RoadVitals

1994 Buick Lesabre Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Jul 21, 2016
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
6%
of 158 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1994 Buick Lesabre submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Body & structureEngineSteering
Filed Jul 21, 2016
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANGING NOISE. THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND DROVE OVER A MEDIAN. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOUSE. THE ENGINE SUBFRAME MOTOR MOUNTS FRACTURED AND THE ENGINE FELL TO THE GROUND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIR BY THE CONTACT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

NHTSA ID
10887402
Incident
Dec 14, 2015
Mileage
96,000 mi
ElectricalEngineSteering
Filed Jan 31, 2014

WHILE MERGING ONTO I95 NORTH MY CAR SHUT COMPLETELY OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF MOVING TRAFFIC. I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE IT WAS OFF UNTIL MY LITTLE GIRL ASKED ME TO TURN THE RADIO BACK AND MY SPEED BEGIN TO DECREASE. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER SUCH A HUGE TANK LIKE MY LESABRE WHEN THE POWER STEERING GIVES. IT CRANKS RIGHT UP AFTER SHUTTING OFF AS IF NOTHING IS EVEN WRONG, BUT THIS HAS HAPPENED ALWAYS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. IT BOTHERS ME BECAUSE MY CAR IS ALL I HAVE AND IT'S THE ONLY TRANSPORTATION THAT I HAVE FOR TRAVELING WITH MY LITTLE GIRL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10562310
Incident
Jan 28, 2014
Mileage
98,000 mi
ElectricalEngineSteering+1 more
Filed Jun 7, 2002

THE TOP PART OF THE STEERING WHEEL LIFTED UP (DAUGHTER WROTE IN ON BEHALF OF HER MOTHER). THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONSUMER HAD A NEW STARTER INSTALLED. *YD *NM

NHTSA ID
566022
Incident
Dec 13, 2001
EngineSteering
Filed Nov 26, 2001

HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO MECHANIC FOR A CHECK UP. WAS INFORMED THAT POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED. *AK COOLANT PUMP WAS NOISY, DEALER REPLACED. POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION WAS LEAKING, DEALER REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID
899416
Incident
May 4, 1999
Steering
Filed Oct 16, 2000

WHENEVER MOVING STEERING WHEEL A NOISE CAME FROM POWER STEERING UNIT. THIS WAS DUE TO LEAKAGE OF THE POWER STEERING FLUID FROM THE COOLANT UNIT WHICH COULD CAUSE VEHICLE TO BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND REPAIRED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK THE WELDING OF COOLING UNIT, CONNECTIONS TO THE CONTROLLING HOSE TO POWER STEERING AND RUSTING OF THE UNIT CAUSED LEAKING POSSIBLE. *YH

NHTSA ID
873059
Incident
Sep 16, 2000
Steering
Filed Mar 7, 2000

STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING LOOSENESS IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. BOLTS IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAVE TO HE TIGHTENED OR REPLACED AT THE EXPENSE OF THE CONSUMER. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
858053
Incident
Mar 7, 2000
Steering
Filed Nov 10, 1998

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH STEERING/TIRE ROD END. WHEN TURNING WHEEL IT MAKES A LOUD NOISE. IN ADDITION, DURING THE STEERING PROCESS, THE WHEEL STOPS TURNING. THE MANUFACTUER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
830514
Incident
Nov 5, 1998
Steering
Filed Nov 10, 1998

WHENEVER DRIVER GOES TO THE TURN THE WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT, THE STEERING CATCHES INSTANTLY AND MAKES A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE. DEALER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT PROBLEM COULD BE WITH THE RACK AND PINION OR TIE ROD. *AK

NHTSA ID
830502
Incident
Nov 5, 1998
Steering
Filed Oct 21, 1996

STEERING SYSTEM ALIGNMENT PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
510351
Incident
Oct 8, 1996

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .