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1998 Buick Lesabre

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Lesabre years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Buick Lesabre are substantially higher than the model-year median of 24.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

173 reports with mileage · 227 unknown

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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 196 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 70 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 50 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 reports42 fire reports7 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

196 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

PROBLEMS WITH FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR ON 1998 BUICK LESABRE.*MR THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS REPLACED IN ACCORDANCE WITH RECALL V1082. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERRMINED THAT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD FAILED AND COOLANT WAS FLOWIN…

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PROBLEMS WITH FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR ON 1998 BUICK LESABRE.*MR THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS REPLACED IN ACCORDANCE WITH RECALL V1082. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERRMINED THAT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD FAILED AND COOLANT WAS FLOWING INTO THE CYLINDERS. THE CONSUMER FEELS THE MANIFOLD SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10089554

51,594 miles · Aug 12, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WERE A MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN FLAW. WHEN THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE TUBING WAS TOO SMALL, CAUSING THE TUBING TO RUPTURE. *AK THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS WORN THROUGH. *SC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10081885

66,582 miles · Aug 12, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THEN, VEHICLE DECELERATED FOLLOWED BY HEAT AND VENTILATION FAILURES. THIS WAS DUE TO ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD MALFUNCTIONING. THE MANIFOLD WASN'T DESIGNED CORRECTLY BY THE FACTORY ENGINEER, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO MISFIRE. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWED COOLANT LEAKING. CYLINDER R…

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WHILE DRIVING SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THEN, VEHICLE DECELERATED FOLLOWED BY HEAT AND VENTILATION FAILURES. THIS WAS DUE TO ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD MALFUNCTIONING. THE MANIFOLD WASN'T DESIGNED CORRECTLY BY THE FACTORY ENGINEER, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO MISFIRE. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWED COOLANT LEAKING. CYLINDER REPLACED, AND LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD IMPROVED DESIGN, PER BULLETIN 010601007A. ALSO, COOLANT AND FLUID PLUGS WERE REPLACED.*AK *NM

NHTSA ODI #10081529

Mileage unknown · Aug 5, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE BEGAN RUNNING VERY HARD AND ROUGH. FINALLY, ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. CONSUMER STATES DUE RECALL 04V090000 VEHICLE ACTS IN THIS MANNER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10087283

Mileage unknown · Jul 30, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE POWER. *MR THE VEHICLE GRADUALLY LOST MORE POWER AND QUIT. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED IN ONE OF THE PASSAGES, WHICH REQUIRED A TOTAL REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE. *SC

NHTSA ODI #10083973

Mileage unknown · Jul 23, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

PROBLEMS WITH ANTIFREEZE LEAKING INTO THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE.*MR THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PURCHASE THE SMALL COPPER PIECE THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW THE PLASTIC TO BECOME OVERHEATED. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. (1998 BUICK). *NM

NHTSA ODI #10083731

55,000 miles · Jul 19, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

IT WOULD BE HARD TO START THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10083210

48,000 miles · Jul 6, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingFireInjury

MY 1998 BUICK LESABRE HAD A RUPTURED MANIFOLD IN JUNE 2003, CAUSING ENGINE TO CEASE AND SMOKE AND MINOR FIRE. THE SMOKE MADE MYSELF AND MY INFANT SON VERY ILL. THIS WAS REPORTED TO BUICK BUT THEY REFUSED TO REIMBURSE FOR REPAIR SINCE VEHICLE WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE FOLLOWING RECALL WAS NOT IN EFFECT: …

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MY 1998 BUICK LESABRE HAD A RUPTURED MANIFOLD IN JUNE 2003, CAUSING ENGINE TO CEASE AND SMOKE AND MINOR FIRE. THE SMOKE MADE MYSELF AND MY INFANT SON VERY ILL. THIS WAS REPORTED TO BUICK BUT THEY REFUSED TO REIMBURSE FOR REPAIR SINCE VEHICLE WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE FOLLOWING RECALL WAS NOT IN EFFECT: NHTSA RECALL NO. 03V473/GM RECALL NO. 03054 AND THAT MY VEHICLE HAD NO RECALL. A FEW MONTHS LATER THE ENGINE CEASED TO START AGAIN AND IT WAS DETERMINED AT THE BUICK DEALERSHIP THAT IT WAS A FAULTY FUEL PRESSUE REGULATOR WHICH WAS REPLACED. BUICK AGAIN REFUSED REIMBURSEMENT ALTHOUGH I BROUGHT THEIR ATTENTION TO THE CURRENT RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. I CALLED AGAIN TODAY AS THE RECALL FOR 98 BUICK LESABRES WITH V6 ENGINES WAS AGAIN POSTED BUT BUICK TOLD ME THAT THEIR SYSTEM HAS NO SUCH RECALL AND THEY REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR OVER $1000 OF REPAIRS FOR THE FAULTY FUEL PRESSUE REGULATOR AND MANIFOLD. NHTSA RECALL NO. 04V090/GM RECALL NO. 03054B.*AK *LA

