2002 Buick Lesabre Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE SMOKE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND A BURNING ODOR WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THE ENGINE VALVE COVER WAS FAULTY AND OIL HAD LEAKED ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE LOCAL DEALER WALLINGFORD BUICK LOCATED AT 1122 OLD NORTH COLONY RD, WALLINGFORD, CT 06492 AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ID

11388356

Incident

Jan 1, 2016

Mileage

200,000 mi

WAS DRIVING AND AS I PULLED TO REDLIGHT VEHICLE SMELLED OF GAS BUT BURST INTO FLAMES FROM THE MOTOR

NHTSA ID

11156500

Incident

Oct 13, 2018

DROVE CAR 0.2 MILES PARKED CAR WENT INTO WALMART CAR WAS SEEN SMOKING IN PARKING LOT ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE FIRE DEPT CAME TALKED TO AUTO SHOP THEY SAID IT HAS HAPPENED TO THIS YEAR OF VEHICLE MANY TIMES DUE TO A MANUFACTURER ISSUE

NHTSA ID

11101186

Incident

May 10, 2018

Mileage

900,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE LEAKED OIL AND COULD CAUSE AN ENGINE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000. UPDATED 01/23/2017*CT *CN

NHTSA ID

10933628

Incident

Oct 15, 2016

Mileage

108,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10823619

Incident

Dec 28, 2016

Mileage

178,000 mi

2002 BUICK LESABRE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SEVERE OIL LEAK ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE ROCKER ARM COVER GASKET HAD A LEAK. GM ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IT WAS FOR A DIFFERENT MODEL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10838291

Incident

Jan 1, 2016

THE 2002 BUICK LESABRE HAS THE SAME ENGINE AS THE 2000 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX, WHICH IS COVERED IN THE RECENT RECALL 15V701. THIS RECALL COVERS OIL LEAKING FROM THE MANIFOLD ONTO THE REST OF THE ENGINE, LEADING TO A RISK OF FIRE. THE 2002 BUICK LESABRE IS, HOWEVER, NOT OFFICIALLY COVERED IN RECALL 15V701, EVEN THOUGH MINE DEFINITELY SHOWS ALL THE SYMPTOMS OF THE RECALL. I HAVE ALREADY TAKEN IT TO THE SHOP ONCE TO TRY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE 2002 BUICK LESABRE COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. IF NOT, PLEASE OUTLINE WHY. ALSO, WHAT IS THE EXACT FIX FOR THE OTHER CARS THAT ARE COVERED (BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION WHEN I TAKE THE CAR TO THE SHOP AGAIN TO TRY TO CORRECT THE ISSUE; I AGAIN HAVE OIL LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE)?

NHTSA ID

10807365

Incident

Feb 13, 2015

Mileage

43,000 mi

2002 BUICK LESABRE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE NON-ACCIDENT RELATED ENGINE FIRES AND IS CONCERNED. CONSUMER HAS PREVIOUS COMPLAINT WITH DIFFERENT VEHICLE IN ARTEMIS. *SMD

NHTSA ID

10806980

Incident

Nov 2, 2015

VALVE COVERS ARE LEAKING OIL RIGHT ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WHICH CAUSED A SMALL FIRE THIS ENGINE WAS RECALLED IN OTHER CARS FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT NOT BUICK LESABRE

NHTSA ID

10787515

Incident

Jan 1, 2015

Mileage

100,000 mi

BEGINNING ABOUT AUGUST OF 2015 UNTIL NOW, OCT 2015, THE ENGINE OF MY BUICK LE SABRE HAS BEGUN TO STOP RUNNING WHILE DRIVING. WHEN THAT OCCURS I LOSE MY POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. TONIGHT (OCT 7, 2015) IT HAPPENED FOUR TIMES ON THE WAY HOME. I MADE IT HOME SAFELY FORTUNATELY BUT I WILL NOT DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN UNTIL IT IS FIXED. LAST WEEK I HAD BOTH A MOBILE MECHANIC AND AN AUTO SHOP (PURCELL) LOOK AT IT AND THEY CAN NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THEY CALL IT AN INTERMITTENT DEFECT. WHAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE THE DESCRIPTION OF THE EXPERIENCE OF THE AUTOMOBILES THAT GM HAS RECALLED, ALTHOUGH MY YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL ARE NOT ON THE LIST THAT I FOUND ON THE INTERNET. MY EXPERIENCE IS SO SIMILAR THAT I WANT MY IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED BY GM BEFORE I WILL DRIVE THE CAR AGAIN. PLEASE ADVISE. THANKS.

