1999 Buick Park Avenue: common problems

Owners of the 1999 Buick Park Avenue filed 140 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 140
involving a crash: 2

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 28% of all complaints
2 Seat belts 12% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
4 Fuel system 11% of all complaints
5 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
6 Structure 6% of all complaints
7 Steering 5% of all complaints
8 Tires 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Engine and cooling: 39 complaints (28% of all).
Seat belts: 17 complaints (12% of all).
Electrical system: 16 complaints (11% of all).
Fuel system: 15 complaints (11% of all).
Service brakes: 15 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

3.8 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
3.8 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 140 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire22 · 16%
seat belts15 · 11%
stalls while driving8 · 6%
steering or power steering problems8 · 6%
vibration8 · 6%
door locks, latches, handles6 · 4%
warning lights, check engine6 · 4%
engine failure or replacement3 · 2%
hesitation when accelerating3 · 2%
won't start3 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	39	0
Seat belts	17	0
Electrical system	16	0
Fuel system	15	0
Service brakes	15	1
Structure	9	0
Steering	7	0
Tires	7	0
Powertrain	6	1
Suspension	6	0
Engine	4	1
Fuel/propulsion system	4	0
Latches, locks, linkages	4	0
Vehicle speed control	3	2

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

When the vehicle was started, the contact heard a loud popping sound and noticed a lot of smoke coming from the tailpipe. As a result, the vehicle crashed into the neighbor's yard and a telephone guide wire. An independent mechanic was called to have the vehicle towed and diagnosed.
Service brakes · crash · 2018-11-30 · NHTSA complaint #11154905
Vehicle was placed in the park position and it jumped out of gear, accelerating at high rate of speed, and crashing into another vehicle. Consumer has contacted the dealer. Please provide any further details.
Powertrain · crash · 2000-05-22 · NHTSA complaint #862293
The passenger car door will not open from inside or outside. Locking mechanism does not engage and door remains stuck closed. This presents a safety issue for the passenger of the car. Vehicle has been brought in for repair multiple times without any success for a permanent fix.
Structure · 2019-01-05 · NHTSA complaint #11165401
This would cause a loss of power. When it occurs in traffic or on a curve this is exceptionally dangerous. It will restart by shifting into neutral and turning the ignition. It will occur anywhere, while turning or driving straight. This has continued for several years.
Electrical system · 2016-09-12 · NHTSA complaint #10905742
I was driving my car and it started to misfire. I put it on the machine and got a few different codes p1406 and p0300 got those fixed it worked fine. A week later the problem came back. It sat up for a few weeks and when I would drive it I smelled gas fumes. Now it won't turn and there's still a smell of fuel.
Engine · 2015-04-12 · NHTSA complaint #10705194
The car made a loud noise & smoke started rolling out from under the hood of my car. She popped the hood & got out of the car. By the time she got in front of the car flames were shooting out of the front of the car.
Structure · 2015-03-05 · NHTSA complaint #10692357
Sudden engine failure. I own a [address] ultra that has about 65,000 miles on it and is well maintained. The car is only utilized about 6 months out of the year since we are snow birds having returned from the east 2 months ago.
Electrical system · 2014-12-27 · NHTSA complaint #10668517
I was traveling northbound on us 495 in second lane from right getting ready to exit to route 7 and travel west towards leesburg when suddenly the car accelerated uncontrollably. The engine was racing. I tried everything to avoid other traffic and stop or slow down the car while turning the auto to the adjacent lane.
Vehicle speed control · 2013-09-02 · NHTSA complaint #10538415

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19996
200019
200112
200221
200324
200420
20055
20067
20073
20082
20094
20101
20112
20121
20133
20141
20153
20161
20182
20193

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 2,794 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 8% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Park Avenue has 60 complaints (23 years in the data). This year has 140, above average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1999 Buick Park Avenue?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, seat belts, electrical system. Total complaints: 140. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (16%), seat belts (11%), stalls while driving (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Buick Park Avenue?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1999 Buick Park Avenue from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1999 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.