Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Buick Lesabre submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 22 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED - WARMING UP AT IDLE - IN 4 DEGREE F OUTSIDE AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE - HAVING BEEN IN HIGH WIND CONTAINING SANDY DIRT PARTICLES OVERNIGHT - VEHICLE UNOCCUPIED - STATIONARY IN RESIDENCE DRIVEWAY. *TR
I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE'S OIL LEAKING THEN BURNING/SMOKING OFF MY CAR. THIS ISSUE IS ON MY ENGINE'S MANIFOLD & HASN'T BEEN RECALLED EVEN THOUGH THE SAME ENGINE IS RECALLED ON OTHER GM MODELS. THE ENGINE ON MY LESABRE IS THE SAME 3.8 LITER V6 3800 ENGINE THAT WAS RECALLED TWICE BY GM IN THE PAST 6 YEARS. MY ENGINE HAD MINIMAL FIRE IN THE INCIDENTS I EXPERIENCED BUT QUITE A BIT OF SMOKE FROM THE AREA THE OIL LEAKS. ONCE I KILL THE ENGINE THE SMOKE STOPS. GM WANTS TO CHARGE FOR A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK & WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE THE ISSUE ON THE VERY SAME ENGINE, VIEWING IT AS JUST A VEHICLE NOT RECALLED EVEN IF IT HAS THE SAME FAULTY PART. IT CAUSED MY CAR'S CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO FAIL AS IT BURNED THROUGH. A FIX IS COSTLY, SO I WENT TO MY OWN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO SAVE MYSELF MONEY SINCE GM DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE CARE OF ISSUES THAT THEY RECALLED. BELOW ARE THE 2 RECALLS THAT SHOULD APPLY TO MY CAR & ALSO THE PONTIAC BONNEVILLE AS WELL SINCE THEY ARE BOTH BUILT ON THE SAME CHASSIS, PREMISE, & ENGINE AS THE OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE. BOTH LESABRES & BONNEVILLES HAVE THE 3.8 V6 NATURALLY ASPIRATED 3800 ENGINE THAT RUNS IN THE RECALLED INTRIGUE. ENGINE OIL DRIPPING ON MANIFOLD MAY CAUSE FIRE NTHSA RECALL NUMBER: 15V701000 REPORT RECEIVED DATE: 10/26/2015 GENERAL MOTORS LLC (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1998-1999 CHEVROLET LUMINA AND OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, 1997-2004 BUICK REGAL AND PONTIAC GRAND PRIX, 2000-2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA, AND 1998-2004 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO VEHICLES. ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE NTHSA RECALL NUMBER: 09V116000 DATE OWNER NOTIFIED BY MANUFACTURER: 04/09/2009 REPORT RECEIVED DATE: 04/08/2009 GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 1,497,516 MY 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL, MY 1998-2003 CHEVROLET LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND IMPALA, MY 1998-1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, MY 1997-2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.8L V6 NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE CHECKING THE WINDOW MOTOR, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE WIRING INSIDE THE DOOR WAS POORLY ASSEMBLED. EVERY TIME IT RAINED, THE WINDOW REGULATORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000. UPDATED 7/21/15*CN UPDATED 9/23/15 *JS
THIS I HAVE FOUND OUT ONLINE IS A COMMON PROBLEM, WHEN I PURCHASED MY CAR I HAD A FEW WINDOWS SUDDENLY DROP ON ME & I FIGURED OUT THE WINDOW MOTORS IN 2 WERE BROKEN, HOWEVER WHEN THEY DROPPED I ALSO FOUND OUT ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS IN MY DOOR WERE DAMAGED FROM THE WINDOW MOTOR FAILURE, SO NOW ON MY DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR I HAVE NO MIRROR ADJUSTMENT, NO UNLOCK/LOCK BUTTON FOR SAFETY IN DANGEROUS AREAS I DRIVE, SOME WINDOWS (HAD ALL 4 MOTORS REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME) WORK & SOME DON'T FROM CERTAIN AREAS, I EVEN FOUND AFTER I USED MY RIGHT REAR WINDOW MOTOR, THE TRUNK POPPED OPEN! SO TO FIX THE PROBLEM I PERSONALLY HAD TO DISCONNECT THE NEW WINDOW MOTOR AS WELL AS THE TRUNK. ALSO FOR COMFORT IN HEAT MY HEATED SEAT DOESN'T WORK FROM MY DRIVER DOOR. MY CAR RUNS PERFECT BUT THIS SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR OWNERS LONG AGO FOR 2000-2005 BUICK LESABRES. *TR
