RoadVitals

1999 Buick Lesabre

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
209
Latest Apr 16, 2019
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Feb 24, 2004
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
3
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
39
19 injuries, 2 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 209 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1999 Buick Lesabre, most frequently naming the engine, fuel system and electrical categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 3 NHTSA investigations name it; and 49 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY

Feb 24, 2004
910,873 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The 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.
The remedy: 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.
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.Manufacturer number 03054BView on NHTSA.gov

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Apr 26, 1999
99,333 units potentially affected
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4T65E AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE." A RETAINING CLIP, WHICH SECURES THE MANUAL VALVE TO THE LINKAGE OF THE TRANSMISSION DETENT LEVER, CAN BECOME LOOSE UNDER A COMBINATION OF POSSIBLE DRIVER SHIFTING MANEUVERS AND ALLOW THE LINK TO BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE MANUAL VALVE.
The risk: IF THE LINK DISCONNECTS, THE DRIVER'S INDICATED PRNDL STATE MAY DIFFER FROM THE HYDRAULIC STATE OF THE TRANSMISSION. IF THE DRIVER SELECTS 'DRIVE' AND THE TRANSMISSION IS ACTUALLY IN 'REVERSE', A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MANUAL VALVE/LINK ASSEMBLY WITH A REPLACEMENT MANUAL VALVE/LINK KIT, FEATURING A SPRING-TYPE FASTENER.
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

EA02030ClosedEngineering Analysis

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

Opened Oct 22, 2002
Closed Mar 9, 2004

EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERYLed to recall 04V090000
PE02050ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

Opened Jun 13, 2002
Closed Oct 22, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
RQ99007ClosedRecall Query

TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE

Opened May 26, 1999
Closed Feb 8, 2002
POWER TRAINLed to recall 99V089000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Suspension
Filed Apr 16, 2019

AS I WAS DRIVING FROM THE GAS STATION I TOOK A LEFT AND AS I ACCELERATED, THE ENGINE STARTED TO VIBRATE. I I HAD NEVER NOTICED THIS BEFORE THAT DAY. SO PROCEED TO TAKE MY TIME CAREFULLY BACK TO WORK. I EXAMINED THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF MY 99 LESABRE CUSTOM AND THAT'S WHERE I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE SUBFRAME BUSHINGS HAVE ALL BUT FELL OUT DUE TO SEVERE RUST. THANKFULLY THE PASSENGER SIDE IS STILL FIRMLY ATTACHED. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM CARS OF THIS ERA AND THE DORMAN REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE READILY AVAILABLE. HAD THIS COMPONENT FAILED ON BOTH SIDES THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE FALLEN OUT AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR WORSE. I AM STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THIS IS A RECALL ISSUE OR JUST A BAD CHOICE OF VEHICLE DESIGN BY GM AND THEIR LACK OF CONCERN FOR THE PUBLICS WELL BEING. THESE SUBFRAME BUSHINGS SHOULD HAVE BEEN OR SHOULD BE A VIABLE RECALL CONCERN TODAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER.

NHTSA ID
11196784
Incident
Aug 30, 2018
Airbags
Filed Feb 23, 2018

I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WHEN MY AIR BAG FROM THE STEERING COLUMN DEPLOYED IN MY FACE. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. IT WAS ON OR ABOUT 1/25/18. ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO THIS EVENT MY HORN BEGAN TO STEADILY BLOW INEXPLICABLY. I DID NOT HAVE ANY REASON TO SUSPECT ANYTHING OTHER THAN A MALFUNCTIONING HORN SO I DISCONNECTED THE WIRES TO THE HORN. WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED ABOUT A WEEK LATER I CONCLUDED THE AIR BAG WAS INFLATING INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE HORN SENSOR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO, AFTER WEEKS OF INVESTIGATION, CONCLUDED THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO REPAIR IT AND SUGGESTED I CALL GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER ASSIST CENTER. AFTER REVIEWING PICTURES, (NO ONE ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY LOOKED AT IT) GM DECIDED CORROSION TO THE SENSING MODULE CAUSED THE PROBLEM. I CONTEND THEY HAVE A DEFECTIVE VALVE WHICH OVERTIME BEGAN LEAKING GAS INTO THE AIR BAG, HENCE THE ISSUE WITH THE BLOWING HORN.

NHTSA ID
11074558
Incident
Jan 25, 2018
Mileage
205,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Aug 15, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE 5 -10 MINUTES LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. AFTER THE FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT, A STRONG FUEL ODOR WAS DETECTED IN THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL RING WAS CAUSING THE FUEL ODOR. THE RING WAS REPLACED, BUT THE ISSUE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK AND FUEL NECK WERE THE POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE CONTINUING FUEL ODOR, AND BOTH PARTS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT HAD THE FUEL TANK AND FUEL NECK REPLACED, BUT THE FUEL ODOR CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE LOCAL BUICK DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.

NHTSA ID
11015353
Incident
Jul 9, 2017
Mileage
200,000 mi
Body & structureBrakesFuel system
Filed May 22, 2017

VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN FOR A FULL FUEL LINE REPLACEMENT. TECHNICIAN REPORTED THAT THE BODY AND SUB-FRAME ARE CORRODED TO THE EXTENT THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID
10990949
Incident
May 22, 2017
Mileage
276,262 mi
Fuel system
Filed Apr 28, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND A STRONG FUEL ODOR WAS PRESENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
10981300
Incident
Apr 9, 2017
Airbags
Filed May 25, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG AND AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE ON THE CONTACT'S BEHALF. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000. ....UPDATED 0711/16 *BF *CN

NHTSA ID
10870746
Incident
May 25, 2016
Mileage
58,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jul 22, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT NOTICED A FUEL ODOR AND OBSERVED FUEL LEAKAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,000.

NHTSA ID
10735704
Incident
Jun 10, 2015
Mileage
169,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 11, 2015

1999 BUICK LESABRE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH- ANTI THEFT WIRING ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACED. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE ANTI-THEFT WIRES WAS BROKEN AND THE SECOND WIRE HAD THE PROTECTIVE INSULATION COATING CRACKED THROUGH TO THE COPPER WIRE. IT APPEARED THAT ROTATION OF THE CYLINDER HAD CHAFED OVER TIME AND COMPROMISED THE INTEGRITY OF BOTH WIRES AND THE CAUSE THE SECURITY DASH LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE AND THE VEHICLE NOT TO START. *JB

NHTSA ID
10682285
Incident
Dec 5, 2014

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

17-NA-073

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.

PIP4723F

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE; SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

PIP4723D

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

PIC4696E

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ANTI-THEFT DEVICES; EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.  E version update is to add administrative details.

PIC4696D

EQUIPMENT

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.

PIC4696C

EQUIPMENT; EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY; EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco Theft Lock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Buick Lesabre by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2013000
2006300
2005770040.3
20041620036.7
20031641040.9
20023092154.7
20013280143.0
20006685258.9
1999Viewing2092362.2
19984001253.9
19973942259.5
1996982256.1
19951781046.7
19941580042.1
19931941253.8
19921892364.2
1991301148.9
1990461151.0
1989273054.4
1988214352.7
1987405966.8
19861631158.2
1985514
1984524
1983101
1982110
1981030
1979120
1978030
1977130
1976020
1975031
1974010
1972010
1971130
1970020
1967010

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.