2014 Buick Regal Electrical System Problems

#18369: Special Coverage - Camshaft Oil Control Valve (Nov 29, 2018) Document ID # 5182385 (Reference # N182189940) Release Date: November 2018

Speedometer. Instrument cluster which also houses the digital SPEEDOMETER intermittent blacking out. Inability to know how fast vehicle is traveling. Yes, problem has been reproduced by an independent service center. No warning lamps, no warning messages.

I WAS BACKING MY CAR INTO MY DRIVEWAY AND THEN I SHUT OFF ENGINE, RADIO STILL PLAYING, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN LIGHTS STARTED DIMMING AND THE ANTI THEFT WENT INTO ACTION. WHOLE CAR SHUT DOWN, NOT EVEN REMOTES WOULD WORK. GOT THE HOOD OPENED AND DISCOVERED A MELTING WIRE CONNECTED TO THE NEGATIVE SIDE. THANK GOD I WAS HOME WHEN IT HAPPENED. COULD THIS HAVE CAUGHT FIRE INSIDE MY GARAGE? MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT TURNER TOYOTA IN MONTROSE COLORADO. WAS INQUIRING IF THIS IS A MALFUNCTION WITH WIRING HARNESS. SO FAR ITS COSTING US 800.00 DOLLARS IN REPAIR, WHICH I DONT HAVE MY CAR BACK AS OF TODAY. I WOULD LIKE THIS MATTER CLOSELY LOOKED AT FOR A SAFETY RECALL DUE TO THE MATTER THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN ALOT WORSE.

WHILE NORMALLY DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AND ATTEMPTING TO PASS A SEMI TRUCK, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT OUT OF CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WENT TO MAXIMUN ACCELERATION AND THE BRAKES AND STEERING BOTH FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WENT INTO A SPIN AND CRASHED INTO THE SEMI TRUCK'S REAR TRAILER WHEELS. THE TRUCK RAN OVER THE LEFT FRONT PORTION OF THE VEHICLE, BLOWING BOTH OUTER TIRES ON THE TRUCK AND CRUSHING THE FRONT, LEFT PORTION VEHICLE IN THE PROCESS. THERE WAS NO TICKETS ISSUED BY THE POLICE AGENCY THAT INVESTIGATED THE ACCIDENT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY INVOLVED SETTLED ALL CLAIMS AND TOTALED OUT THE VEHICLE. I REPURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY BECAUSE I WAS DETERMINED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED. IT TOOK ME 3 MONTHS TO FIGURE IT OUT, HOWEVER I HAVE. THE MAIN CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS GM'S FAILURE TO INSTALL AN ELECTRICAL GROUND STRAP FROM THE ENGINE TO THE CHASSIS. NOW THERE IS NO PATH FOR THE ELECTRICITY TO GET BACK EITHER TO THE ALTERNATOR OR THE BATTERY. WHILE THERE ARE SOME SMALL GROUND RETURNS IN THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, NOTHING LARGE ENOUGH FOR THE REQUIRED AMPERAGE TO GET BACK. WHEN IT CAN'T FIND A PATH, IT LOOKS FOR ANOTHER WAY THROUGH THE BODY OR THE SMALL RETURNS IN THE CABLE. THE WIRES IN THE CABLE GOT HOT AND MELTED THE INSULATION OFF AND SHORTED OUT THE OTHER WIRES. THIS DROPPED THE VOLTAGE ON THE MAIN BUSS WHICH FEEDS THE COMPUTER. THE COMPUTER CONTROLS THE POWER SETTINGS TO THE ENGINE, THE BRAKING SYSTEM, AND THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING,ALL FAILED. ONLY GOOD THING THAT THEY HAVE A COMPLETELY SEPARATE SYSTEM FOR THE AIR BAG CONTROLS AND SEAT BELT RETRACTORS. THEY ALL WORKED PERFECTLY, OTHERWISE MY WIFE WOULD BE DEAD. UPDATED 07/11/17*LJ *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE AND THE BATTERY WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STERLING MCCALL BUICK GMC (LOCATED AT 10422 SW FREEWAY, HOUSTON, TX 770744, PHONE NUMBER: (713) 776-4600), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BATTERY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT ONE OF THE SENIOR ADVISORS WOULD CALL HER BACK. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,129.