Buick Lesabre Problems by Year
NHTSA has 2,992 owner complaints and 12 safety recalls on file for the Buick Lesabre, across 12 model years (1995–2006). The 2000 model year has the most complaints (669). The most reported problem area overall is engine and engine cooling.
Buick Lesabre years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Lesabre year: 1997, 1998, 2000. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2000 Lesabre: 669 complaints, 5 recalls
- 1998 Lesabre: 400 complaints, 1 recall
- 1997 Lesabre: 394 complaints, 2 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2006 Lesabre: 3 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2005 Lesabre: 77 complaints, 0 recalls
- 1996 Lesabre: 98 complaints, 2 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Buick Lesabre problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 548 | 11 | 4 |
| Visibility problems | 536 | 11 | 4 |
| Electrical System problems | 412 | 12 | 4 |
| Structure problems | 255 | 12 | 7 |
| Air Bags problems | 246 | 11 | 83 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 208 | 11 | 4 |
| Power Train problems | 188 | 11 | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 175 | 11 | 17 |
| Steering problems | 165 | 11 | 5 |
| Suspension problems | 131 | 12 | 5 |
| Tires problems | 107 | 11 | 6 |
| Engine | 98 | 12 | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 95 | 11 | 16 |
| Exterior Lighting | 73 | 11 | 1 |
| Seat Belts | 60 | 9 | 8 |
| Seats | 58 | 11 | 8 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 37 | 9 | 0 |
| Equipment | 35 | 8 | 1 |
| Service Brakes | 31 | 8 | 4 |
| Fuel System, Other | 28 | 9 | 0 |
| Wheels | 24 | 9 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 23 | 7 | 1 |
| Visibility/wiper | 16 | 6 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 10 | 7 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Buick Lesabre problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2004: electrical system (66)
- 2003: structure (57)
- 2002: visibility (115) · structure (51)
- 2001: visibility (99) · structure (50)
- 2000: visibility (244) · electrical system (87) · engine and engine cooling (78)
- 1999: engine and engine cooling (69)
- 1998: engine and engine cooling (196) · fuel system, gasoline (70) · electrical system (50)
- 1997: engine and engine cooling (110)
All Buick Lesabre model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Lesabre | 3 | 0 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2005 Lesabre | 77 | 0 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2004 Lesabre | 162 | 0 | — | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2003 Lesabre | 164 | 1 | — | Structure | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2002 Lesabre | 310 | 2 | — | Visibility | More complaints than other years |
| 2001 Lesabre | 328 | 0 | — | Visibility | More complaints than other years |
| 2000 Lesabre | 669 | 5 | — | Visibility | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 Lesabre | 209 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1998 Lesabre | 400 | 1 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1997 Lesabre | 394 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1996 Lesabre | 98 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1995 Lesabre | 178 | 1 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
More from Buick: all Buick models · Buick VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Buick Lesabre years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1997 (394), 1998 (400), 2000 (669) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Lesabre year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Buick Lesabre?
Engine and Engine Cooling, with 548 complaints across 11 model years.
How many recalls does the Buick Lesabre have?
12 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.