RoadVitals

2004 Buick Lesabre Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints 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.
14
Latest Mar 28, 2016
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
9%
of 162 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
10

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Buick Lesabre submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 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.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Airbags
Filed Mar 28, 2016
1 injury reported

TAKATA RECALL. CAR'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHEN CAR WAS STARTED. CAR WAS IN PARK. IT WAS NOT EVEN GOING TO BE DRIVEN ONLY STARTED TO PUT DOWN THE WINDOWS. AS SOON AS THE KEY WAS TURNED BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING THE DASH TO POP OUT OF PLACE AND CRACK THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ID
10851990
Incident
Mar 24, 2016
AirbagsVisibility
Filed May 26, 2015

TOP OF DASH (PAD) IS RAISING UP OFF TOP OF DASH?

NHTSA ID
10721475
Incident
Apr 1, 2015
Mileage
98,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 6, 2015
Crash reported2 injuries reported

I WAS GOING EAST ON A ONELANE STREET,WHEN THE OTHER CAR MADE A LEFT HAND TURN IN FRONT OF ME CAUSING THE ACCIDENT,MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING MY SEATBELT TO TIGHTEN AROUND MY LOWER BACK AND CREATING PAIN AND SPRAIN.IF AIRBAG DID DEPLOY I WOULD HAVE SUFFER ALOT LESS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10714872
Incident
Apr 9, 2015
Mileage
104,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structureOther / unspecified
Filed Jul 21, 2014

THE DASHBOARD ON THE VEHICLE HAS COME LOOSE FROM THE GRILL UNDER THE WINDOW AND IS RISING UP. IT HAS RELEASED ALMOST ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT THE WINDSHIELD. ALSO IT HAS EXPOSED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. *TR

NHTSA ID
10615079
Incident
Jul 1, 2010
Mileage
55,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Jun 29, 2013

TOP OF DASH BOARD (MAT,PAD) IS BOWING UP INTO THE FIELD OF DRIVING VISION AND IS SEPARATING FROM THE FRONT PART OF THE DASHBOARD. THE SEPARATION IS CREEPING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND THERE IS CONCERN THAT BOTH AIR BAGS MAY DEPLOY. GM REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE THIS ISSUE AS A DEFECTIVE DASH PROBLEM AND WILL DO NOTHING TO HELP REPAIR/REPLACE THE PART. TO GET A GOOD FEEL FOR THE PREVALENCE OF THIS ISSUE, GO TO CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-C5295_DS45613 AND READ ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND FRUSTRATIONS OF DEALING WITH GM. I HAVE EVEN SEEN OTHER BUICKS DRIVING WITH THIS PROBLEM. WHY WON'T THEY ADMIT TO THE PROBLEM AND GET THEM FIXED?? *TR

NHTSA ID
10522424
Incident
Jun 1, 2012
Mileage
60,000 mi
AirbagsVisibility
Filed Dec 24, 2012

DASHBOARD COVER STARTED LIFTING AND PULLING OUT FROM UNDER WINDSHIELD COWLING ABOUT JUNE 2012 AND IS TRAVELING ACROSS TO THE PASSENGER SIDE WHERE THERE IS AN AIRBAG. I AM NOW CONCERNED THAT THE LIFTING AND CREASING IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER IS A SAFETY DISTRACTION AND THAT IF IT CONTINUES TO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG THAT AIRBAG MAY GET SET OFF UNEXPECTEDLY, ANOTHER SAFETY HAZARD. IT IS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS ON THE INTERNET. IS THERE, OR WILL THERE BE, A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM? THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID
10490023
Incident
Jun 1, 2012
Mileage
100,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jan 30, 2012
Crash reported2 injuries reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MILES PER HOUR DURING SLIPPERY WEATHER CONDITIONS THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, CRASHED INTO A DITCH AND A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE INJURED AND TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA ID
10445834
Incident
Dec 22, 2011
Mileage
75,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 19, 2011
Crash reported

MY BROTHER WAS DRIVING MY 2004 BUICK LESABRE CUSTOM AND CRASHED INTO IRON GATE AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10396842
Incident
Mar 8, 2011
Airbags
Filed Sep 7, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE DRIVER PRESSED ON THE CENTER OF THE STEERING COLUMN TO ACTIVATE THE HORN. THE HORN SOUNDED AND THE AIR BAG SERVICE LIGHT BEGAN ILLUMINATING ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF FOR A FEW MOMENTS. UPON RESTART THE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 115,000.

NHTSA ID
10354185
Incident
Sep 3, 2010
Mileage
115,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 13, 2010
Crash reported2 injuries reported

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) ACCIDENT 05/02/10 ON ILLINOIS ROUTE 83 AND WASHING TO STREET IN GRAYSLAKE IL. THE INCIDENT INVOLVED A 2004 BUICK LESABRE AND A 1987 DODGE PICKUP. THE IMPACT OF THE ACCIDENT WAS ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE BUICK AND TOTALED THE VEHICLE. THE VIN OF THE VEHICLE WAS [XXX] . THE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN THE PASSENGER OF THE BUICK AND THE DRIVER OF THE PICKUP BEING TRANSPORTED TO THE LAKE FOREST HOSPITAL ON ILLINOIS RT 120 IN GRAYSLAKE FOR CHECKUP. OUR CONCERN IS THAT WITH FORCE OF THE IMPACT THE AIRBAGS IN THE VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY AND IN OUR ESTIMATION THEY SHOULD HAVE. THE FEMALE PASSENGER OF THE BUICK CONTINUES TO COMPLAIN OF PAIN NEARLY 10 DAYS AFTER THE COLLISION. WE ARE NOT AWARE OF A DEFECT OTHER THAN THE BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE FORCE OF THE COLLISION WAS SUBSTANTIAL. THE MAIN IMPACT OF THE COLLISION APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER WHEEL. OUR DAUGHTER HAD A SIMILAR COLLISION WITH A FORD TAURUS WAGON IN THE 1990'S WHEREIN SHE WAS BROADSIDED ON THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR DEPLOYED THE AIRBAGS. ALTHOUGH INJURIES ARE MINIMAL IF THE CENTER OF THE IMPACT WAS ON THE PASSENGER DOOR, THE INJURIES WOULD HAVE BEEN HORRIFIC. OUR CONCERN IS THAT THERE MAY BE A DEFECT IN THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10330311
Incident
May 2, 2010
Mileage
82,000 mi
AirbagsElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Aug 23, 2005

DT: THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER LIGHTS BEGAN TO SCATTER AND ILLUMINATED WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED, THE BATTERY AND AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO STAY ON WHILE DRIVING FOR ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF. WHEN CONSUMER GOT HOME SHU OFF AENGINE AND THEN TRIED TO RESTART TO SEE IF THIS WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. THERE WAS NO POWER IN THE CAR. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. CALLED BUICK ROADSIDE ASSSITANCE BECAUSE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. A TOW TRUCK WAS SENT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO BUICK DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL AT DEALER. BUT CONSUMER WISHEED TO FILE A COMPLAINT AT THIS TIME.*AK

NHTSA ID
10133884
Incident
Aug 21, 2005
Mileage
8,500 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 14, 2004
1 injury reported

FAX INQUIRING WHAT ACTIONS TAKE PLACE ONCE A DEFECT PROBLEM IS POSTED AND REFERENCED WITH NHTSA, DEFECTIVE AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN HIS 2004 BUICK LESABRE INJURING HIS WIFE. *MR THE CONSUMER'S WIFE SUSTAINED SEVER ABRASIONS ON BOTH ARMS AND A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN THAT STILL PERSIST TODAY WHEN RIDING IN THE VEHICLE. *NM *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10092205
Incident
Jul 6, 2004
AirbagsBody & structureVisibility
Filed Jul 19, 2004
1 injury reported

THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, DASHBOARD COLLAPSED AND WINDSHIELD SHATTERED IN TWO PLACES AFTER TAPPING ANOTHER VEHICLE.*MR THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLE'S WAS MINIMAL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED ABRASION ON HER ARM FROM THE AIR BAG/AIR BAG GASES. *NM

NHTSA ID
10083380
Incident
Jul 6, 2004
Mileage
8,077 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 12, 2004
1 injury reported

WHILE DRIVING, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHEN TAPPING THE BUMPER IN FRONT AT 5 MPH. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO SUSTAIN MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE. *AK THE DASHBOARD COLLAPSED AND THE WINDSHIELD SHATTERED IN TWO PLACES AND CAUSED ABRASIONS ON BOTH OF THE CONSUMER'S WIFE'S ARMS DUE TO THE DEPLOYMENT. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10081723
Incident
Jul 6, 2004
Mileage
8,077 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .