Most common 1997 Buick Park Avenue problems
Share of the 219 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Buick Park Avenue complaints by model year
Best Park Avenue years: 2004, 2005, 2002. Years to avoid: 1998, 1997, 1999, 1995, 2000. Compare all years →
1997 Buick Park Avenue recalls (3)
Seat belts › Front › Webbing
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Some of these vehicles have front seat shoulder belts that May twist, allowing the webbing to become jammed in the retractor.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect for the presence of updated front shoulder belt bezels and where necessary, install new front seat shoulder belt opening bezel kits.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
The electronic brake control module or the electronic brake and traction control module can cause the antilock brake system (ABS) to cycle during a non-ABS brake application.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the electronic brake control module or the electronic brake and traction control module.
Seats › Mid/rear assembly
These vehicles were assembled with center rear seat belt anchor bolts not properly installed. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages."
Remedy: Dealers will tighten the center rear seat belt anchor bolts to specification.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 1997 Buick Park Avenue:
Power rack and pinion steering failure
GM conducted a safety recall (NHTSA # 02V286) to address a steering defect pertaining to a lower pinion bearing (lpb) within the rack and pinion steering gear (r&p). The recall covered 1,159,156 model year 1997-1998 Pontiac grand prix vehicles built between March 1, 1996 and October 31, 1997, 1996-1998 Pontiac trans sport, Chevrolet lumina apv, Chevrolet venture, Oldsmobile silhouette minivans, and Chevrolet…
Front shoulder belt malfunction
There is no summary currently available
Engine compartment fires
Engine compartment fires
Ea02-030 is closed with gmea02-030 is closed with GM?s actions in 03v-473 and 04v-090 recalling approximately 529,000 my 1998-99 c- and h-body vehicles equipped with defective fuel pressure regulators.these vehicles were equipped with plastic intake manifolds that are unable to contain pressures that occur in some backfire events and defective fuel pressure regulators with leaking diaphragms that can provide a…
Front shoulder belt malfunction
There is no summary currently available
What 1997 Buick Park Avenue owners say
Seat belts all 52 →
Dt: the consumer stated there was a recall 00V117000 concerning the seat belts. The recall was completed by the dealer in 2002. But the dealer only corrected one of the front seat belts. The dealer failed to inform the consumer that only one of seat belts was repaired. In October 2005 both front seat belts failed. The driver seat belt began to retract intermittently and the passenger seat belt will not retract at all. The vehicle was returned to the dealer who refused to make any additional repairs under the recall. Updated
Several years ago the front passenger seat belt ceased working on my 1997 Buick Park Avenue. Since the car was no longer under warranty, I paid for a new seatbelt assembly and installation. Then, on August 6th (two weeks ago) 2007, the driver side seatbelt became inoperable(the seatbelt will not retract), therefore making it useless. I have been driving another vehicle until I can get this repair done.
Engine & cooling all 46 →
Tl contact owns a 1997 Buick Park Avenue ultra. While driving 25 MPH, the vehicle began smoking under the hood and caught fire. The fire department extinguished the blaze and provided a fire report. The police arrived, however, the contact did not know if a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they were unable to determine the cause of failure. The vehicle was destroyed. The powertrain was unknown. The current mileage was 125,998 and failure mileage was 111,998.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Buick Park Avenue. The contact stated that the vehicle began to smoke when starting the vehicle. The engine then caught on fire. The fire department was called and came to extinguish the blaze. The fire department stated that the fire was caused by an engine compartment failure. The contact did not call the manufacturer. The vehicle was neither repaired nor diagnosed. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Brakes all 39 →
The heater in the seat quit working. A new one was installed and it doesn't heat up correctly. The motor in the window failed. The rotors/brakes were warped. The stereo failed. The window will not roll up correctly despite a new one being put in. The starter is dragging. Some of this was covered under the Smart choice extended warranty. However some of the repairs are still needed and I still have time remaining on my Smart choice warrranty but they have went bankrupt and my dealer says the warranty is no longer valid and I will have to pay for any repairs done.
Dt*: the contact stated that the vehicle's traction control and ABS lights illuminated. The traction control engaged and the ABS brakes cycled for no reason causing a grinding sound to appear from the transmission. A certified mechanic performed diagnostic testing determining there was a defect pertaining to the electronic brake and tract control module. Information was also found online regarding recalls that matched vehicle's symptoms. The manufacturer and dealer were alerted who determined that the VIN did not included in the recall.
1997 Buick Park Avenue engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 26 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Buick Park Avenue a good car?
Based on 219 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Park Avenue rates avoid: 4.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Park Avenue at the same age. It is one of the Park Avenue years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Buick Park Avenue?
The seat belts — 52 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › retractor. Next are the engine & cooling (46) and brakes (39).
How many recalls does the 1997 Buick Park Avenue have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1997 Buick Park Avenue, the most recent from April 18, 2000 (webbing). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Buick Park Avenue?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004, 2005 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1998, 1997, 1999, 1995 and 2000. See the full Buick Park Avenue years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Buick Park Avenue problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 92,000 miles; 16% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.