THIS IS REGARDING RECENT REPLACEMENT OF BOTH REAR WINDOW REGULATORS. RESEARCH HAS PROVEN THAT MANY COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED OVER THE YEARS WITH NO RECALL. I WOULD HOPE FOR FINANCIAL HELP, $1000 TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS, AS THE MINIMUM RESPONSE; AND ALSO, I HOPE FOR A RECALL TO HELP THE MANY OTHERS WHO HAVE SUFFERED GREAT FINANCIAL COSTS AND SAFETY. I HAVE BEEN DIRECTED BY MY FATHER, [XXX], ORIGINAL AND PRESENT OWNER OF THIS 2002 BUICK, TO HELP HIM BE A RESPONSIBLE CONSUMER/CUSTOMER. MY FATHER OF 88 YEARS STILL BELIEVES IN AMERICAN MADE CARS, ESPECIALLY IN GM. HE HAS BEEN WATCHING, LIKE MANY AMERICANS, FOR A "COME BACK" IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY, ESPECIALLY THE CORRECTION OF PROBLEMS THAT CLEARLY HAS A LARGE DOCUMENTATION OF COMPLAINTS AS THIS ONE. I HOPE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HONOR HIS FAITHFULNESS IN PERHAPS A SMALL FINANCIAL WAY, AND PERHAPS EVEN IN A GREATER WAY THROUGH A RECALL. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY A FEW DAYS BEFORE DECEMBER 3, 2011, AND I HEARD A LOUD "POP" SOUND FROM THE BACK SEAT OF MY CAR. ON THE 3RD, I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND STARTED HEARING THE SOUND OF AN OPEN WINDOW IN THE BACK SEAT. I TRIED TO CLOSE THE BACK-RIGHT WINDOW WITH THE POWER WINDOW CONTROL ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR, BUT IT DIDN'T MOVE THE WINDOW (I HEARD THE MOTOR RUNNING, THOUGH). I THEN PARKED THE CAR AND GOT OUT TO TRY TO PULL/PUSH THE WINDOW SHUT, BUT IT WOULD NOT STAY ALL THE WAY UP. IT HAD STARTED WITH JUST AN INCH OR SO BEING OPEN, BUT EVENTUALLY IT SLID DOWN SO IT WAS ONLY ABOUT HALFWAY UP. FROM WHAT I'VE READ ONLINE ( HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/BUICK/LESABRE/2002/WINDOWS_WINDSHIELD/WINDOW_REGULATOR_BROKE.SHTML ), THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF CAR, BUT BUICK IS SAYING THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE TO DECLARE A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE WINDOW REGULATOR. I DISAGREE. FROM WHAT I'VE READ, REPAIRING A SINGLE WINDOW WITH THIS PROBLEM CAN COST UP TO $300 PLUS LABOR, AND USUALLY WHEN ONE WINDOW GOES BAD, THE OTHERS ARE SOON TO FOLLOW. I DON'T REALLY FEEL LIKE PAYING $1200 FOR WINDOWS IN A CAR I ONLY PAID $5000 FOR USED... *TR
BOTH FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER WINDOWS FAILED TO GO UP AFTER PUT IN THE DOWN POSITION. HAD TO REPLACE BOTH WIDOW REGULATOR'S AT A COST OF 450.00. ONLY 60,732 MILES ON THE CAR. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL HAS SEPARATED INTO TWO PARTS. THE FAILURE ORIGINALLY BEGAN NEAR THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND CURRENTLY EXTENDS 20 INCHES TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD BE REPAIRED, BUT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF THE FAILED COMPONENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,400.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A BATTERY LEAK UNDER THE BACK SEAT WHERE THE BATTERY WAS LOCATED. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BATTERY ACIDS HAD EATEN THE PLATE WHERE THE BATTERY SAT. UPDATED 12/05/06. *JB
REAR DOOR WINDOW RIGHT CAME DOWN AND WILL NOT GO BACK UP. CABLE BROKE. REPLACED REGULATOR, REAR DOW WINDOW RIGHT BOWER R&R. PART 15231244 UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. IF I HAD NOT PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, THIS WOULD HAVE COME OUT OF MY POCKET. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THEY HAVE REPLACE PARTS FOR VARIOUS WINDOWS IN THIS CAR. ANOTHER WINDOW IS HAVING INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE, SO IT WILL PROBLABLY GO TOO. THIS IS HAPPENING TOO OFTEN AND AN INTERNET SEARCH SHOW MANY LESABRE OWNERS ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS MULTIPLE TIMES.
#1 DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WINDOW WILL NOT GO DOWN. REPLACED DRIVERS SIDE FRONT WINDOW REGULATOR. PART 15231241. #2 DRIVER'S REAR WINDOW WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY. WINDOW REGULATOR CABLE BROKEN, REPLACE REGULATOR. PART 15231245.
2002 BUICK LESABRE. 14,140 MILES. LEFT FRONT WINDOW STOPPED WORKING. MOTOR DOOR WINDOW LEFT FRONT REPLACED. PART 12481874. UNDER WARRANTY.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A WHINING NOISE WAS HEARD AFTER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS RELEASED AND REPRESSED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN ALERTED. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM GM DROVE THE VEHICLE ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME WAS MAY 2005 HOWEVER THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AGAIN JUNE 14, 2006. THE REPRESENTATIVE HEARD THE NOISE HOWEVER STATED IT WAS TOO FAINT. THEY WILL NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM OR MAKE ANY REPAIRS UNTIL THE NOISE GETS LOUDER. THE DEALERSHIP AND REPRESENTATIVE BOTH BELIEVE THE NOISE IS COMING FROM THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED A FAILURE COULD OCCUR AS A RESULT OF THE NOISE. 08/02/06 CONTACTED REQUESTED THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT BE REPLACED; AT TIMES TRAC-OFF LIGHT COMES ON; AND THE GAS CAP LOOSE LIGHT COMES ON. NO CODES FOUND. *TT
UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE ENGINE TURNS OVER APPROXIMATELY 3 TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE STARTS. THIS FAILURE HAS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ONTO A HIGHWAY. DEALERSHIP RAN AN DIAGNOSTIC TEST IN WHICH NO FAILURE CODE WAS FOUND, ALTHOUGH THE FAILURE OCCURRED 3 TIMES . *AK
THE BATTERY WENT LOW. WHEN TRYING TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE BATTERY WAS NOT UNDER THE HOOD. A MECHANIC CAME TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE. IT WAS DISCOVERED THE BATTERY WAS LOCATED UNDER THE REAR SEAT CUSHION. *JB
AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN HORN WAS USED. DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE FOUR TIMES, A FUSE WAS REPLACED AND THE WIRING OF THE POWER SEAT WAS WRAPPED AROUND THE HORN. *JB...*AK
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THE "HILLS" RESULTING IN CONSUMER BEING STRANDED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN STALLING INTERMITTENTLY FOR OVER A YEAR DUE TO BATTERY GROUND CABLE BEING LOOSELY ATTACHED TO VEHICLE'S FRAME. AS A RESULT, CABLE WOULD COME UNATTACHED, CAUSING CAR TO STALL. BATTERY WAS INSTALLED UNDER VEHICLE'S REAR SEAT. TS.....*AK THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. *SCC
CONSUMER STATES THEY WILL HAVE TO TRY NUMEROUS TIMES TO START THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH
THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO START AND CONSUMER HAS TO TRY NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WILL START. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS *JG
CONSUMER HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS. ALSO, EVERY TIME CONSUMER TURNS OFF VEHICLE AT NIGHT TIME ,HE COMES BACK NEXT MORNING , AND HAS NO BATTERY. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE CONTACTED, AND WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. TS......*AK
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE BATTERY DIED TWICE IN ONE WEEK, DEALER NOTIFIED SAID COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. PH
AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR, CONTROL BUTTONS ON STEERING WHEEL FOR CRUISE CONTROL AND RADIO ARE VERY HOT TO BE TOUCHED. DEALER STATED MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM, BUT OFFERS NO SOLUTION.*AK *YD
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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