NHTSA ODI #10068037

92,523 miles · Jun 23, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING ON MY WAY TO WORK THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER AND ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I CALLED MY AUTO CLUB FOR A TOW AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A CONNOCO STATION IN PARK RAPIDS. THEY IMMEDIATLY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, STATING THEY SEE A LOT OF…

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WHILE DRIVING ON MY WAY TO WORK THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER AND ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I CALLED MY AUTO CLUB FOR A TOW AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A CONNOCO STATION IN PARK RAPIDS. THEY IMMEDIATLY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, STATING THEY SEE A LOT OF THE 3800 ENGINES DO THIS. THE INTAKE PLENUM ROTTED AWAY ALLOWING COOLANT TO FILL A CYLINDER AND STALL THE ENGINE. GM HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLITIN FOR THE PROBLEM, BUT NO RECALL. THIS COULD BE A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN WITH LOSS OF POWER TO THE ENGINE THE STEERING AND BRAKES WILL NOT FUNCTION AS THEY SHOULD. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10078685

63,468 miles · Jun 18, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

OUR 1998 BUICK LESABRE LIMITED, APRIL 2004 OUR UPPER & LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD'S & GASKET WERE REPLACED DUE TO A LEAK AND THE CAR ONLY HAD 62,000 MILES ON IT. THIS COST US OVER 2000.00 THE WEB HAS HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER GM OWNERS. *AK UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED, CAUSING LOSS OF COOLANT. VEHICLE TAKEN TO INDEP…

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OUR 1998 BUICK LESABRE LIMITED, APRIL 2004 OUR UPPER & LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD'S & GASKET WERE REPLACED DUE TO A LEAK AND THE CAR ONLY HAD 62,000 MILES ON IT. THIS COST US OVER 2000.00 THE WEB HAS HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER GM OWNERS. *AK UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED, CAUSING LOSS OF COOLANT. VEHICLE TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. OIL AND OIL FILTER HAD TO BE CHANGED, SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED AND CYLINDER'S [ENGINE FLUSHED] HAD TO BE CLEANED OUT. ALSO BROKEN STARTER REPLACED. MY CAR HAD TO BE TOWED OVER 110 MILES BACK HOME AT A COST OF $ 236.50 [MY WIFE WAS VISITING HER MOM AND HAD 2 GRANDCHILDREN WITH HER WHEN CAR BROKE DOWN IN A REMOTE AREA ,LUCKY FOR US SHE HAD HER CELL PHONE WITH HER AND SOME NICE FOLKS AT A NEAR BY RANCH TOOK CARE OF THEM] MY MECHANIC ADVISED INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED, AND STARTER WAS BAD [HOUSING BROKE] STARTER HOUSING BROKE DUE TO TRYING TO START HYDRO-LOCKED ENGINE. QUESTION: WHY IS BUICK ALLOWED TO USE A PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD? AS THIS IS AN AREA THAT GETS VERY HOT. IT'S OBVIOUS, BUICK MADE A BIG MISTAKE BY PRODUCING ENGINES WITH PLASTIC MAN- IFOLDS. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ON THE ENGINE IS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC AND HAS THE EGR TUBE RUNNING THROUGH IT, CAUSING THE PLASTIC TO HEAT UP AND ALLOW ANTIFREEZE TO RUN INTO THE ENGINE. WHEN MY MECHANIC CALLED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO ORDER PARTS, THE SALES CLERK TOLD HIM, "YES WE HAVE THOSE PARTS ON HAND IT HAPPENS A LOT" ALSO THAT THE UPPER & LOWER INTAKES HAD BEEN RE-DESIGNED AND THAT BOTH MANIFOLDS NEED TO BE REPLACED AS A UNIT. .(CONTRIBUTED BY MIKE & DELLA RICO) PS. ALSO, TRANSMISSION IS NOW ACTING UP [SHUDDERS ON TAKE-OFF AT TIMES] I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE PROBLEMS [MANIFOLD & TRANSMISSION] ARE MAINLY GOING ON WITH CARS HAVING K IN THE VIN. DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THIS? THANK YOU

NHTSA ODI #10078449

Official recalls

1

04V090000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery

Feb 24, 2004

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3800 V6 (L36) ENGINES AND CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, THE REGULATORS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER THAN USUAL RATE OF FUEL LEAKS. A LEAK CAN ALLOW FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH A VACUUM LINE. IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT START WHEN CRANKED, THE FUEL FROM THE LEAKING REGULATOR AND A MISTIMED SPARK CAN CAUSE A BACKFIRE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE BACKFIRE CAN RUPTURE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE RUPTURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAN DISPLACE A FUEL LINE, PULLING AN INJECTOR OUT OF PLACE, AND CAUSING A FUEL LEAK AND POSSIBLE FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH IMPROVED DIAPHRAGMS. THE RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASED MAILINGS. PHASE 1 BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2004, AND PHASE 2 BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537, OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.

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

2

EA02030 · Engine Compartment Fires

Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 9, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery

EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

Fuel System, Gasoline

EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

PE02050 · Engine Compartment Fires

Opened Jun 13, 2002 · Closed Oct 22, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

No summary supplied.