IllustrationI CONTINUE SMELLING AN OIL-BURNING SMELL AND MY RIGHT TURN SIGNAL CONTINUE TO GO OUT AND I HAVE REPLACED TO BLUB OVER AND OVER
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
230–25K
2025–50K
2750–75K
3075–100K
20100–150K
6150K+
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.
4 crash reports5 fire reports8 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
4 reportsFOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS, AFTER STARTING, THEN ATTEMPTING TO PUT ON SEAT BELT, THE BELT OFTEN LOCKS UP AND I CANNOT PULL IT OUT TO HOOK IT UP. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, IT FINALLY UNLOCKS SO I CAN PUT IT ON. THIS HAPPENS APPROX. 1-4 TIMES PER WEEK (I USUALLY DRIVE DAILY). SOMETIMES ONLY THE FIRST TIME IN A DAY WHEN I START THE CAR. IT I…
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FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS, AFTER STARTING, THEN ATTEMPTING TO PUT ON SEAT BELT, THE BELT OFTEN LOCKS UP AND I CANNOT PULL IT OUT TO HOOK IT UP. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, IT FINALLY UNLOCKS SO I CAN PUT IT ON. THIS HAPPENS APPROX. 1-4 TIMES PER WEEK (I USUALLY DRIVE DAILY). SOMETIMES ONLY THE FIRST TIME IN A DAY WHEN I START THE CAR. IT IS FRUSTRATING, AND CAUSES ME TO WORRY THAT SOMETIME IT MAY NOT UNLOCK AND I WILL BE FORCED TO DRIVE WITHOUT THE BELT ONLY. *TR
2004 BUICK LASABRE - NOTICED THE FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE ATTACHED TO THE SEAT RATHER THAN THE FRAME OF THE CAR. DRIVER AND PASSENGER ARE THEREFORE ONLY BELTED TO THE SEAT WHICH CAN BECOME DISLODGED DURING AN ACCIDENT. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL AND CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN. *TR
SHIMMY IN STEERING COLUMN. RECOMMENDED TIRES BE ROTATED AND BALANCED. DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. APPOX. 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE,NOTICED ELECTRICAL ODOR WHEN HEAT BUTTON ON SEAT WAS TURNED ON. NOW SEAT BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE STICKS WHEN IT RECOILS. NOISE UNDER HOOD. UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE. CLUSTER WENT OUT AND NONE OF THE GAUG…
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SHIMMY IN STEERING COLUMN. RECOMMENDED TIRES BE ROTATED AND BALANCED. DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. APPOX. 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE,NOTICED ELECTRICAL ODOR WHEN HEAT BUTTON ON SEAT WAS TURNED ON. NOW SEAT BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE STICKS WHEN IT RECOILS. NOISE UNDER HOOD. UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE. CLUSTER WENT OUT AND NONE OF THE GAUGES WORK EXCEPT THE ODOMETER. THIS IS A 2004 LESABRE WITH 57,000 MILES. *JB
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.