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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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

23 reports
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Mileage unknown · May 20, 1999
Service Brakes, HydraulicSteering

STEERING WHEEL OFF CENTER RESULTING IN CONSUMER BREAKING OFF DRIVERSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR WHILE BACKING OUT OF GARAGE DUE TO MISALIGNMENT PROBLEMS. MJS

NHTSA ODI #545710

Mileage unknown · May 3, 1999
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

I PURCHASED A WARRANTY THAT COVERS BUMPER TO BUMPER AND WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN THE FIRST TIME, AT DAVID TAYLOR THEY DID SOMETHING TO THE BRAKES. AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS PASSED, THE BRAKE WENT OUT AGAIN AS I WAS ATTEND A FUNERAL. THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO DAVID TAYLOR, APRIL 26, 1999. THEY ARE REFUSING TO HONOR THE WARRANTY THAT T…

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I PURCHASED A WARRANTY THAT COVERS BUMPER TO BUMPER AND WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN THE FIRST TIME, AT DAVID TAYLOR THEY DID SOMETHING TO THE BRAKES. AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS PASSED, THE BRAKE WENT OUT AGAIN AS I WAS ATTEND A FUNERAL. THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO DAVID TAYLOR, APRIL 26, 1999. THEY ARE REFUSING TO HONOR THE WARRANTY THAT THEY SOLD ME AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE THAT COVERS BUMPER TO BUMPER AS I WAS TOLD. THE PRICE THAT THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME NOW IS $1500 FOR BRAKE REPAIR THAT WAS SUPPOSELY FIXED BUT WASN'T. IT IS NOT FAIR FOR THEM TO DO THIS AND THIS IS THE COMPLAINT THAT I HAVE THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THROUGH THERE FAILURE TO REPAIR IT AND NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY IS MY COMPLAINT. THEY LOAN US A CAR, BUT ASKED FOR IT BACK AND I DON'T HAVE ANY MEANS OF GETTING TO WORK. WILL YOU PLEASE CALL AND FIND OUT WHAT THE DEFECT IS AND WHY THESE FAULTY BRAKES WERE NOT REPAIRED ON THE FIRST VISIT. WHY IS THE WARRANTY NOT BEING HONORED AND WHY ARE THEY PLAYING THE BLAME GAME WITH ME STATING TO ME SOMEONE ELSE HAD BEEN FOOLING AROUND WITH THE BRAKES WHEN THAT SOMEONE HAS ONLY BEEN THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT WORKING ON THE BRAKES. IT'S INSLUTING FOR SOMEONE TO EVEN MAKE THAT KIND OF A STATMENT WHEN YOU HAVE A WARRANTY BY THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT. IT WOULD BE RIDICILIOUS FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO WORK ON IT. THAT'S THE BLAME GAME THEY ARE PLAYING AND I DON'T LIKE IT AT ALL. I'M TRULY UPSET ABOUT THE BRAKES BEING A HARADZOUS TO ME AND MY FAMILY AND TO OTHERS ON THE HIGHWAY WHERE THEY HAVE GONE OUT A SECOND TIME. PLEASE, PLEASE HELP ME GET THIS RESOLVED BY CALLING DAVID TAYLOR MONDAY, MAY 3, 1999. I CAN'T GET THROUGH TO THEM AND IT'S FRUSTRATING BEING SOLD SOMETHING THAT THEY DO NOT WANT TO HONOR NOW. HELP!

NHTSA ODI #706175

Mileage unknown · Nov 30, 1998
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, DRIVER HEARD A VERY LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE LEFT REAR SIDE . WHEN VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY DEALERSHIP, THE LEFT WHEEL REAR BEARING HAD GONE BAD. THE WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP.*AK CONSUMER STATED A BOOSTER ASSEMBLY WAS NEEDED.*JB

NHTSA ODI #831422

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.