Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Buick Lesabre submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 44 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 44, in the owner's own words
BRAKE LINES RUSTING EVEN THOUGH I REPLACED THE RUSTY BRAKE LINES BEFORE. THE FIRST TIME THEY ROTTED THROUGH AND I COULD NOT STOP BUT FORTUNATELY I WAS GOING SLOW AND USED EMERGENCY BRAKE.
WONT HO IN DRIVE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FLOOR WAS WET ON THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDES. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 00V114000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AL SERRA BUICK GMC (LOCATED AT 6201 SAGINAW RD, GRAND BLANC, MI 48439, (810) 202-0226), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,500.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON DRY PAVEMENT AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH I HEARD A CHIME AND THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD. THE LIGHT WENT OUT THE NEXT TIME I DROVE THE CAR AND THEN RETURNED. THIS LIGHT SIGNIFIES THAT I HAVE "LOST" THE BENEFIT OF ABS BRAKING ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS CONDITION COULD JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS AS BRAKING EFFICIENCY COULD BE DRAMATICALLY REDUCED. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE THE BOLTS ON MY REAR BRAKE PAD BROKE IN HALF AND THE CAR WAS UNABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, HAD TO DRIVE MY CAR BACKWARDS HOME LUCKILY I WAS ONLY A BLOCK AWAY FROM HOME. THE 2 FRONT WINDOWS WILL NOT ROLL UP OR DOWN, KEEP HAVING TO REPLACE THE HOSE THAT LEADS TO MY RADIATOR, WHEN I MAKE RIGHT TURNS THE CAR VIBRATES, TWO FRONT SEAT BELTS HAVE STOP LOCKING ALL TOGETHER AND THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN ANY SORT OF CRASH OR ACCIDENT, FRONT DASH IS STARTING TO LIFT CONSIDERABLY. I ADORE MY VEHICLE AND I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING RID OF IT, BUT THERE ARE TOO MANY PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH ON THIS CAR. *TR
FRONT SUSPENSION NOISE DUE TO BROKEN SWAY BAR LINKS RUSTED FRONT RIGHT AND FRONT LEFT. FRONT BRAKE LINES AND FUEL LINE BADLY RUSTED BUT NOT LEAKING YET. IF FRONT FUEL LINE LEAKS IT WILL LEAK ONTO ENGINE REAR TO CAUSE FIRE. IF FRONT BRAKE LINE LEAKS I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP CAR. I HAD REPORTED TO NHTSA WHEN MY REAR BRAKE LINES LEAKED PREVENTING ME FROM STOPPING IN 2011 BUT LUCKILY I WAS GOING VERY SLOW. MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW FAILED PREVENTING ME FROM OPENING WINDOW,NEEDING REPLACEMENT IN MAY 2014. *TR
STARTING EARLY JUNE MY SON CALLED ME TO INFORM ME THAT THE BUICK WAS STALLING OUT ON HIM ALL THE TIME. HE SAID THAT HE COULD BE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND THE CAR WOULD JUST SHUT OFF, CAUSING ALL ELECTRICAL, STEERING, AND BRAKES TO NOT WORK. HE ATTENDS SCHOOL IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA IN THE MOUNTAINS AND THIS WORRIED ME. I HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AND EACH TIME WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DIFFERENT THINGS AND NOTHING FIXED THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SINCE SWITCHED VEHICLES WITH HIM FOR HIS SAFETY AND HAVE CONTACTED MY LOCAL BUICK DEALERSHIP TO FIND THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER IS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER IS PERIODICALLY LOOSING CONNECTION TO THE KEY WHICH HAS A CHIP IN IT (QUITS TALKING TO), AND SHUTS THE VEHICLE OFF. LIKE AN ALARM FEATURE. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THE LESABRE AND OTHER VEHICLES FOR QUITE A WHILE. IN ORDER TO FIX IT I WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE A NEW IGNITION CYLINDER, POSSIBLY A COUPLE OF KEYS, HAVE THEM SENT TO A LOCKSMITH, GET THEM KEYED TO THE CYLINDER, THEN INSTALL THE NEW IGNITION CYLINDER. YET IT IS NOT ONE OF THE VEHICLES LISTED ON THE GM IGNITION RECALL LIST. HOW CAN SUCH A SAFETY ISSUE GO OVERLOOKED AND ALSO UNREPORTED. THE VEHICLE IS AN EXCELLENT VEHICLE WHILE RUNNING BUT I FEEL THAT GM SHOULD FACE THE FACT AND TAKE OWNERSHIP FOR ALL OF THESE IGNITION FAILURES NOT JUST A FEW MAKES AND MODELS BUT ALL GM MANUFACTURED VEHICLES. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE, MY SON SAID HE WAS NEARLY REARENDED WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF ON HIM A NUMBER OF TIMES AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS WHILE TRYING TO PULL OFF THE ROAD FOR SAFETY. OR HE WAS STUCK HOLDING UP THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC WITH PEOPLE BEEPING AT HIM WHILE HE HAD TO WAIT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD TILL THE CAR WOULD START AGAIN. PRETTY SCARY!!! THANK YOU,! AND PLEASE LOOK OUT FOR THE LITTLE GUY AND HOLD GM RESPONSIBLE. *JS
