IllustrationVEHICLE'S UPPER MANIFOLD CRACKED CAUSING COOLANT TO RUN COMPLETELY OUT OF VEHICLE. DEALER ADVISED THAT PART IS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. PH
1993 Buick Lesabre
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Lesabre years
Owner complaints for the 1993 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: 14 of 194 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 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports21 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
194 reportsCONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
BRAKES LOCKED UP WHILE APPLYING AND THE CONSUMER WASN'T ABLE TO DRIVE. DEALER CONTACTED, AND WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. TS..*AK
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ENGINE FIRE POSSIBLY RECALL RELATED. DEALER ADVISED THAT VEHICLE WAS NEVER REPAIRED. CONSUMER IS AWARE OF RECALL CAMPAIGN 96V015000. *TT CONSUMER WAS NOTIFIED BY GENERAL MOTORS PRODUCT ALLEGATION DEPT. REQUESTING INFORMATION WHETHER OR NOT CONSUMER WAS GOING TO HIRE A LAWYER SO THE CASE COULD BE CLOSED.…
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VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ENGINE FIRE POSSIBLY RECALL RELATED. DEALER ADVISED THAT VEHICLE WAS NEVER REPAIRED. CONSUMER IS AWARE OF RECALL CAMPAIGN 96V015000. *TT CONSUMER WAS NOTIFIED BY GENERAL MOTORS PRODUCT ALLEGATION DEPT. REQUESTING INFORMATION WHETHER OR NOT CONSUMER WAS GOING TO HIRE A LAWYER SO THE CASE COULD BE CLOSED. *TT
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL NOT CHANGE GEARS, AND HESITATE TO ACCELERATE.*AKI
IN JULY OF 1997 AN OBJECT IN THE ROAD PUNCTURED THE FUEL TANK OF VEHICLE WHICH NECESSITATED REPLACEMENT OF TANK. REPLACEMENT FUEL TANK DEVELOPED A FUEL LEAK TWO YEARS LATER, AND A THIRD FUEL TANK WAS INSTALLED. THIRD FUEL TANK ALSO DEVELOPED A FUEL LEAK AFTER ANOTHER TWO YEARS. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT REPLACEMENT FUEL TANKS …
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IN JULY OF 1997 AN OBJECT IN THE ROAD PUNCTURED THE FUEL TANK OF VEHICLE WHICH NECESSITATED REPLACEMENT OF TANK. REPLACEMENT FUEL TANK DEVELOPED A FUEL LEAK TWO YEARS LATER, AND A THIRD FUEL TANK WAS INSTALLED. THIRD FUEL TANK ALSO DEVELOPED A FUEL LEAK AFTER ANOTHER TWO YEARS. CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT REPLACEMENT FUEL TANKS DEVELOP LEAKS WHICH COULD POSE A FIRE HAZARD. *AK *YH
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTSDOWN WITHOUT WARNING.DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM. *AK *YH
ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM SIEZED AFTER PANIC-STOP, UNABLE TO MOVE VEHICLE TO AVOID COLLISION - WOULD NOT RELEASE FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES. *AK
VEHICLE WAS GOING 70MPH AND TREAD ON LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS COMING APART. TREAD DAMAGED FRONT DOOR PANEL/ FENDER AND KNOCKED MOLDING OFF. CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY INSURANCE COMPANY. TIRE SIZE P205/70R15.*AK FIRESTONE AFFINITY TIRES. *YH
WHILE TURNING A CORNER, THE REAR ENGINE CRADLE DROPPED TO THE PAVEMENT, CAUSING A LOSS OF FLUID AND STEERING. A COLLISION WITH A VEHICLE IN THE OPPOSITE LANE WAS NARROWLY MISSED. THIS SITUATION SROSE WITH VIRTUALLY NO WARNING OTHER THAN A SLIGHT DIFFICULTY IN STEERING SHORTLY BEFORE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FAILURE OF THIS COM…
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WHILE TURNING A CORNER, THE REAR ENGINE CRADLE DROPPED TO THE PAVEMENT, CAUSING A LOSS OF FLUID AND STEERING. A COLLISION WITH A VEHICLE IN THE OPPOSITE LANE WAS NARROWLY MISSED. THIS SITUATION SROSE WITH VIRTUALLY NO WARNING OTHER THAN A SLIGHT DIFFICULTY IN STEERING SHORTLY BEFORE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT WAS IMMEDIATE AND CATASTROPHIC, AND I FIND IT UNCONSCIONABLE THAT GENERAL MOTORS HAS NOT ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT A RECALL WAS MADE TO OTHER BUICK MODELS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WITH THE AGEING OUT OF OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES MORE ACCIDENTS OF THIS KIND ARE BOUND TO HAPPEN. THE NHTSA SHOULD FULLY INVESTIGATE THIS SITUATION BEFORE THERE IS A LOSS OF LIFE. I HAVE THE FULL INFORMATION REGARDING THE REPAIRS REQUIRED TO THE VEHICLE IF YOU WISH IT.*AK
Official recalls
196V015000 · 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.
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
2EA93018 · Fuel Leaks
Opened Jul 13, 1993 · Closed Jun 24, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
PE93013 · Fuel Leaks
Opened Mar 5, 1993 · Closed Jul 13, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available