Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Buick Lesabre submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 51 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.
The 25 most recent of 51, in the owner's own words
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.
I CAME HOME AFTER BIBLE STUDY ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND GOT UP THURSDAY THEN THE SECURITY LIGHT WENT BLINKING. MY HUSBAND HAD THE KEY IGNITION REPLACE THEN BROUGHT NEW KEY BUT CAR STILL WOULDN'T START SO HAD THE CAR TOWED AND REPAIRED. 10 MONTHS AND THREE WEEKS THE CAR DID THE SAME BUT I WAS DRIVING THIS TIME AND IT SHUT DOWN IN THE ROAD WITH ME AND MY CHILDREN. IT WAS FRIGHTEN BUT WE MADE IT SAFELY OUT OF THE ROAD BEFORE ANYTHING HAPPEN. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN . I AM UPSET ABOUT THE PROBLEM. A CAR HAS NO BUSINESS SHUTTING OFF IN THE ROAD WHILE A PERSON IS DRIVING IT ACCIDENT OR NO ACCIDENT BECAUSE IT IN DANGER PEOPLES LIFE. A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR MANY PEOPLE WHOM HAVE THESE CARS MADE BY GM. *TR
1998 BUICK LESABRE CRASHED AT LOW SPEED CAUSING PROPERTY DAMAGE, ENGINE CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED. CAR WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS, LEAVING ME WITH BILLS OF OVER $10,000 FOR LOST CAR, REPAIRS, INSURANCE. PROBLEM HAD ARISEN ON AND OFF SINCE ACQUIRING CAR AT 65,000 MILES..TWICE TAKEN IN TO GM DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM. COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. PROBLEM WOULD DISAPPEAR FOR MONTHS AND THEN REAPPEAR. NUMEROUS MECHANICS CHECKED AND COULD NOT FIND SOURCE OF PROBLEM. AFTER CAR WAS DECLARED A TOTAL, NEWS STORY RAN ABOUT TOYOTA CARS STALLING OUT DUE TO DEFECTIVE ENGINE CONTROL MODULES (NHTSA REPORT #PE09054). THE DEFECTIVE PART WAS MADE BY DELPHI..WHICH WAS OWNED BY GENERAL MOTORS..MAKERS OF THE BUICK LESABRE. I CONTACTED GM HEADQUARTERS TO ASK IF THE CONTROL MODULE IN MY PART WAS MADE BY GM/DELPHI. THEY REFUSED TO ANSWER ME, SAYING THAT AS NO RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED AND MY CAR WAS GONE,THEY COULD DO NOTHING FOR ME. MEANWHILE, IT TURNS OUT THAT GM DID OWN DELPHI IN 1998, DID MANUFACTURE THOSE MODULES, WHICH HAD TO HAVE BEEN IN THE BUICK LESABRES,AND WERE YEARS LATER CAUSING IDENTICAL ENGINE FAILURES IN TOYOTAS. THOSE PARTS ARE OUT THERE TODAY, WAITING FOR SOMETHING HORRIBLE TO HAPPEN. AMONG THE 12 SUMMARIES YOU HAVE ON YOUR SITE FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH BUICK LESABRES, ONE IS EVEN WORSE THAN MINE "REPORT #9001048 "COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WITH A TRAGEDY BARELY AVOIDED, TRANSMISSION FAILURE". WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR AT 65,000 MILES IT HAD A SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AS WELL, WHICH WAS FOUND AND FIXED. THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM PERSISTED UNTIL THE ENGINE CUT OUT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON, ON A BUSY LOCAL ROAD. WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED, THE BRAKES FAILED. I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR. QUICK THINKING PUT ME UP AGAINST A TELEPHONE POLE SO NO LIVES WERE LOST. MANY OF YOUR OTHER COMPLAINTS MENTION COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE WITH THIS CAR. INVESTIGATION ANYONE? *TR
I HAVE A BUICK LESABRE, CUSTOM, 1998, WITH ABOUT 110,000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR WAS RUNNING NORMALLY, WITH NO PRIOR PROBLEMS RELATING TO STARTING. I DROVE IT OUT OF TOWN, ABOUT 80 MILES AWAY. IT STILL WAS FINE, STARTING UP WITH NO PROBLEM, SEVERAL TIMES AFTER GETTING THERE. HOWEVER, AT A CAMPGROUND ENTRANCE, THE CAR REFUSED TO START. NO CLICK, BUZZ, NOTHING. ALL ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS, A.C., RADIO, WINDOWS, WERE FINE. THE SECURITY LIGHT FLASHED EVERY TIME I TRIED TO TURN THE KEY....EVEN AFTER WAITING 3 MINUTES TO TRY AGAIN. I EVEN TRIED A SECOND KEY, BUT IT DIDN'T HELP. