IllustrationTHE DRIVER WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, STOPPED, TOOK HIS FOOT OFF OF THE PEDAL AND THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY SWUNG FREE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED BRAKE PEDAL BECOME DISCONNECTED. THE CLIP, SPACER, AND RETAINER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *SC
2003 Buick Lesabre
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Lesabre years
Owner complaints for the 2003 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
270–25K
3125–50K
2550–75K
1775–100K
13100–150K
6150K+
119 reports with mileage · 45 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.
- Structure. Review the 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports4 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
164 reportsWHEN VEHICLE WAS NEW, IT PULLED INTO THE LEFT. DEALER CHECKED IT, BUT NOTHING WRONG WAS FOUND. (NAR) *LA *CB
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING STEERING WHEEL WAS SHAKING. DEALER REPLACED THE REAR RIGHT WHEEL AND TIRE, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. *AK
CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AN AVIS RENTAL ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS HIT THE DRIVERS SIDE OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUSTAINED HEAD AND CHEST INJURIES. *AK
I WAS HIT HEAD ON. MY VEHICLE A BUICK LESABRE 2003 AND THE VEHICLE WHICH HIT ME, A 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU WAS TOTALED. THE AIRBAG ON MY BUICK LESABRE DID NOT DEPLOY, THUS CAUSING ME PHYSICAL INJURIES. *JB
THE CONSUMER STATED THE HORN WAS MOUNTED ALONG WITH THE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY, WHICH MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. *AK *JB *NLM
SHAKES & VIBRATIONS IN STEERING WHEEL & FLOOR OF VEHICLE, DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO BALANCE TIRES WITHOUT MUCH SUCCESS. *JB
VEHICLE'S INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED.*MR CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR PROBLEMS WITH INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE ON 2003 BUICK LESABRE. CONSUMER STATED THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WITH HIS 1998 BUICK LESABRE ALSO. *PH *JB
WHILE THE DRIVER EITHER ATTEMPTED TO STOP AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGH THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD ALMOST TOUCH THE FLOOR. THIS PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN TWO ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. *AK *PH *NLM
CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE SURGED AND DROVE OFF. *AK
Official recalls
102V222000 · Air Bags:frontal
Aug 9, 2002
CERTAIN PASSENGER, MINI VANS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE AN AIR BAG INFLATOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT COULD FRACTURE AT A WELD DURING A DEPLOYMENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: PIECES OF THE INFLATOR COULD STRIKE AND INJURE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND THE AIR BAG CUSHION WOULD NOT INFLATE FULLY, REDUCING THE CAPABILITY OF THE BAG TO PROTECT THE DRIVER.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT, AND REPLACE, IF NECESSARY, THE AIR BAG MODULE ASSEMBLY ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 15, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300, CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537, OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.