2000 Buick Park Avenue: common problems

Owners of the 2000 Buick Park Avenue filed 81 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 81
involving a crash: 3

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 17% of all complaints
2 Electrical system 15% of all complaints
3 Service brakes 12% of all complaints
4 Seat belts 11% of all complaints
5 Steering 11% of all complaints
6 Visibility 9% of all complaints
7 Fuel system 7% of all complaints
8 Seats 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: 14 complaints (17% of all).
Electrical system: 12 complaints (15% of all).
Service brakes: 10 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Seat belts: 9 complaints (11% of all).
Steering: 9 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 cyl
3.8 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cyl
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 81 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire9 · 11%
seat belts8 · 10%
fuel system, fuel smell5 · 6%
rust, corrosion4 · 5%
door locks, latches, handles3 · 4%
stalls while driving3 · 4%
airbags did not deploy2 · 2%
won't start2 · 2%
steering or power steering problems2 · 2%
vibration2 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	14	0
Electrical system	12	0
Service brakes	10	1
Seat belts	9	0
Steering	9	1
Visibility	7	0
Fuel system	6	0
Seats	4	0
Suspension	4	0
Vehicle speed control	4	1
Wheels	4	0
Structure	3	0
Air bags	2	2
Engine	2	0

What owners report

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

After stopping at a stop sign I made a right hand turn onto a busy [address] when I accelerated and began changing lanes the car lunged a little and continued to accelerate on its own. I tried pressing the brake and it felt like there was a block of wood underneath it.
Service brakes · crash · 2014-03-19 · NHTSA complaint #10573618
The driver's side air bag failed to deploy. The contact's head was thrown into the windshield, causing a loss of consciousness. The contact sustained back, head and bodily injuries. A police report was filed.
Air bags · crash · 2013-07-24 · NHTSA complaint #10531585
Upon impact, driver's side air bag failed to deploy. Vehicle almost flipped over after being "t" boned. Passenger was treated for severe injuries, but driver was not injured. Dealer has been contacted.
Air bags · crash · 2000-04-12 · NHTSA complaint #860165
Got my car towed to midas on 12/15 because it wouldn't start. They said I needed a tune up and a new intake. They went to test my car and the engine caught fire. I received a call on 12/17 from midas saying that my engine caught fire and the intake specifically was under gm recall as it is a gm 3800 series ii engine.
Engine · 2016-12-17 · NHTSA complaint #10935963
The contact stated that the door latches fractured internally. The front passenger and rear driver's side doors failed to operate. The contact was only able to open the doors from inside the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure, but was unable to provide an appointment in a reasonable time frame.
Latches, locks, linkages · 2016-12-14 · NHTSA complaint #10935206
After the vehicle was started, the manifold exploded and caused the engine to catch fire. The contact extinguished the fire. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.
Engine · 2016-11-03 · NHTSA complaint #10924094
At approximately 157800 miles, drivers' side electric door lock became inoperable, unable to open door from inside with manual controls, unable to unlock door with remote and unable to open door with key from outside.
Electrical system · 2016-09-03 · NHTSA complaint #10903482
The door handle on the front passenger side failed to work. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000. Updated 02/23/16
Electrical system · 2015-10-13 · NHTSA complaint #10781745

When owners complained

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

20008
200111
20029
20038
200412
20054
20063
20074
20083
20092
20104
20113
20131
20142
20151
20164
20211
20231

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 4,046 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Park Avenue has 60 complaints (23 years in the data). This year has 81, above average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2000 Buick Park Avenue?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, electrical system, service brakes. Total complaints: 81. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (11%), seat belts (10%), fuel system, fuel smell (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2000 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 2000 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 2000 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.