1998 Buick Lesabre Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Lesabre years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 12 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 400 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Buick Lesabre. That ranks 2nd out of 12 Lesabre model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (196 complaints, 49%), typically at around 67,212 miles. Complaints mention 15 crashes, 43 fires, 9 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 400owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 15complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 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 | 196 | 49% | 67,212 | “intake manifold” (38%) | $1,800 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 70 | 18% | 72,476 | “intake manifold” (36%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 50 | 13% | 83,000 | “intake manifold” (10%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 23 | 6% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 20 | 5% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 15 | 4% | 49,635 | — | — |
| Suspension | 15 | 4% | 90,979 | — | — |
| Visibility | 12 | 3% | 39,457 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 11 | 3% | 40,050 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 11 | 3% | 106,182 | — | — |
| Engine | 8 | 2% | 106,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 7 | 2% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 1% | 33,914 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 1% | 46,148 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 1% | 32,739 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 1% | 133,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 1% | 88,500 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 1% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 1% | 131,707 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 0% | 163,885 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Buick Lesabre recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 3800 v6 (l36) engines and certain delphi fuel pressure regulators, the regulators have a much higher than usual rate of fuel leaks. A leak can allow fuel to enter the intake manifold through a vacuum line. If the engine does not start when cranked, the fuel from the leaking regulator and a mistimed spark can cause a backfire.
Risk: The backfire can rupture the intake manifold. The rupture of the intake manifold can displace a fuel line, pulling an injector out of place, and causing a fuel leak and possible fire.
Fix: Dealers will install new fuel pressure regulators with improved diaphragms. The recall will be conducted in phased mailings. Phase 1 began on june 30, 2004, and phase 2 began on september 30, 2004. Owners should contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537, or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
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 owns a 1998 Buick LeSabre. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V090000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair…
I recently purchased this vehicle used. Upon inspection, i discovered that the brake lines are severely corroded and require replacement. On further inspection, i discovered that the engine cradle, bushings, and fastening hardware are severely corroded as well. The rest of the vehicle is not…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick lesabre. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine cradle was severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The dealer was not…
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick lesabre. The contact stated that the check engine warning indicator illuminated. In addition, once the vehicle reached the odometer mileage of 99,999, it failed. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
The sub frame (sometimes called engine cradle) bushings, retainers, and the sub frame itself wherein they mount, are decayed. Some bushings and retainers are completely missing. Having investigated the requirements for repair, i have found that nearly all gm cars with this mounting system are…
Other Buick Lesabre years
← 1997 Lesabre · 1999 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 | 400 | 1 |
| 1997 Lesabre | 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 1998 Buick Lesabre?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, fuel system, gasoline, electrical system problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 196 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Buick Lesabre?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 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 1998 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.