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TRIED, AND HE WIGGLED THE KEY IN THE KEY CYLINDER AND THE CAR STARTED. DROVE HOME, TRIED TO START CAR AGAIN, AND IT REFUSED TO START, NO MATTER HOW MUCH WIGGLING WE DID. CONTACTED SEVERAL DEALERS. THEY ALL SAID IT WAS PROBABLY THE CONTACT WIRES IN THE IGNITION CYLINDER THAT READ THE KEY'S "RESISTANCE" AND SEND AN "O.K" SIGNAL TO THE FUEL SYSTEM AND THE STARTER. (THE INTERNET SAYS THEY ARE FAMOUS FOR BREAKING/MALFUNCTIONING IN GM CARS) THEY SAID IT WOULD COST ABOUT $400 MINIMUM TO REPLACE THE KEY CYLINDER. ALSO, IF THE SECURITY MODULE NEEDED REPLACING, IT COULD COST ABOUT $1000.00. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. HE PUT IN A RESISTOR BETWEEN THE TWO CONTACT WIRES COMING OUT OF THE KEY CYLINDER. DID NOT NEED TO REMOVE THE STEERING WHEEL AT ALL. (INCIDENTALLY, ONE DEALER EVEN INSISTED THERE WAS NO "BY-PASS" METHOD OF FIXING THE PROBLEM.) ALL KEYS WORK NOW. SECURITY LIGHT ACTS NORMALLY, DOES NOT STAY ON ALL THE TIME. REMOTE FOB WORKS O.K., TOO. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK LESABRE. WHEN THE CONTACT INSERTS THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION TO START THE VEHICLE, IT FAILS TO START. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STARTER, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V090000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,000.
NO INJURIES. ENGINE STOPS OR STALLS AT VARIOUS TIMES. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.
1. IT STALLED OUT MANY TIME WHILE DRIVING. NO ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON AFTER RESTARTING. 2. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE DRIVING ON BUSY BIG CITY FREEWAY AT RUSH HOUR. 3. THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED BY REPLACING THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR
BETWEN 47,111 AND 49817 MILES ENGINE HAS STALL THREE TIMES AND AFTER COMPLETE STOP I RE-STARTED ENGINE RIGHT AWAY, THERE NO WARNING LIGHTS DURING STALL AT CONTROL PANEL.
1998 BUICK LESABRE HAD THE INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED. THE CONSUMER'S CLAIM FOR A REFUND FOR REPAIRS WAS NOT APPROVED. *MR THE CONSUMER HAD TURNED LEFT ONTO A LOOP AND STARTED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO MISS AND MAKE NOISES. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND VIEWED A LOT OF WATER UNDER THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT HE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SPARK PLUGS THAT WERE DAMAGED WHEN THE WATER FLOODED INTO THE BLOCK AND OR THE RUPTURED PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. REFER TO RECALL CAMPAIGN#04V090000. THE HORN WOULD GO OFF WHEN THE HORN PAD WAS BUMPED OR WHEN THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE BECAME' HOT. *SC THE MANUFACTURER WROTE THE CONSUMER A LETTER WHICH STATED THE PART THAT WAS REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. *JB
WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY AND MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN VEHICLE SHUT OFF. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP IN ORDER TO FIX THE STARTER.*AK
REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST FOR 1998 BUICK LESABRE RECALL.*MR THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR THEIR VEHICLE JULY 2, 2004. RECALL #(04V090000 ) REGARDING FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THE REPAIRS DONE ON THE VEHICLE WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER REPORTED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD. DEALER REPLACED STARTER ASSEMBLY. *TC
AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR A RECALL REPAIRS, VEHICLE WAS CUTTING OFF, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. VEHICLE IDLED ROUGHLY. CONSUMER TOLD MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST PRIOR TO BRINGING IT IN FOR THE RECALL REPAIRS, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD GO AWAY ON ITS OWN. *AK THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION FAILED . *NM
PROBLEMS REGARDING A 1998 BUICK LESABRE. *MR RECALL# 04V090000. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALERS THREE TIMES. THE FUEL REGULATOR WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE DIED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE BATTERY CABLE WAS LOOSE AND THE PCM NEEDED CALIBRATING, AND THE STARTER WAS BAD. *SC *JB
