IllustrationTL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 25 MPH THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WHICH WAS MADE OF PLASTIC SPLIT IN HALF WHEN HE TURNED HIS BODY AROUND TO VIEW TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY A DEALER/MECHANIC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000. *AK
2001 Buick Lesabre
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Lesabre years
Owner complaints for the 2001 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
300–25K
4025–50K
5750–75K
2575–100K
34100–150K
16150K+
202 reports with mileage · 126 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.
- Visibility. Review the 99 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports22 fire reports9 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
4 reportsI HAVE AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH MY DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT. THE BELT KEEPS GETTING CAUGHT IN THE FLOOR RETRACTOR. WHEN I TRY TO PULL THE BELT UP TO USE, IT GETS STUCK AND HAS TO BE TUGGED ON 5-6 TIMES TO GET IT TO RELEASE. ORANGE BUICK FIRST LOOKED AT IT ON 4/25/02 AND CLAIMED, "BELT OUT OF PLACE CAUSING LOCK TO ENGAGE R&R …
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I HAVE AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH MY DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT. THE BELT KEEPS GETTING CAUGHT IN THE FLOOR RETRACTOR. WHEN I TRY TO PULL THE BELT UP TO USE, IT GETS STUCK AND HAS TO BE TUGGED ON 5-6 TIMES TO GET IT TO RELEASE. ORANGE BUICK FIRST LOOKED AT IT ON 4/25/02 AND CLAIMED, "BELT OUT OF PLACE CAUSING LOCK TO ENGAGE R&R AND REPOSITION LEFT FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTOR." THAT DID NOT FIX IT AND I BROUGHT IT BACK AGAIN ON 7/1/02. THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER A NEW BELT AND REPLACE IT. SUPPOSEDLY, BUICK REALIZED THAT THEY HAD A PROBLEM AND HAD REDESIGNED THEIR BELTS. THE REPLACEMENT BELT WAS INSTALLED ON 7/16/02, AND WORKED OKAY FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS, AND HAS STARTED THE SAME PROBLEM ALL OVER AGAIN. BECAUSE IT IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, THEY CAN'T SEEM TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, BUT I KEEP GETTING CAUGHT WITH IT. I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT ONE OF THESE TIMES, THE BELT WILL NOT RELEASE AFTER 5 OR 6 TUGS AND THEN I WILL BE FORCED TO DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT THE SEATBELT ENGAGED, WHICH IS BOTH ILLEGAL AND VERY DANGEROUS.*AK
SEAT BELTS RETRACTOR IS BUILT INTO BACK OF SEAT, NEXT TO THE HEADREST, CONSUMER CAN'T SEE INTO THE BLIND SPOT WHEN TURNING HEAD AROUND TO LOOK TO GO INTO THE LEFT LANE, THE CONSUMER'S ARE 5'5" AND UNDER, THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND TOLD THE CONSUMERS THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE.
SINCE BUYING THE CAR IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN OUT, HAVE HAD PROBLEMS TRAVELING OUT OF TOWN RUINED TWO TRIPS. THE WINDOW WIPERS WERE DISCONNECTED, ALTERNATOR OUT, TRANSMISSION OUT, DASH RATTLES, MOTOR UNDER DRIVERS SEAT IS LOOSE, AND THE AIR CONDITIONER MAKES A HIGH WHINE. THE SEAT, AND DASH AND TRANSMISSION HAVE BEEN …
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SINCE BUYING THE CAR IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN OUT, HAVE HAD PROBLEMS TRAVELING OUT OF TOWN RUINED TWO TRIPS. THE WINDOW WIPERS WERE DISCONNECTED, ALTERNATOR OUT, TRANSMISSION OUT, DASH RATTLES, MOTOR UNDER DRIVERS SEAT IS LOOSE, AND THE AIR CONDITIONER MAKES A HIGH WHINE. THE SEAT, AND DASH AND TRANSMISSION HAVE BEEN LOOKED AT THREE TIMES AND STILL NOT FIXED. THE CAR SHIFTS HARD INTO GEAR AFTER REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION WHICH TOOK TWO TIMES TO THE SHOP TO FIX. THE TIRE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON DURING ONE OF THE OUT OF TOWN TRIPS EVEN THOUGH IT WAS CHECKED REPEATEDLY.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
1EA02030 · 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.