1996 Buick Lesabre Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Lesabre years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 10th of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 98 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Buick Lesabre. That ranks 10th out of 12 Lesabre model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (18 complaints, 18%), typically at around 90,000 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 7 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 98owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Buick Lesabre problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 18 | 18% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 14 | 14% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 | 13% | 86,960 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 8 | 8% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 7 | 7% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 6 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 6% | 102,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 6% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 4% | 98,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 3% | 108,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 119,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Buick Lesabre recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system
Problem: A backfire during engine starting can cause breakage of the upper intake manifold.
Risk: This condition can cause a no-start condition and possibly an engine compartment fire.
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module programming. Until the campaign repair is made, the vehicle hood should be shut whenever starting the vehicle to reduce the chance of personal injury.
Electrical system:ignition:anti-theft:control module
Problem: These vehicles were assembled with a malfunction alarm, lighting and locking (mall) module that can contain a damaged capacitor. If the capacitor is damaged, the "key in the ignition" warning chime and the driver seat belt unbuckled warning chime and indicator lamp may not work. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 114, "theft protection" and fmvss no. 208, "occupant crash protection." in addition, other chime reminder functions, interior lighting controls, and power door locking features are also affected.
Risk: Consequence of non-compliance; the driver may not be aware that the key was left in the ignition or that the safety belt was not buckled.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if required, replace the mall module.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Engine compartment fires (EA02030) — opened Oct 22, 2002, closed Mar 9, 2004, led to recall 04V090000.
- Engine compartment fires (PE02050) — opened Jun 13, 2002, closed Oct 22, 2002.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
While at a complete stop on a city street behind a city bus which was loading passengers with no collision or contact, the passenger side airbag deployed. The airbag caused burns to the passenger's hand and both knees. It also caused deep contusions on the left knee, causing difficulties with…
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 buick lesabre. The vehicle was taken for a tune-up where it was diagnosed that the valve cover gaskets, upper intake manifold, and the oil pan gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure…
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 buick lesabre. While driving at 40 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The failure recurred three times. The contact also stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximately failure…
Had to remove dome light bulbs beause it doesnt turn off, the lights on the rear st times and i'v just bought a second battery 3 days ago because the lighting problem caues them to burn out. Sometimes the lights will fade out. Mst time it doesnt and i can't turn them off manually either. Just found…
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 buick lesabre. The contact stated that the courtesy lights would illuminate at any time even when the vehicle was turned off. The vehicle would also exhibit a chiming noise, causing the battery to drain. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who was unable to…
Other Buick Lesabre years
← 1995 Lesabre · 1997 Lesabre →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 Lesabre | 3 | 0 |
| 2005 Lesabre | 77 | 0 |
| 2004 Lesabre | 162 | 0 |
| 2003 Lesabre | 164 | 1 |
| 2002 Lesabre | 310 | 2 |
| 2001 Lesabre | 328 | 0 |
| 2000 Lesabre | 669 | 5 |
| 1999 Lesabre | 209 | 2 |
| 1998 Lesabre | 400 | 1 |
| 1997 Lesabre | 394 | 2 |
| 1996 | 98 | 2 |
| 1995 Lesabre | 178 | 1 |
See all Buick Lesabre problems by year, every Buick model, or the Buick VIN decoder.
Similar Buick models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Buick Lesabre?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, electrical system, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 18 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Buick Lesabre?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Buick Lesabre a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Lesabre model years, the 1996 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.