IllustrationFAILURE OF STEPPER MOTORS IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER.
2005 Buick Lesabre
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2005 Buick Lesabre do not stand out strongly from 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
140–25K
1425–50K
1150–75K
1175–100K
7100–150K
2150K+
59 reports with mileage · 18 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 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports3 fire reports3 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
25 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ODOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO WORK. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND FAILED TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON A SEPARATE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TWICE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION MODULE WAS REPLACED EACH TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND FAILED TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON A SEPARATE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TWICE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION MODULE WAS REPLACED EACH TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,771.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE BATTERY EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.
LETTER FROM SENATOR RUBIO ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 2005 BUICK LESABRE DEFECTS (ATTN: DAVID HUFF). *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE IGNITION SWITCH BROKE, AND WHEN HE EXITED THE VEHICLE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STATED THE KEY WAS STILL IN THE IGNITION. ALSO, THE AIR BAG WAS PROTRUDING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED …
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LETTER FROM SENATOR RUBIO ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 2005 BUICK LESABRE DEFECTS (ATTN: DAVID HUFF). *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE IGNITION SWITCH BROKE, AND WHEN HE EXITED THE VEHICLE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STATED THE KEY WAS STILL IN THE IGNITION. ALSO, THE AIR BAG WAS PROTRUDING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE RECALLS DID NOT APPLY TO HIS VEHICLE. *JB
THE LIGHTS ON THE HEATER CONTROL QUIT WORKING MAKING IT HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,800.
STARTED OUT AS A HEADLAMP THAT WE THOUGHT WAS BURNED OUT. REPLACED THE BULB AND IT WORKED FOR A DAY OR TWO. NEXT THE GAS GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER, HEAT AND COOLING GAUGE AND NOW BOTH HEADLAMPS DO NOT WORK. MY HUSBAND HAS TO DRIVE IN THE DARK WITH BRIGHTS ON BECAUSE THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO HEADLIGHTS . THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSU…
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STARTED OUT AS A HEADLAMP THAT WE THOUGHT WAS BURNED OUT. REPLACED THE BULB AND IT WORKED FOR A DAY OR TWO. NEXT THE GAS GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER, HEAT AND COOLING GAUGE AND NOW BOTH HEADLAMPS DO NOT WORK. MY HUSBAND HAS TO DRIVE IN THE DARK WITH BRIGHTS ON BECAUSE THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO HEADLIGHTS . THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND GM SHOULD BE ISSUING A RECALL. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND WE CANNOT DRIVE OUR VEHICLE AT NIGHT UNLESS WE USE OUR BRIGHTS THE WHOLE TIME WHICH THEN BECOMES A SAFETY ISSUE TO OTHER DRIVERS. THIS IS AS SERIOUS AS SEAT BELTS FAILING OR WINDSHIELD WIPERS OUT OF WHACK. PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS WITH QUICK AND SERIOUS MEASURES. *TR
ORIGINALLY WHEN THE ISSUE HAPPENED AT RANDOM TIMES WITH THE SPEEDOMETER READINGIN INACCURATELY. NOW IT HAS FALLEN TO THE 6 O'CLOCK POSITION AND NEVER MOVES FROM THAT POSITION. I HAVE NEVER HAD IT REPAIRED WAS TOLD BY DEALERS THAT THE PART WAS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND IT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. ISSUE STARTED AT AROUND 860…
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ORIGINALLY WHEN THE ISSUE HAPPENED AT RANDOM TIMES WITH THE SPEEDOMETER READINGIN INACCURATELY. NOW IT HAS FALLEN TO THE 6 O'CLOCK POSITION AND NEVER MOVES FROM THAT POSITION. I HAVE NEVER HAD IT REPAIRED WAS TOLD BY DEALERS THAT THE PART WAS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND IT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. ISSUE STARTED AT AROUND 86000 MILES (RANDOM READINGS) AROUND 91000 SPEEDOMETER (FALLEN TO 6 O' CLOCK POSITION. *TR
SPEEDOMETER IS INACCURATE AND VERY SPORADIC. SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE GETS STUCK ON ANY NUMBER WHEN VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY STOPPED AND/OR TURNED OFF. MOST OF THE TIME HAVE TO GUESS HOW FAST OR SLOW THE VEHICLE IS ACTUALLY GOING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. AFTER READING ABOUT THE SAME TYPE OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER CONSUMERS, I THINK I…
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SPEEDOMETER IS INACCURATE AND VERY SPORADIC. SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE GETS STUCK ON ANY NUMBER WHEN VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY STOPPED AND/OR TURNED OFF. MOST OF THE TIME HAVE TO GUESS HOW FAST OR SLOW THE VEHICLE IS ACTUALLY GOING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. AFTER READING ABOUT THE SAME TYPE OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER CONSUMERS, I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME GM FIXES THIS PROBLEM BY INITIATING A FORMAL RECALL. MY GRANDPARENTS SWORE BY BUICK AND GM VEHICLES. I ABSOLUTELY HAVE MY DOUBTS NOW. IF PROBLEM IS NEVER RECALLED, I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A BUICK OR ANY OTHER GM VEHICLE IN THE FUTURE. IT IS NOT RIGHT FOR THIS TO BE IGNORED WITH AS MANY COMMON COMPLAINTS THAT ARE FILED. *TR
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.