The contact owns a 1996 Buick Regal le. The contact stated there was an unusual loud explosion immediately after the vehicle was started. She opened the hood to further investigate and was exhumed with thick smoke emitting from the engine. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was discovered that the top manifold melted. The mechanic replaced the manifold, injectors, sensor wires, PCV valves, and hoses. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000. The approximate current mileage was 130,000.

- Ronkonkoma, NY, USA

After turning the ignition to start the vehicle there was an explosion, the engine was on fire. The fire department was called, and the fire was extinguished. This vehicle was not included in the intake manifold NHTSA recall 96V116000. The egr valve was inoperative and on another occasion the vehicle had to be jump started.

- Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

While attempting to start the vehicle the consumer heard an explosion. A hole was discovered blown through the intake manifold and a crack was discovered a crack in the dust cover. The consumer requested reibursement.

- Wichita, KS, USA

My 1996 Buick Regal has had two intake manifold gasket failures--one at 52,000 miles, and the most recent, at 111,000 miles. In the first instance, the local Buick dealership refunded half my money of the cost of the $607 repairs because they agreed that it was highly unusual for a gasket to fail at such low mileage. My son, who did the most recent repai andr is a materials science engineer, inspected the most recent failure and found several places on the gasket where it was deformed and had let antifreeze escape. His opinion was that it was badly designed, with inferior materials.

- Tucson, AZ, USA