IllustrationWHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING SMOKE WAS COMING INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE THOUGH THE VENTS. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
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.
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
90–25K
2525–50K
6150–75K
4775–100K
25100–150K
6150K+
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
What owners actually said
400 reportsTHE VEHICLES INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND RESULTED IN A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. *MR *TS *NLM
THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO START CAR WHEN THE ENGINE BACKFIRED, THE MANIFOLD EXPLODED AND THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. *MR *TS *NLM
VEHICLE FIRE/ VEHICLE DESTROYED. *MR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, PRIOR TO FIRE, VEHICLE WOULD SURGE THEN DIE OUT AT BOTH STOPS AND WHEN SLOWING DOWN. ALSO ENGINE HAD A WHINING NOISE. DEALER REPLACED GENERATOR ASSEMBLY. FUEL FILTER ALSO REPLACED. CLEANED THROTTLE BODY. BRAKES MADE SQUEALING NOISE. REAR BRAKES CLEANED AND…
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VEHICLE FIRE/ VEHICLE DESTROYED. *MR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, PRIOR TO FIRE, VEHICLE WOULD SURGE THEN DIE OUT AT BOTH STOPS AND WHEN SLOWING DOWN. ALSO ENGINE HAD A WHINING NOISE. DEALER REPLACED GENERATOR ASSEMBLY. FUEL FILTER ALSO REPLACED. CLEANED THROTTLE BODY. BRAKES MADE SQUEALING NOISE. REAR BRAKES CLEANED AND ADJUSTED. THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE IN THE RIGHT REAR AFTER HOT AT STOPS. EXHAUST SYSTEM MISALIGNED. THE MIRROR COMPASS AND REAR WINDOW WERE ALSO INOPERATIVE. VEHICLE WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT PRIOR TO FIRE. *TT
1998 BUICK LESABRE DESCRIPTION OF COMPLAINT NOT GIVEN. MR. *JB
VEHICLE STALLED / ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. MR. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THE FUEL INJECTORS MAY HAVE BEEN FAULTY. *JB
I PURCHASED A '98 BUICK LESABRE - FROM MY BROTHER-IN_LAW, IT ONLY HAD 70,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE HEAD GASKET BLEW CAUSING ME TO REBUILD THE TOP SECTION OF THE MOTOR--THEN AFTER THAT WAS FIXED AND I DROVE THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS MORE -- THE BOTTOM PART OF THE ENGINE BLEW--AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE COMPLETE ENGINE NOT K…
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I PURCHASED A '98 BUICK LESABRE - FROM MY BROTHER-IN_LAW, IT ONLY HAD 70,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE HEAD GASKET BLEW CAUSING ME TO REBUILD THE TOP SECTION OF THE MOTOR--THEN AFTER THAT WAS FIXED AND I DROVE THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS MORE -- THE BOTTOM PART OF THE ENGINE BLEW--AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE COMPLETE ENGINE NOT KNOWING WHAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED BY THE DEALERSHIP "BOYLE BUICK" IN BEL AIR, MD. *JB
THE TYPE OF METAL USED IN THE ENGINE WAS FLIMSY, AND ANTI FREEZE ATE THROUGH IT, WHICH RESULTED IN A LEAK. *JB *TS
THERE WAS A LOUD BANG, THEN THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE INDEPENDENT SHOP STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT SEEPED INTO THE ENGINE. MR SCC
THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MY 1998 BUICK LESABRE WENT BAD LAST FALL, WHICH COST ME OVER $1,000 TO REPAIR. THERE WERE ABOUT 70,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE AT THAT TIME. SUBSEQUENTLY, I READ AN ARTICLE IN A NEWSPAPER THAT SAID THE NHTSA WAS INVESTIGATING GM CARS WITH THE 3.8 LITER ENGINES FOR ENGINE FIRES THAT RESULTED FROM THES…
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THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MY 1998 BUICK LESABRE WENT BAD LAST FALL, WHICH COST ME OVER $1,000 TO REPAIR. THERE WERE ABOUT 70,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE AT THAT TIME. SUBSEQUENTLY, I READ AN ARTICLE IN A NEWSPAPER THAT SAID THE NHTSA WAS INVESTIGATING GM CARS WITH THE 3.8 LITER ENGINES FOR ENGINE FIRES THAT RESULTED FROM THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. I AM WONDERING IF A RECALL HAS BEEN/COULD BE ISSUED, OR IF THERE IS ANY WAY OWNERS OF CARS WITH THESE ENGINES CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR THE MASSIVE REPAIR BILLS RESULTING FROM THIS ENGINEERING DEFECT. OF COURSE I AM ALSO VERY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY SINCE I HAVE LEARNED OF THE PROPENSITY FOR FIRES WITH THESE ENGINES. THANK YOU.
Official recalls
104V090000 · 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
2EA02030 · 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.