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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.

About this comparison →

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

What owners actually said

400 reports
51,000 miles · Mar 24, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

CAR REFUSES TO CRANK SOMETIMES, WAIT 45 MIN-1 HOUR, THEN IT WILL CRANK. ALSO, SLOWING DOWN TO STOP AND CAR JUST DIES, REFUSES TO CRANK, AGAIN WAIT 45 MINUTES - 1 HOUR AND IT WILL CRANK. THIS IS HAPPENING EVERY 2 WEEKS-1 MONTH. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT FIRING, BUT COULD IT BE SOMETHING TO DO WITH FUEL SYSTEM? DEALER KEPT FOR 2 DAYS…

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CAR REFUSES TO CRANK SOMETIMES, WAIT 45 MIN-1 HOUR, THEN IT WILL CRANK. ALSO, SLOWING DOWN TO STOP AND CAR JUST DIES, REFUSES TO CRANK, AGAIN WAIT 45 MINUTES - 1 HOUR AND IT WILL CRANK. THIS IS HAPPENING EVERY 2 WEEKS-1 MONTH. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT FIRING, BUT COULD IT BE SOMETHING TO DO WITH FUEL SYSTEM? DEALER KEPT FOR 2 DAYS AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. BUICK SAID THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10010961

Mileage unknown · Mar 10, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10011201

66,056 miles · Mar 7, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED SOME PARTS WHILE VEHICLE WAS WARMING UP.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10011128

100,077 miles · Mar 6, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO START, CONSUMER HEARD A POP NOISE, AND THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. CONSUMER STATED MAYBE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10010080

Mileage unknown · Mar 6, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE ENGINE FAILED.*DT *JB

NHTSA ODI #10008871

23,581 miles · Feb 27, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

THE BATTERY WAS LOW, TRIED STARTING THE MOTOR A FEW TIMES IN THE MORNING. AFTER WAITING ALL DAY, CHARGED THE BATTERY BACK UP TO NORMAL AND STARTED THE CAR. A LOUD BANG AND FLASH WAS NOTED AND THEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH AN EXTINGUISHER. THERE WAS A BACK FIRE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, WHICH IS MADE OF PLA…

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THE BATTERY WAS LOW, TRIED STARTING THE MOTOR A FEW TIMES IN THE MORNING. AFTER WAITING ALL DAY, CHARGED THE BATTERY BACK UP TO NORMAL AND STARTED THE CAR. A LOUD BANG AND FLASH WAS NOTED AND THEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH AN EXTINGUISHER. THERE WAS A BACK FIRE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, WHICH IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND IT EXPLODED CASUSING THE ENGINE TO CATCH FIRE. VISUAL DAMAGED CAUSED BY THE FIRE WAS TO THE FUEL LINE, AIR LINE AND WIRE HARNESS. VEHICLE IS 4.5 YEARS OLD AND ONLY HAS 23,000 MILES ON IT.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10008192

58,500 miles · Feb 20, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

UPPER INTAKE PLENUM GASKET FAILED, CAUSING ENGINE CYLINDERS TO FILL WITH COOLANT AND EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ELECTRICAL PARTS. POSSIBLE OTHER DAMAGE TO ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI #10007843

71,000 miles · Jan 8, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE IS LEAKING OIL. THE CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE SERVICED BY A DEALERSHIP, WHO INDICATED THAT THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD IS MADE OF PLASTIC, AND THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE CAUSES A HOLE IN THE MANIFOLD. THIS RESULTS IN THE LEAK. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

NHTSA ODI #10002370

Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2003
Fuel System, GasolineFire

WE PREFORMED A O&C ON A 1998 LASABRE FIRE, VERY MILD ENGINE FIRE WHICH ORIGINATED AT THE FUEL RAIL FUEL INLET PORT AND WAS CAUSED BY FAILURE OF THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR FUEL HOSE CONNECTOR. OWNER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE, STATED A LOAD POP WAS NOTED, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND A FIRE STARTED. POSSIBLE FAILURE OF THE FUEL PRESSURE REGUL…

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WE PREFORMED A O&C ON A 1998 LASABRE FIRE, VERY MILD ENGINE FIRE WHICH ORIGINATED AT THE FUEL RAIL FUEL INLET PORT AND WAS CAUSED BY FAILURE OF THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR FUEL HOSE CONNECTOR. OWNER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE, STATED A LOAD POP WAS NOTED, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND A FIRE STARTED. POSSIBLE FAILURE OF THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR OR METARIALS PROBLEM WITH THE CONNECTOR AND CLIP.NOTED MUTIPLE COMPLAINTS IN NHTSA DATA BASE AS WELL AS AN INVESTAGATION. HOPE THIS HELPS.

NHTSA ODI #10000796

Mileage unknown · Dec 27, 2002
Electrical System

CONSUMER STATES THAT IT WILL BE HARD TO START THE VEHICLE AND THEY WILL HAVE TO TRY NUMEROUS OF TIME BEFORE THE VEHICLE WILL START. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

NHTSA ODI #10001591

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.