COULD NOT STOP, BRAKE FLUID LOST, RUSTED REAR BRAKE LINES. DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW DOES NOT GO DOWN AND THEN STARTS WORKING DAY AFTER. FRONT BRAKE LINES ALSO RUSTED AND AM AFRAID I WILL HAVE ACCIDENT IF BRAKES FAIL AGAIN. ONLY REAR BRAKES WERE REPLACED. IT LOOKED LIKE BRAKE LINE HAD BEEN RUBBING ON BODY ,MAKING A HOLE IN RUSTED BRAKE LINE. *TR
WHEN BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE, THE BRAKE SYSTEM LOST ALL PRESSURE. UPON INSPECTION, THE REAR BRAKE CROSSOVER LINE WAS FOUND TO BE LEAKING AS A RESULT OF CORROSION OVER IT'S ENTIRE LENGTH. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED AN ELECTRONIC TEST AND ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE EDCM AND A MODULATOR FOR THE ELECTRONIC BRAKING CONTROL MODULE FOR THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO STATED THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 00V114000: (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: FOUNDATION COMPONENTS), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,522.
BRAKES FAILED BECAUSE BRAKE LINE CORROSION. NO WARNING AT FIRST, THEN THE BRAKE WARNING CAME ON. ALMOST DID NOT STOP AND ALMOST HIT A CAR IN FRONT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY ALTHOUGH THE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, BUT THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE CURRENT MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WAS 87,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE CONSTANTLY ENGAGED TO SOME DEGREE; THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A GRINDING NOISE AND THE ROTORS WOULD GET HOT. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED LOOSE NUTS ON THE VACUUM BOOSTER AND EXHAUST FUMES WERE BEING EMITTED INTO THE CABIN. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND REFERENCED RECALL 99V238000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM) BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 43,000.
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2000 BUICK LESABRE LTD HOME FROM WORK AND HER BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN SHE TRIED TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. SHE WAS ABLE TO STOP, BUT THE BRAKES WERE BARELY THERE. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT, AND I CHECKED IT OUT WHEN SHE GOT HOME. I FOUND THAT THERE WAS ALMOST NO BRAKE FLUID LEFT IN THE RESERVOIR. I TOOK MY OTHER VEHICLE TO THE STORE AND BOUGHT SOME BRAKE FLUID AND REFILLED THE RESERVOIR AND CHECKED UNDER THE VEHICLE FOR LEAKS. I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD ROTTED OUT IN THE CENTER OF THE VEHICLE BETWEEN THE REAR WHEELS, DIRECTLY BEHIND THE COMPRESSOR MOTOR FOR THE LOAD LEVELING SHOCKS THAT ARE ON THIS VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL BUICK DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY, AND THEY CONFIRMED WHAT I HAD FOUND, THAT THE REAR BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED AND ROTTED OUT. I ASKED ABOUT A SAFETY RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE BUT THEY SAID THERE WAS NONE. I FOUND IT VERY ODD THAT THERE WAS NO SIGNS OF CORROSION ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE OR ON THE BRAKE LINES OTHER THAN DIRECTLY BEHIND THE COMPRESSOR MOTOR FOR THE SHOCKS. THEY REPLACED BOTH REAR BRAKE LINES AT A COST TO ME OF $568.31. *TR
ON DECEMBER 12, 2009, I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN. AT THAT TIME, MY CAR MADE A LOUD NOISE (MY HUSBAND THOUGHT I RAN OVER A TRASH CAN) THE BRAKES IMMEDIATELY CAME ON AND THE CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT. I MOVED FORWARD AGAIN AND IMMEDIATELY THE BRAKES CAME ON AGAIN AND PULLED THE RIGHT. THE STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVATED CAME ON. I HAD TO DRIVE VERY SLOW TO GET MY CAR HOME AND THIS HAPPENED THE WHOLE WAY. I WAS VERY CLOSE TO MY HOME. A COMPUTER HAS BEEN PUT ON THE CAR AND THE CODES DON'T MAKE SENSE TO THE MECHANIC. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO THE GARAGE, HAS BEEN THERE SINCE 12/17/09 AND THEY CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT ON THE HIGHWAY WE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. WHAT AUTO CO. WOULD PUT A SYSTEM ON YOUR VEHICLE THAT WOULD THROW YOUR BRAKES ON FOR NO REASON. *TR