NHTSA ID

10780703

Incident

Oct 7, 2015

Mileage

230,711 mi

THE ENGINE KEEPS STALLING AND SHUTTING OFF IN TRAFFIC AFTER LURCHING FORWARD. DEFECTIVE ENGINE BURNED PART OF ENGINE HOOD, AND SEVERED ABS BRAKE LINES BURNED OFF BY HEAT, GM MANUFACTURER DEFECTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10694387

Incident

Mar 15, 2015

Mileage

7,200 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES WITHOUT WARNING. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE VALVE DID NOT CLOSE AND IGNITED THE FUEL GOING INTO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

NHTSA ID

10689617

Incident

Feb 16, 2015

Mileage

136,000 mi

MY CAR WILL START THEN STALLS IMMEDIATELY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10678671

Incident

Jan 20, 2015

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DECELERATE, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATED 1/21/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS A TEMPERATURE RELATED PROBLEM. UPDATED 01/26/15*JB

NHTSA ID

10662351

Incident

Dec 1, 2011

Mileage

80,000 mi

MY SON WAS DRIVING THE 2002 BUICK LESABRE FROM HIS APARTMENT (LESS THAN A MILE) AND ARRIVED AT SCHOOL (XAVIER UNIVERSITY-CINCINNATI, OH). HE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD AND THEN SMOKE STARTED COMING IN THE CABIN. HE WAS ABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND JUMP OUT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO BE CALLED TO DOUSE THE FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10661272

Incident

Nov 25, 2014

Mileage

36,000 mi

THE APPROXIMATE INCIDENT DATE .WOULD NOT LET ME PUT DATE IN .DATE WAS JULY23'2014.MY CAR HAS BEEN STALLING OUT ON ME WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IT STALLED PUT IN NEUTRAL STARTED RIGHT UP DROVE ALITTLE WAYS SAMETHING HAPPEND.CHECKENGINELIGHT CAME ON GOT STUCK ON HIGHWAY FOR 3 HOURS WAITING FOR TOWTRUCK BAD EXPERIENCE. IT IS AT SULLIVAN TIRE CHECK DIAGNOSTICS AND SAID EVERYTHING IS ALL RIGHT I TOLD HIM TO TAKE IT FOR A SPIN HE DID AND STALLED OUT ON HIM.SULLIVANTIRE IS BOGGLED.I WAS ON LINE AND WAS CHECKING WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE AND THERE IS ABOUT 10 PEOPLE THAT OWN THE SAME CAR HAS SAME PROBLEM WE TRIED GETTING IT FIXED ITS STARTING TO COST SOME MONEY TRYING TO FIX IT. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR JAN.2013. AND STILL OWE MONEY ON IT FOR 1 MORE YEAR PLEASE HELP US THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID

10619106

Incident

Jul 23, 2014

Mileage

980,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INITIAL START-UP, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND APPEARED TO MISFIRE. THE CONTACT THEN SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD POP FOLLOWED BY A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DECLINED TO PROVIDE A REMEDY TO THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,213. UPDATED 05/28/14 MA UPDATED 6/26/14*CN UPDATED 7/29/17*CN

NHTSA ID

10576285

Incident

Mar 30, 2014

Mileage

52,213 mi

2002 BUICK LESABRE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *SMD THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE HAD DEFECTIVE DRUMS, THAT MELTED AND SEVERED THE FRONT BRAKE WIRING, EXACTLY AT THE POINT WHEN THE BRAKE SYSTEM WIRES TRAVELED FROM THE ENGINE AND ENTERED THE BRAKE DRUMS. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE HAD POOR GAS MILEAGE, THE THREE OUT OF THE FOUR WINDOWS COLLAPSED IN THE DOWN POSITION, AND WOULD NOT COME BACK UP. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE ENGINE AND THE HOOD WERE DEFECTIVE, AS THE PAINT ON THE HOOD MELTED.

NHTSA ID

10514214

Incident

Jun 1, 2013

NOTICED LOTS OF WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT TAIL PIPE WHILE DRIVING. VERY UNUSUAL. CAR THEN STOPPED ON FREEWAY. HAD TO GET PUSHED BY ANOTHER CAR TO SIDE IF FREEWAY. TOWED CAR HOME TO DRIVEWAY. TRIED TO CRANK ENGINE AND HEARD REAL LOUD POP COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. CAR DID NOT TURN ON. TRIED TO START 5 MORE TIMES BUT EACH TIME IT JUST SOUNDED LIKE A REAL SHORT CRANK TYPE SOUND LIKE AS IF ENGINE IS HAVING A HARD TIME TURNING. AFTER FIFTH TIME, ENGINE STARTED AND THIS TIME THE SMOKE COMING OUT TAIL PIPE WAS WHITE/BLUISH AND LOTS OF IT. ENGINE STOPPED. ALSO NOTICED THAT ALL THE COOLANT WAS GONE FROM COOLANT CONTAINER AND THERE IS A HIGH BURNING SMELL OF COOLANT COMING FROM ENGINE. THIS MIGHT BE A CRACKED UPPER INTAKE OR LOWER INTAKE. THESE ARE MADE OF REAL CHEAP HARD PLASTIC WHICH COULD BE THE PRIMARY REASON OF ENGINE FAILURE. CAR IS NOW PARKED IN MY BACKYARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10442756

Incident

Jan 3, 2012

Mileage

169,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT ANTI FREEZE WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC ADVISED HIM THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED AND WAS CAUSING THE ANTI-FREEZE TO LEAK. THE MECHANIC WAS REPLACING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE GASKET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,750 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,200. UPDATED 02/02/11 *CN

NHTSA ID

10369328

Incident

Nov 22, 2010

Mileage

59,750 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, A FIRE OCCURRED IN THE ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,278 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 148,000.

NHTSA ID

10332122

Incident

Feb 1, 2006

Mileage

80,278 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK LESABRE. SHE NOTICED THAT BOTH REAR WINDOWS HAD FALLEN INSIDE OF THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE WINDOW. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 42000. UPDATED 1/28/10 *CN THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS LEAKING. THE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AS THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. UPDATED 02/03/10.*JB

NHTSA ID

10297497

Incident

Jul 18, 2008

Mileage

42,000 mi

ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING. NO WARNING. ENGINE WILL RESTART, BUT WILL ONLY RUN FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN STALLS AND WILL NOT RESTART. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS OR OTHER INDICATIONS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. HAPPENS AT HIGH AND LOW SPEEDS. CAR WILL RESTART AND OPERATE NORMALLY AFTER SITTING FOR A FEW HOURS, USUALLY OVERNIGHT. CAR HAS BEEN TOWED 7 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALER HAS REPLACED TWO IGNITION MODULES, AND ONE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR A TOTAL OF TWELVE WEEKS SINCE INITIAL OCCURRENCE, WHILE THE DEALER TRIES TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. DEALER MOST OF THE TIME CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE, THE CAR DISPLAYED THE FOLLOWING CODES: B1009 AND B2734. MILEAGE BETWEEN INCIDENTS RANGES FROM AS HIGH AS 15,000 MILES TO 1,500 MILES. CAR IS UNDEPENDABLE, AND MUCH MORE IMPORTANT, UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10211031

Incident

Jul 14, 2006

Mileage

38,000 mi

2002 BUICK LESABRE 3.8 L ENGINE WOULD BE HARD TO START AFTER IT WAS DRIVEN AND RESTARTED AFTER 15 MINUTES (OR MORE) OF BEING OFF. THE CAR SOMETIMES HAS TO WAIT FOR .5 HOURS BEFORE IT WILL START. THIS HAPPENED A YEAR AGO ALSO. I HAVE CHECKED THE MAF SENSOR. THE CAR HAS ALSO STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. IF I WAIT FOR 3 MINUTES TO RESTART AFTER STALLING IT WILL RESTART AND USUALLY GO LONG DISTANCES 100 MILES WITHOUT FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10206426

Incident

Oct 7, 2007

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON CHECKING THE OIL ON THE 2002 BUICK LESABRE WITH 46000 FAILURE MILEAGE HE DISCOVERED THAT THE MANIFOLD GASKETS WERE LEAKING. THIS HAD BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. ALSO, HAD A 1996 OLDSMOBILE DELTA 88 T WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10182769

Incident

Feb 15, 2007

Mileage

46,000 mi