Car has hard shift's that get worse when the car is up to temperature. Fuel gauge show's false reading. Two window regulators failed.
2004 Buick Lesabre
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Lesabre years
Owner complaints for the 2004 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
126 reports with mileage · 36 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 66 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
12 reportsDrove to the store, transmission was hard shifting and then wouldn't hardly move at all. Almost got hit three x!! Very tramatized. How is it that on just one of many web pages 400 people had this problem 140 complained about it! that's just one website! how has this problem not been fixed and recalled?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE POWER TRAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE POWER TRAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
I CONTINUE SMELLING AN OIL-BURNING SMELL AND MY RIGHT TURN SIGNAL CONTINUE TO GO OUT AND I HAVE REPLACED TO BLUB OVER AND OVER
WITHIN THE PASSED 2 MONTHS I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING "HARD SHIFTS". VERY PRONOUNCED JOLT/JERK WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER A FULL STOP OR DECELERATING TO COME TO A STOP. JUST RESEARCHED ON THIS SITE AND FOUND MANY OTHER CONSUMERS WITH 2004 LESABRE'S EXPERIENCING SAME SITUATION. HAS TO DO WITH INFERIOR PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID AND/O…
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WITHIN THE PASSED 2 MONTHS I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING "HARD SHIFTS". VERY PRONOUNCED JOLT/JERK WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER A FULL STOP OR DECELERATING TO COME TO A STOP. JUST RESEARCHED ON THIS SITE AND FOUND MANY OTHER CONSUMERS WITH 2004 LESABRE'S EXPERIENCING SAME SITUATION. HAS TO DO WITH INFERIOR PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID AND/OR SHIFT SOLENOIDS. APPARENTLY GM HAS REFUSED TO RECALL AND REPLACE DUE TO THE COST. CAN CAUSE PREMATURE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION AND THEY SAY THEY ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO MAKE IT RIGHT!!! ALSO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH SPEEDOMETER AND TACHCOMETER. MY TACH IS FROZEN AT 2 AND SPEEDOMETER STARTED GIVING FALSE READINGS ABOUT 3 YRS. AGO. DID NOT ADDRESS BECAUSE MY MECHANIC TOLD ME ITS VERY COSTLY. I HAVE TO USE MY GARMIN TO TELL ME HOW FAST I AM GOING. HAPPENED FIRST TIME IN EXTREME HEAT TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY. THEN AGAIN WHEN IT W AS RAINING. VERY UNSAFE SITUATION AND AGAIN A VERY COSTLY FIX THAT GM WILL NOT ADDRESS.
MY 2004 BUICK LESABRE KEEPS LOSING POWER WHILE I AM DRIVING. THIS IS THE 4TH INCIDENT IN 2 MONTHS! THE VEHICLE DIES AND THE POWER STEERING LOCKS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS I WAS ON HWY 190 AND THERE IS MAJOR WORK BEING DONE. I WAS DRIVING OVER A BRIDGE AND THEIR ARE BARRIERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HIGHWAY. EACH TIME THE INC…
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MY 2004 BUICK LESABRE KEEPS LOSING POWER WHILE I AM DRIVING. THIS IS THE 4TH INCIDENT IN 2 MONTHS! THE VEHICLE DIES AND THE POWER STEERING LOCKS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS I WAS ON HWY 190 AND THERE IS MAJOR WORK BEING DONE. I WAS DRIVING OVER A BRIDGE AND THEIR ARE BARRIERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HIGHWAY. EACH TIME THE INCIDENT OCCURS I GET A CRANK BUT NO START. MY VEHICLE IS THEN TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR AND IGNITION MODULE ARE BAD. THE SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE WITHIN A WEEKS TIME AND NOT THREE WEEKS AFTER THE MODULE WAS REPLACED IT IS BACK AT THE SHOP TODAY. I HAVE NO LEVERAGE UNDER TEXAS LEMON LAWS BECAUSE IT IS USED VEHICLE AND UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE TO PUT MY JOB BEFORE MY SAFETY BECAUSE I HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES. I AM IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION RIGHT NOW! *TR
VERY COMMON KNOW PROBLEM OF THE 4T65E TRANSMISSION EQUIPPED IN THESE CARS IS A PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID AND/OR THE SHIFT SOLENOIDS FAIL PREMATURELY DUE TO A POORLY CONSTRUCTED PARTS. A SERVICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN ISSUED BY MANUFACTURER WARNING OF THE PROBLEM AND TO USE A MUCH MORE SUPERIOR PART TO REPLACE THE BAD ONES. THIS HAPPE…
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VERY COMMON KNOW PROBLEM OF THE 4T65E TRANSMISSION EQUIPPED IN THESE CARS IS A PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID AND/OR THE SHIFT SOLENOIDS FAIL PREMATURELY DUE TO A POORLY CONSTRUCTED PARTS. A SERVICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN ISSUED BY MANUFACTURER WARNING OF THE PROBLEM AND TO USE A MUCH MORE SUPERIOR PART TO REPLACE THE BAD ONES. THIS HAPPENS ACROSS A NUMBER OF VEHICLES AND GM REFUSES TO RECALL SAID PART EVEN AFTER KNOWING IT IS A FAILED PART. THE PROBLEM IT CAUSES IS THE TRANSMISSION GOES INTO HIGH PRESSURE MODE AND CAUSES HARD UP SHIFTS. THERE IS A UNOFFICIAL WORK AROUND THAT INVOLVES INSTALLING AFTER MARKET PARTS TO STOP THE HARD SHIFTS.GM HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS PERSONALLY TOLD ME THEY WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL DUE TO COST OF RECALLING AND REPAIRING. ESPECIALLY IN CARS THAT THIS HAS CAUSED PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. AND THEY SAY THEY ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO DO SO. THE SAD THING IS I JUST ASKED FOR THE UPDATED PART SO I COULD PERSONALLY INSTALL IT BECAUSE I DO BETTER WORK THAN THEIR GARAGES AND WOULDN'T TRUST THEM TO CHANGE A TIRE LET ALONE TOUCH A TRANSMISSION. I AM CAPABLE OF INSTALLING THE PARTS I JUST WANT THE UPDATED ONE FOR FREE SINCE IT IS A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED ON THEIR PART TO BEGIN WITH. THIS PROBLEM IS MUCH LIKE THE COOLANT PROBLEM GM CLAIMS DIDN'T EXIST UNTIL THEY WERE SUED FOR IT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS FUNCTIONING ERRATICALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WOULD HAVE T…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS FUNCTIONING ERRATICALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. UPDATED 06/05/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN ON MAY 11, 2012. ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LINES WERE LEAKING. UPDATED 06/06/12. *JB
2004 BUICK LESABRE PURCHASED WITH 1K MILES. AT ABOUT 60K MI THE GAS GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED. AT 110K THE ENGINE TEMP GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED AND THE DASH LIGHTS FADED ON AND OFF. ALSO, AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. NOW WITH 120K, THE TACH AND ODOMETER HAVE QUIT. ONLY REMAINING FUNCTIONING DASH INSTRUMENT IS THE SPEEDO…
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2004 BUICK LESABRE PURCHASED WITH 1K MILES. AT ABOUT 60K MI THE GAS GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED. AT 110K THE ENGINE TEMP GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED AND THE DASH LIGHTS FADED ON AND OFF. ALSO, AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF RANDOMLY. NOW WITH 120K, THE TACH AND ODOMETER HAVE QUIT. ONLY REMAINING FUNCTIONING DASH INSTRUMENT IS THE SPEEDOMETER. CAR ALSO AT TIMES EXHIBITS UNPREDICTABLE ELECTRICAL BEHAVIOR, SUCH AS NOT STARTING AFTER A BRIEF INTERVAL WITH CAR OFF AND RADIO ON. MECHANICS ADVISED EARLY ON THAT ISSUE WAS A DEFECTIVE GAS GAUGE, WHICH NOW APPEARS TO BE INCORRECT. FAULTY DIGITAL INSTRUMENT PANEL APPEARS CONFIRMED. THERE IS ALSO A VERY STRANGE AND IRRITATING NOISE THAT ORIGINATES DIRECTLY IN THE CENTER OF THE DASH, LIKE SMALL ANIMALS UNDER THE DASH. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED. THE FRONT WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TRANSMISSION CASING BROKE IN HALF. THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEGAN TO SLIP PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER HAD PREVIOUSLY ADJUSTED THE COMPUTER ON THE VEHICLE; YET THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE DEALE…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED. THE FRONT WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE TRANSMISSION CASING BROKE IN HALF. THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEGAN TO SLIP PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER HAD PREVIOUSLY ADJUSTED THE COMPUTER ON THE VEHICLE; YET THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THIS THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION HAD CAUSED THE FAILURE TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 118000.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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