1997 Buick Lesabre Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Lesabre years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 394 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Buick Lesabre. That ranks 3rd out of 12 Lesabre model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (110 complaints, 28%), typically at around 88,000 miles. Complaints mention 26 crashes, 31 fires, 24 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 394owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 26complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 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 problems | 110 | 28% | 88,000 | “intake manifold” (27%) | $1,200 |
| Electrical System | 42 | 11% | 80,491 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 37 | 9% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 33 | 8% | 115,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 33 | 8% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 28 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 27 | 7% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 25 | 6% | 141,502 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 22 | 6% | 51,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 20 | 5% | 150,191 | — | — |
| Structure | 17 | 4% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 15 | 4% | 117,616 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 12 | 3% | 53,300 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 11 | 3% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 10 | 3% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 2% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 8 | 2% | 12,344 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 7 | 2% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 1% | 75,485 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 0% | 124,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 103,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 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.
Seat belts:front:buckle assembly
Problem: These vehicles were assembled with one or more incorrect safety belt and/or safety belt buckle ends. This does not conform with the requirements of fmvss no. 209, "seat belt assemblies."
Risk: Consequence of non-compliance: if an incorrect part is used, the belt may not latch properly, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant should a vehicle crash occur.
Fix: Dealers will inspect all front and rear safety belt latch ends and safety belt buckles for correct parts and replace any incorrect parts.
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.
The contact's friend owns a 1997 Buick LeSabre The contact stated that the hood was difficult to open and close. The latch was in the correct location. The contact stated that while her roommate was driving at 45 MPH, the hood opened and detached. The driver pulled over, and a 2012 Chevrolet…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 buick lesabre. While reversing the vehicle at approximately 10 mph into the driveway, the contact noticed an abnormal cracking noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. The contact stopped and looked underneath the vehicle. He noticed that the a-frame on the…
The horn will sound without pressing the horn button(s) when the car is in motion or unoccupied. This occurs when the weather is cold. I have researched this online and it is apparently an issue for many owners. Part of the air bag contracts during the winter months pressing on part of the horn…
Transmission shudders between 30 to 40 mph. Also at 50 mph on the highway. Have been told may need transmission. Car only has 56,000 miles. Transmission fluid has been drained. Did not help. Please advise
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 buick lesabre. While driving unknown speeds, the driver side door latch failed to hook and lock, which caused the door to open. The door ajar warning indicator illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer…
Other Buick Lesabre years
← 1996 Lesabre · 1998 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 | 394 | 2 |
| 1996 Lesabre | 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 1997 Buick Lesabre?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, electrical system, fuel system, gasoline problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 110 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Buick Lesabre?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 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 1997 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.