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND MECHANIC REPLACED THEM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
THE IGNITION SWITCH HAS MALFUNCTIONED. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE IS UNABLE TO START. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
CONSUMER DISSATISFIED WITH THE REIMBURSEMENT OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD REPAIR KIT AND NOTHING ELSE. (NAR) *PH THE CONSUMER WAS ONLY PARTIALLY REIMBURSED FOR REPAIRS MADE PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTIFICATION ON THE FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE CONSUMER ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE'S STARTER. *NM
TEMPERATURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER STOPPED AND PUT IN COOLANT. NEXT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED , AND ENGINE DIED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER. THE UPPER AND LOWER MANIFOLDS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK THE DEALER ALSO INSTALLED A NEW THERMOSTAT AND GASKET AND REPLACED ALL SIX SPARK PLUGS. *NLM
INTAKE MANIFOLD MELTING. LOSS OF COOLANT. REPLACE PLASTIC INTAKE, PLUGS, STARTER, OIL AND FILTER, PCV VALVE, COOLANT. PLUS TOWING BILL AND SHOP LABOR. GM DEFECT. GM KNOWS IT, GM SHOULD REIMBURSE FOR REPAIR COST. *LA
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *PH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOOSE SPEED PULLED INTO GAS STATION. THE VEHICLE START AGAIN. GM WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMERS FRIEND HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MANIFOLD GASKETS. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE MANIFOLD AND THE STARTER. *SCC *NLM
THE MANIFOLD AND GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD COOLANT WAS IMPROPERLY MIXING WITH MY OIL CAUSING BLACK SMOKE TO BE EMITTED FROM MY EXHAUST, THE CAR MISSING AND EVENTUALLY SEMI-LOCKING. THE LOCKING CAUSE THE CONE OF MY STARTER TO CRACK IN TWO WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RE-START TO THE TUNE OF A $1,500. REPAIRFOR ALL. DEALER ACKOWLEDGED THEY HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH OTHER VEHICLES. THE INITIAL STATER REPLACED WAS DISCOVERED DEFECTIVE AND WAS AGAIN REPLACED ON JUNE 25, 2003. A COMPLAINT TO BUICK CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS FRUITLESS AND THEY WERE NOT SENSITIVE AT ALL TO THE PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING SMOKE WAS COMING INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE THOUGH THE VENTS. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT IT WILL BE HARD TO START THE VEHICLE AND THEY WILL HAVE TO TRY NUMEROUS OF TIME BEFORE THE VEHICLE WILL START. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
CONSUMER STATES THAT STARTER IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN STARTING VEHICLE IT MAKES A "POPPING" NOISE THEN CAR CUTS OFF. DEALER REPLACED "NO. 3" SPARK PLUG WIRE. PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED TEMPORARILY, BUT NOW IS OCCURRING AGAIN. TS
THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS CONSUMER ALSO HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE STARTER NOT DISENGAGING. *JG
GM MADE THEIR INTAKE MANIFOLDS OUT OF A PLASTIC RESIN ON THE BUICK 3800 V6 ENGINE. THEY ROUTED THE EGR VALVE THROUGH IT WHICH CAUSES A HEAT BUILD UP THAT WRAPS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ALLOWING COOLANT TO GO INTO THE ENGINE. MY REPAIR BILL WAS $803.76 PLUS ONE STARTER $189.00 THAT BROKE WHEN THE ENGINE SIEZED. FROM READING ON THE INTERNET THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINES WITH THE PLASTIC MANIFOLD. THE DEALER THAT FIXED MY CAR AID YES IT WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND THAT HE HAD ANOTHER CAR OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AS MINE IN THE SAME MORNING AS MINE. SAME PROBLEM AND THAT HE HAD ONE THE WEEK BEFORE. IN MY CASE THE ENGINE DID NOT LOCK UP AS I AS GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY BUT THIS COULD BE A DANGEROUS PROBLEM FOR SOMEONE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND THIER ENGINE LOCKS UP. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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