Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Buick Park Avenue, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system7
- Engine6
- Engine and engine cooling4
- Air bags2
- Visibility2
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Tires2
- Unknown or other2
- Seats2
- Vehicle speed control1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 7 2002 Park Avenue vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 7 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 2002 Buick Park Avenue failed the safety check 2.91% of the time — 45% more often than the average 2002 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 112,268 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 11.4–12.3 L/100 km (about 19–21 mpg US), CO₂ 262–283 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park Avenue · Full-size · Regular gasoline | 13.5 | 8.8 | 11.4 |
| Park Avenue # · Full-size · Premium gasoline | 14.7 | 9.5 | 12.3 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 2002 Buick Park Avenue.
| 2002235 5 Dec 2002 | Other On certain vehicles, the emergency trunk release handle may be forced out of the proper position. A person trapped in the trunk may not be able to release the … |
| 2001272 14 Nov 2001 | Other Certain vehicles have an improperly programmed vehicle theft deterrent system. Correction: dealers will reprogram the system. |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE HANDLE MAY BE INSTALLED OR FORCED OUT OF THE PROPER POSITION.
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 2002 Buick Park Avenue: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637340 | THE SUBJECT OF THIS MESSAGE IS STEERING COLUMN RATTLES ON CERTAIN VEHICLES. *TT |
| 637240 | BRIEF SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING THE ANTILOCK BRAKE LIGHT COMING ON AND MULTIPLE CODES SET. *TT |
| 637211 | CONCERNS WITH CHATTER NOISE WHEN CLOSING THE DOOR AND THE GLASS CAN BE IN THE UP POSITION OR ANY POSITION. *TT |
| 637209 | CONCERNS WITH CHATTER NOISE FROM THE FRONT DOOR GLASS WHEN CLOSING THE FRONT DOOR AND THE DOOR GLASS IS IN THE ALL THE WAY DOWN POSITION. *TT |
| 636692 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ON AND A DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0442 STORED. *TT |
| 635008 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON (SES) INDICATOR IS ILLUMINATED AND THAT WHILE THE LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED, TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ARE EXTREMELY HARSH. *TT |
| 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 |
| 634931 | SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0716 AND / OR P0717, P0730, P0753, P0758, P1860, P1887 OR OTHER MISCELLANEOUS TRANSMISSION TROUBLE CODES SET. *TT |
| 634519 | THIS BULLETIN IS BEING ISSUED TO REVISE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES B1652, B1656 AND B1658. *TT |
| 631820 | VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE AN INOPERATIVE CIGARETTE LIGHTER. *SLC |
| 631267 | INCORRECT TRANSMISSION SHIFTS, POOR PERFORMANCE OF ENGINE, TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, SES LAMP ILLUMINATED, DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0756 AND P0757. *SLC UPDATE. *TT |
| 631210 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0341 CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR PERFORMANCE. *SLC |
| 629860 | SUBJECT REGARDING WARPED REAR FASCIA CONDITION MAINLY ON THE TOPSIDE OF THE REAR FASCIA. *TT |
| 629785 | ONWERS MAY ENCOUNTER ONE FUEL READING AFTER THEY HAVE FINISHED DRIVING THE VEHICLE THEN A DIFFERENT READING WHEN RESTARTING THE VEHICLE. *TT |
| 629600 | SOME OWNERS MAY ENCOUNTER A CREAK NOISE IN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT OR THE PASSENGER SIDE, COMING FROM THE SEAT CHANNEL OR SEAT TRACK. *TT |
| 628862 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON (SES) INDICATOR IS ILLUMINATED WITH HARSH TRANSMISSION SHIFTS. *TT |
| 628104 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE AFTER INSTALLING A REPLACEMENT ABS EBCM. *TT |
| 628072 | SOME VEHICLES WITH THE SUPERCHARGED 3800 ENGINE MAY EXPERIENCE A HARD START OR EXTENDED CRANK. *TT |
| 627462 | INFORMATION REGARDING SHAKE/VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL, FLOOR,SEAT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON SMOOTH ROADS (DIAGNOSE/BALANCE TIRES/WHEELS). *YH |
| 626201 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE UNDERBODY NOISE. *SLC |
| 626173 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A LIGHT SCRAPING NOISE MOSTLY AT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL AREA. *SLC |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation