IllustrationIT HAD BEEN RAINING IN A PARKING LOT OF A DEPARTMENT STORE, VEHICLE PROCEEDED OUT OF PARKING LOT. DRIVER'S FOOT SLIPPED OFF BRAKE PEDAL, AND RAN HEAD-ON TO A LIGHT POLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION. DUE TO FRONT DAMAGE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOTALED. *AK
1992 Buick Lesabre
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Lesabre years
Owner complaints for the 1992 Buick Lesabre are substantially higher than the model-year median of 24.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Lesabre years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 13 of 189 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
15 crash reports22 fire reports12 injury reports
What owners actually said
189 reportsFRONT BRAKES MAKE NOISE AND FELL APART LATER. YH
CONSUMER AWAITING NOTIFICATION FROM GM CONCERNING RECALL 91V167, EMERGENCY BRAKE STILL INOPERATIVE. NLM
THE 2 REAR POWER WINDOWS WOULD FAIL TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THEY WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN ONCE THE BUTTON IS PUSHED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THE POWER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO OPERATE REAR POWER WINDOWS. *AK
WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED IN HOT CLIMATE WEATHER VEHICLE STALLS AND CUTS OFF WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL POWER. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
UPON STARTING VEHICLE CONSUMER NOTICEDTHE ABS LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. ALSO, WITHOUT HAVING THIS UNIT THERE COULD BE A POSSIBLE SAFETY HAZARD. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATED THE ABS UNIT NEEDED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE DRIVER AIRBAG SEEMS THAT IT WILL DEPLOY DUE TO FACT THE STEERING WHEEL IS "VERY PUFFY" AND THE HORN IS INOPERATIVE, IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED UNEXPECTLY MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION .MJS
PIECE OUT OF CRANKSHAFT. DESTROYED CONNECTING ROD. OIL CHANGED EVERY 3K.
I HAVE CONTACT SEVERAL BUICK DEALERSHIPS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND BEEN TOLD EVERYTHING FROM "I FOLLOWED A CHEMICAL TRUCK TOO CLOSELY" TO A BAD PRIMER AND PAINT PROBLEM THAT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO MAKE RIGHT. I FINALLY CONTACT GENERAL MOTORS DIRECTLY AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND A CASE NUMBER …
Read full complaint
I HAVE CONTACT SEVERAL BUICK DEALERSHIPS ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND BEEN TOLD EVERYTHING FROM "I FOLLOWED A CHEMICAL TRUCK TOO CLOSELY" TO A BAD PRIMER AND PAINT PROBLEM THAT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO MAKE RIGHT. I FINALLY CONTACT GENERAL MOTORS DIRECTLY AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND A CASE NUMBER WAS ISSUED. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO GO TO THE DEALER NEAREST MY HOME AND HAVE THE SERVICE MGR. LOOK AT IT. HE DID AND SAID THAT I WOULD HEAR FROM BUICK. I DID, THEY SENT ME A LETTER INCLUDING A CERTIFICATE FOR $500 OFF THE PURCHASE OF A NEW BUICK. I CALLED THEM AND SAID THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND THEY JUST DON'T CARE. THEY ARE EXPERTS AT THE RUN-AROUND AND STALLING TACTICS. I HAD FINALLY GIVEN UP WHEN A FRIEND SENT ME A CONSUMER REPORTS ARTICLE THAT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED YOUR WEBSITE AND 1988-1992 BUICK PAINT PROBLEMS. I FOUND THAT A TSB #570502 EXISTS SPECIFICALLY FOR 92 LESABRE PAINT PROBLEMS AND NEED ANY HELP I CAN GET TO CONVINCE BUICK OR GM TO DO THE RIGHT THING. A PERSON WHO SPENDS $25,000 ON A VEHICLE IN 1992 SHOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE A COMPLETE NEW PAINT JOB IN 1999 OR BACK IN 1995 WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST APPEARED. NOW THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM OVER NEERLY THE ENTIRE CAR EXCEPT THE HOOD WHICH WAS REPAINTED DUE TO AN ACCIDENT. NOW THE ROOF IS STARTING TO RUST AND PAINT COMES OFF IN LARGE FLAKES AND WHEN IT RAINS OR GETS WET, IT STREAKS MILKY COLORED WATER FROM WHATEVER IS UNDER THE PAINT. I TOOK THE CAR TO 2 DIFFERENT AUTO BODY SHOPS AND BOTH STATE THIS IS AN ORIGINAL PAINT DEFECT. PLEASE HELP WITH ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN PROVIDE!! THANK YOU, CATHY HAYS
THE ABS BRAKING LIGHT STAYS ON, AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURRED WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *ML
Official recalls
296V015000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines
Jan 23, 1996
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1991 THROUGH JULY 1995. THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE CAN SEPARATE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN LOW TEMPERATURES IN COMBINATION WITH HIGH TRANSMISSION LOADS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLE FIRES CAN OCCUR DUE TO THE SPILLAGE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES.
91V167000 · Parking Brake:conventional:mechanical
Sep 23, 1991
WHEN APPLIED, THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY MAY RELEASE ONE OR MORE TEETH, REDUCING THE CABLE LOAD TO THE REAR BRAKES.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DEPENDING ON THE EXTENT OF THE LEVER RELEASE AND ROADLEVEL. THE PARKING BRAKE MAY NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE, ALLOWING IT TO ROLL, WHICHCOULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 105.
Remedy: REPLACE PARKING BRAKE LEVER ASSEMBLY.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
3EA93011 · Fuel Line Failure
Opened May 3, 1993 · Closed May 31, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
PE92039 · Brake Caliper Corrosion
Opened Apr 15, 1992 · Closed Aug 14, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
PE92010 · Fuel Line Connector Fails
Opened Jan 27, 1992 · Closed May 22, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available