECT REGARDING SHAKE / VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL, FLOOR, SEAT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON SMOOTH ROADS. *TT |
| 634813 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A REPEAT ENGINE OIL PAN LEAK. *TT |
| 629785 | ONWERS MAY ENCOUNTER ONE FUEL READING AFTER THEY HAVE FINISHED DRIVING THE VEHICLE THEN A DIFFERENT READING WHEN RESTARTING THE VEHICLE. *TT |
| 628928 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A TRANSMISSION OIL LEAK. *TT UPDATED *EH |
| 627462 | INFORMATION REGARDING SHAKE/VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL, FLOOR,SEAT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON SMOOTH ROADS (DIAGNOSE/BALANCE TIRES/WHEELS). *YH |
| 623615 | INFORMATION REGARDING EXTRA CLIPS IN THE 4T65E TRANSMISSION. *SLC |
| 620835 | EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE ENGINE COOLANT CONSUMPTION, OR AN ENGINE COOLANT LEAK NEAR OR UNDER THE THROTTLE BODY AREA OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. *TT |
| 619370 | OWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES MAY COMMENT ON A GRINDING AND / OR GROWLING NOISE THAT IS NOTICEABLE WHEN STANDING IN PARK ON A HILL OR SLOPE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE PARKING BRAKE NOT APPLIED. *TT |
| 619177 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A REPEAT ENGINE OIL PAN LEAK. *TT |
| 619176 | ENGINE COOLANT CONSUMPTION OR COOLANT LEAK (INSPECT FOR MATERIAL DEGRADATION/REPLACE INTAKE MANIFOLDS) *TT UPDATED 11/02/07 *NJ |
| 619036 | SUBJECT REGARDING THE FRONT SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR CAMPAIGN NUMBER 00039. *TT |
| 618097 | VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE SHAKE / VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL, FLOOR, SEAT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON SMOOTH ROADS. *JB UPDATED *EH GM VOICEMAIL MESSAGE. *TT |
| 609642 | THE FRONT SEAT ADJUSTER SWITCH TRIM PLATE HAS BECOME DTACHED FROM THE SEAT AND/OR SEAT ROCKS. YD |
| 609639 | TRUNK MOUNTED 12 CD CHANGER EJECTS INTERMITTENTLY. YD |
| 6089947 | A CONDITION WITH THE FRONT SEAT BACK AND / OR SEAT CUSHION HEAT ELEMENT IS NON-FUNCTIONING. *TT |
| 6088910 | SUBJECT REGARDING FRONT SEAT ADJUSTER SWITCH TRIM PLATE DETACHING FROM SEAT AND / OR SEAT CHUCKS / ROCKS. *TT |
| 6088811 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A POPPING TYPE NOISE HEARD IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *TT |
| 608376 | THIS BULLETIN ADDRESSES CONCERNS OF STEERING VIBRATION / SHUDDER / MOAN DURING PARKING MANEUVERS ON DRY PAVEMENT. *TT |
| 606579 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST WHERE THE HVAC CONTROL ASSEMBLY DISPLAYS INACCURATE TEMPERATURE SETTING AND / OR EMITS TICK NOISE. *TT |
| 603826 | EXPERIENCING SHAKE / VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL, FLOOR, SEAT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON SMOOTH ROADS. *YC |
| 601779 | INFORMATION ON NO TURN SIGNAL OPERATIVE. *YC |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
FRONT SHOULDER BELT MALFUNCTION
FRONT SHOULDER BELT MALFUNCTION
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation