RoadVitals

1996 Buick Lesabre Airbags Problems

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

Data refreshed

Airbags 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.
8
Latest Apr 28, 2019
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.
8%
of 98 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.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
6

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Buick Lesabre submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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 airbag

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

Airbags
Filed Apr 28, 2019
1 injury reported

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 WALKING.

NHTSA ID
11204263
Incident
Apr 26, 2019
Mileage
114,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 9, 2010
1 injury reported

WHILE WAITING IN A PARKING LOT LANE FOR A PARKING SPACE TO OPEN, THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG DEPLOYED. I WAS NOT LEANING FORWARD, BUT I WAS LOOKING SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT. THE BAG JUST HIT ME ON THE RIGHT SIDE FOREHEAD AND COVERED ME IN POWDER. I COULD NOT HEAR OUT OF MY RIGHT EAR, AND STILL CANNOT TODAY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10298851
Incident
Jan 2, 2010
Mileage
130,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jun 28, 2005

1996 BUICK LESABRE BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY.*MR THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED AT 11 AM WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. ON THE SAME DAY AT 2 PM THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TYPE OF COLLISION NOR DID THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATE TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ID
10128047
Incident
Apr 14, 2005
Airbags
Filed Sep 27, 2004

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
10094344
Incident
Sep 27, 2004
Mileage
42,000 mi
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Aug 22, 2001
Crash reported

ANOTHER VEHICLE CUT IN FRONT. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES BUT HIT OTHER VEHICLE ON RIGHT FRONT. UPON IMPACT WITH OTHER VEHICLE, AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER WAS JAMMED IN SEAT, AND UNABLE TO GET OUT. VEHICLE FILLED WITH SMOKE AN POWDER SUBSTANCE WHICH CAUSED DRIVER'S EYES AND THROAT TO BE IRRITATED.*AK

NHTSA ID
894949
Incident
Jul 11, 2001
Airbags
Filed Jan 9, 2001
Crash reported2 injuries reported

WHEN VEHICLE HIT A DEER, THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS INJURED BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER, DRIVER RECEIVED RED MARKS, WHICH LOOKED LIKE BURNS, ON BOTH ARMS, PASSENGER LEGS WERE BADLY BRUISED, ALSO THE SMELL AND THE AMOUNT OF POWER RELEASE FROM THE AIR BAGS MADE IT HARD TO BREATHE.

NHTSA ID
558891
Incident
Nov 5, 2000
Airbags
Filed Jul 26, 1999
Crash reported1 injury reported

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION AT 30 MPH, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID
843438
Incident
Jun 28, 1999
Airbags
Filed Jan 7, 1997
Crash reported1 injury reported

HIT A DEER AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED BUT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND HIT PASSENGER IN THE LEG . *AK

NHTSA ID
807227
Incident
Dec 31, 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 .