Buick Park Avenue Maintenance & Repair

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460 messages, Last post on Apr 19, 2013 at 9:03 AM

You are in the Buick Park Avenue Forum.

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What is this discussion about? Buick Park Avenue

#215 of 460 1999 Buick Park Ave Door Inside Trim Removal by ggeeoo

Jan 03, 2009 (9:43 pm)

A. As for removing the door panel, they hide those screws very nicely don't they? There have been some problems with the lock actuators. They have these little rubber things that act as a connection between the actuator motor and the door latch. They tend to split and keep it from opening the lock.

    If you can hear the actuator in that door working and not opening the lock, this is the problem. GM sells these little things in sets of two. As for the door panel, take it to a dealer and have it done, you'll not like taking out the actuator either. The door latch and door lock actuator need to be replaced as an assembly.
    Buick Park Avenue Door Lock Actuators

       1. Remove the door handle trim plate (6).
       2. Carefully remove the armrest cover plate (2) by prying upward from the access hole using a thin-bladed tool.
       3. Remove the 2 fasteners (3) from the armrest.
       4. Remove the courtesy lamp assembly (5).
       5. Remove the fastener from behind the lamp assembly (4).
       6. Remove the push in retainer from the defroster duct.
       7. Lift straight up on the trim panel in order to disengage the hooks on the backside of the panel (4).

    Buick Park Avenue Door Lock Actuators

       8. Disconnect the electrical connectors.
       9. Remove the door trim panel.

I found this out the hard way ,this was such a good explanation I wanted to share
it if you search images on google you sometimes get lucky.

#216 of 460 Re: Check Engine Light [Mr_Shiftright] by corvette

Jan 04, 2009 (8:55 am)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 02, 2009 12:18 pm)

Thanks. I checked all the relevant fuses, and they appeared to be good. Doing this apparently reset the PCM, and the light no longer comes on. I drove the car through an OBD "drive cycle" and the light didn't come back on. The MAF sensor itself is not an OEM part, so I'm guessing it's been replaced at least once.

#217 of 460 Re: speedometer cluster [bob2] by ggeeoo

Jan 07, 2009 (10:02 pm)

Replying to: bob2 (Dec 22, 2007 8:01 am)

This is not the professional way but....My gas gauge needle got stuck under the post
when I removed the bat cable recently. I simply drilled a tiny hole in that plastic and
used a paperclip wire to grab and pull it gently it works fine now.

#218 of 460 Door Actuator PA 1999 by ggeeoo

Jan 07, 2009 (10:15 pm)

My drivers side front door handle (pot metal} recently snapped the finger off the back
of it that controls the brass lever that pushes the rod that allows the latch to disingage
so that front door can be opened from outside the car. This is a Diamond White color
car ,hard to find a replacement in junk yard. I simplly drilled a small hole in the face
of the broken finger lever and screwed a brass screw i had in my junk can,wrapped
elec tape around until the with of the finger was the same as the manufactures' was.
The Actuator is more complicated Autozone 75617 Door Lock Actuator is only 1/2
the fix ,their is another part that this attaches to that is a dealer item that 245.00
that is necessary to fix it completely. I understand that you can re attach the 75617
by drilling the rivets and the re riviting it back before install has anyone tried this?

#219 of 460 Re: adding coolant [icemanstone] by ggeeoo

Jan 07, 2009 (10:21 pm)

Replying to: icemanstone (Mar 26, 2008 5:33 pm)

The coolant also cools the transmission, you have air in the line that is why the
funky trans on start up there is a inline pump that could be sticky as well.

#220 of 460 Window Electric Fix by ggeeoo

Jan 10, 2009 (9:51 pm)

Sometimes the Windows in the 99 PA would move slowly in the track. The problem
is not the motor. The problem is the track. The rubber weather strip gets old and brittle
and the window binds. The fix get a new one $110.00 replace it very easy took me
2 hours per window. Tools a credit card to help it into the plastic edge.

#221 of 460 power windows by imidazol97

Jan 11, 2009 (1:23 pm)

The vertical guides for the windows get gunked up with dirt accumulation. Try cleaning that with normal paint thinner by wiping the felt surface to clean it. Or you could try rinsing it with a strong Dawn solution which also removes oily materials. Dry it. See if the window works more easily.

#222 of 460 Re: 91 Buick Park Avenue drive belt problem [mike0757] by PAman

Jan 12, 2009 (12:12 pm)

Replying to: mike0757 (Jul 27, 2006 6:04 pm)

The easy part: check to see if the belt cut or pulled loose any wires when it shredded. Sounds like something got grounded out (cut wire) or pulled loose.

The hard part: does the car have spark when you turn it over? What is the fuel pressure on the fuel rail? Check if you have spark and fuel pressure. If you have those two items, and the cam sensor is new, then it sounds as if the timing chain may have broken. This would keep the cam from turning, allowing the ignition system to fire the spark plugs.

There is nothing on the 3800 that should keep it from starting simply because it lost a belt. In fact, it can run for a while with the belt off. If it stalled, it either overheated or something else coincidentally went wrong about the same time the belt shredded.

Good luck!

#223 of 460 Re: REAR DEFROST [tamika213] by PAman

Jan 12, 2009 (12:19 pm)

Replying to: tamika213 (Oct 30, 2008 4:28 am)

I HAVE A 1998 BUICK PARK AVE AND MY REAR WINDOW TAKES A LONG TIME TO DEFROST WHAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM

You live too far north? Seriously, define 'long time." You can have a cool but humid day, with the back window foggy or frosted and it will clear up very quickly.

But, the colder the air, combined with greater humidity, the longer it will take to clear the window. And, keep in mind, when you first start the car, it is just as cold and humid INSIDE the car as it is outside.

If you see someone with the same make and model, ask them how long it takes their car to clear the back window in your weather. Also, if you have another car in your driveway, turn them both on at the same time, and turn on the rear defroster at the same time. If they both take about the same amount of time to clear the windows, yours is fine. If Car A clears in 4 minutes, and Car B takes 15, you may have a problem with Car B.

If it is taking too long to clear, check the connectors on the glass for corrosion or loose wires, and check the grounding wire for the glass, probably mounted somewhere in the trunk near the glass.

#224 of 460 Re: 91 Buick Park Avenue drive belt problem [mike0757] by imidazol97

Jan 12, 2009 (12:29 pm)

Replying to: mike0757 (Jul 27, 2006 6:04 pm)

Agree with above post.

You can check the timing chain's being intact by looking in through the oil opening while someone cranks you motor. You should see action in the rocker arms if the camshaft is turning.

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