I WAS DRIVING AND CAME TO A RED LIGHT. UPON PRESSING MY BRAKES, IT MADE A LOUD CRUNCHING/GRINDING NOISE AND THE CAR STARTED SKIDDING AS IF I WAS DRIVING ON ICE, BUT THERE WAS NO ICE ON THE GROUND. MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON. I ASSUMED IT WAS THE BRAKES THAT NEEDED CHANGING. TOOK THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC AND PUT NEW BRAKES ON THE CAR. ABS LIGHT STILL COMES ON AND IT IS NOT STOPPING CORRECTLY. I HAVE TRIED RESETTING THE BATTERY, AS SUGGESTED ON THE BUICK WEBSITE. THAT DIDN'T HELP THE SITUATION. LIGHT STILL IS ON, AND CAR IS NOT STOPPING CORRECTLY. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK LESABRE. THE MECHANISMS THAT ALLOW THE WINDOWS TO GO UP AND DOWN WERE REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE FIRST TWO MECHANISMS WERE REPLACED ON JULY 5, 2007 AND THE THIRD ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2007. THE MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED THE REPLACEMENTS GUARANTEED THE WORK FOR ONE YEAR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 23,176. THE CONSUMER STATED BUICK ONLY PROVIDED FREE OIL CHANGES FOR 1 YEAR AND NEVER REMEDIED THE WINDOW DEFECT. THE DEALER STATED PERFORMED FRONT BRAKE REPAIRS ON VEHICLE. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
BRAKE FAILURE..AVOIDED CRASH BY QUICK MANEUVER..ENDED UP IN FIELD. BRAKE LINE RUSTED OUT OLD PART IS AVAILABLE BRAKE LINES SHOULD BE RUST PROOF. *JB
WHILE DRIVING DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED MORE THAN ANY OTHER LIGHT. ALSO, THE DRIVER'S SIDE BACK OF SEAT LAID AUTOMATICALLY ON ITS OWN. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. UPON HAVING A FULL TANK OF GAS, THE METER WOULD READ EMPTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *AK THERE WAS A NOISE IN THE DASH, THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD JUMP TO EMPTY, THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD GO TO ZERO, THE HEADLIGHT WOULD GO DIM WHEN THE WEATHER WAS RAINY, THERE WAS A RUMBLE IN THE LEFT FRONT END, A SHIMMY WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND WHEN RAINING, THE DASH LIGHT WOULD GO FROM BRIGHT TO DIM THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENT, THE RADIO WOULD CUT OUT, THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS INOPERATIVE, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP INTO OVERDRIVE ON SLIGHT ACCELERATION, THE AUTOMATIC DOORS WERE INOPERATIVE, THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERATIVE, THERE WERE INTERMITTENT LOSS OF HEAT WOULD START BLOWING COLD AIR, THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHILE THE FUEL GAUGE MILEAGE WOULD NOT STAY ON, THE ELECTRICAL REMOTE WAS INOPERATIVE, AND THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE ENGINE. *SC
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR AND THE VEHICLE JERKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE REAR CALIPERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO WORN OUT PARTS. *AK *JB
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND HIT A TREE AND MAILBOX. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD AND BACK INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE TO A HOSPITAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. *AK
ELECTRONIC SPEED SENSOR FAILED, CAUSING THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL TO FAIL.*AK
WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *JB DEALER FOUND BRAKE PEDAL ROD RETAINER CAME LOOSE AND WAS REPLACED. *TT
THE FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT SHORTED OUT ON BOTH OF THE CONSUMER 2000 BUICK LESABRE'S WHICH RESULTED IN INACCURATE FUEL READING. THE ROTORS AND GASKETS ALSO FAILED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SENDING UNITS ON BOTH VEHICLES. *MR *SCC *NLM
WHEN THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKE THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. *NLM
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.
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