Buick LeSabre Complaints (1998)

400 consumer complaints on file.

#6900531January 8, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BANG AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, FLAMES WERE COMING FROM BOTTOM OF VEHICLE, VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE AND HAS A HISTORY OF ENGINE SURGING, CLAIM 42-1441-081. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#6900534December 26, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE ENGINE, CLAIM 59-V971-469. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#6900535December 18, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE WOULD NOT START, THERE WAS A POP SOUND AND VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE, CONSUMER POOPED THE HOOD AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 38-J837-871. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8000673December 12, 2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE JUMPS AND VIBRATES WHEN DRIVING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, AND HE INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT.*AK *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#6900836December 10, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THERE WAS A HUGE POP, VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND STARTED TO SMOKE, CONSUMER OPENED THE HOOD AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE ON THE TOP OF THE ENGINE, CLAIM 38-J837-871. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#754661November 18, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I BELIEVE I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE VATS . THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED PREVENTING ME FROM STARTING THE CAR. I HAVE CHECKED THE FUSES AND ONE WAS BLOWN BUT THAT GOES TO THE ELECTRONIC LEVEL CONTROL (HENCE A SECOND PROBLEM) ITIALLALLY THE CAR FAILED TO START AFTER JIGGLING THE KEY IT STARTED. THE SECURITY LIGHT REMAINED ON THE WHOLE WAY HOME. CAME HOME SHUT THE CAR DOWN AND STARTED BACK UP AGAIN. LATER THAT EVENING MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO THE STORE, WHERE IT FAILED TO START. SHE CALLED ME I PROMPTLY RESPONDED WITH 2 OF MY CHILDREN IN TOW. AFTER CHECKING FUSES, READING THE OWNERS MANUAL AND DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY, JIGGLING THE KEY THE CAR STARTED...THANK GOODNESS. THEN WE GOT HOME AND IT DIED. YESTERDAY I CHECKED ALL FUSES TO VERIFY, ITS NOT THAT..FINALLY DETERMINING ITS IN THE IGNITION SYSTEM RELATING TO THE LOCK CYLINDER. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND HOPE THE DEALER WILL FIX IT. TODAY I HAVE CONTINUED TO POKE AROUND AND ATTEMPTED TO START IT..SUCCESSFULLY AFTER JIGGLING THE IGNITION/KEY. DO YOU KNOW IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE? UNFORTUNATELY WE DO NOT KNOW IF IT WILL START AGAIN. THIS IS NOT A PLEASANT SITUATION. DO YOU KNOW WHAT MIGHT CAUSE THE LOCK CYLINDER TO DO THIS? WILL THIS REQUIRE NEW PASSKEYS?*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#754662November 18, 2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS I WAS COMUTING TO NY FROM MY RESIDENCE IN NH. THE CARS TRANSMISSION WAS NOT RESPONDING WELL. I ARRIVED NEAR FINCHBURG MASSACHUSETTES WHEN I DECIDED TO TURN BACK HOME. POWER AND RESPONSE WERE VERY INADEQUATE.MY WIFE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I DROPPED OFF THE CAR IN EXETER NH (NOT THE SELLING DEALER..BUT A BUICK/GM DEALERSHIP THAT THEY RECOMMENDED TO HAVE CHECK IT OUT SINCE IT WAS STILL UNDER THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY. AFTER INSPECTION AND A FULL DIAGNOSIS BY THE CERTIFIED GM MECHANIC, HE INFORMED ME THAT THE "TRANSMISSION WAS TOAST". THEY MADE A FULL REPAIR BY REPLACING THE EXISTING TRANSMISSION. THEY BELIEVED IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE TO REBUILD CONSIDERING THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM. FURTHER, MY WIFE DID A THROUGH CHECK PRIOR TO MAKING AN OFFER TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE. WE KNEW THAT THIS MODEL VEHICLE HAS A HISTORY OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. HOWEVER SERVERAL BUICK /GM CERTIFIED SHOPS INDICATED THAT VERY FEW OF THESE NEWER VEHICLE HAVE TRANSMISSION FAILUE. IT WOULD BE LIKE A 1 AND 4MILLION CHANCE...WELL THAT IS OUR LUCK. IT HAPPENED TO US. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#6900537November 13, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 4 BLOCKS AND WHILE SITTING AT A LIGHT, SMOKE BECAME VISIBLE FROM THE HOOD, THEN A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 20-5437-956. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#6900532November 1, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY, CLAIM 30-V502-462. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#896332September 14, 2001
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP, FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
AFTER FILLING FUEL TANK AND DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 80 TO 100 MILES, GAS GAUGE WILL READ THAT FUEL TANK IS EMPTY, AND A WARNING LIGHT WILL COME ON INSTRUMENT PANEL. DEALERSHIP CANNOT DETERMINE A REASON FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATES THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR THREE YEARS AND IS REQUESTING THAT SOMEONE FIX THE PROBLEM. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#895301August 28, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
WHILE TRAVELING BETWEEN 25 AND 30 MPH CONSUMER SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF STEERING AND BRAKING SYSTEMS. VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE WHICH STOPPED THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND REPAIRED UNKNOWN COMPONENT IN VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750702August 18, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
COOLANT LEAKED INTO CYLINDERS CAUSING ENGINE TO LOCK UP. SERVICE BULLETIN #010601007. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#9003411August 9, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
3 TIMES IN SHOP DUE TO CHECKE ENGINE LIGHT ON. CLAIMED IT WAS SENSOR. NEW ALTERNATOR NEEDED. NEW STRUTS NEEDED. ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT SENSOR BUT WAS DUE TO ANTIFREEZE LEAK FROM MANIFOLD GASKET. ALL FLUIDS WENT THRU ENGINE AND OUT TAILPIPE CAUSING OVER HEATING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#892125July 6, 2001
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
VEHICLE AT STOP LIGHT WHEN ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND REMAINED. WAS IDLING ROUGHLY WHEN PULLING INTO PARKING LOT, AND THEN VEHICLE DIED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT UPPER PLENTIUM MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED AND WAS LEAKING FLUID ONTO ENGINE. THIS CAUSED PLUGS TO BE FLOODED. PLUGS WERE PULLED AND CLEANED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#747552June 28, 2001
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
ABOVE MENTIONED VEHICLE CAME INTO MY AUTO REPAIR SHOP WITH A VERY DANGEROUS FUEL LEAK THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS UNAWARE OF. THE PLASTIC BEAUTY COVER ON TOP OF THE GM 3800 SERIES II ENGINES MADE CONTACT WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE PLASTIC FUEL LINE GOING INTO FUEL RAIL. DUE TO HIGH MILEAGE OF THIS CAR, LINE WAS DAMAGED BY THE COVER. SINCE THEN, I HAVE SEEN 2 OTHER GM 3800'S WITH THE SAME COVER-TO-FUEL LINE CONTACT. THE POTENTIAL LEAK IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS THE LEAKING PLASTIC FUEL LINE RUNS FROM THE FIREWALL AREA, OVER THE RIGHT SIDE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, INTO THE FUEL RAIL ON TOP OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. A SIMPLE INSPECTION & PAD BETWEEN THE FUEL LINE AND THE SHARP EDGE OF THE PLASTIC COVER WOULD BE A VERY COST-EFFECTIVE CURE FOR A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SITUATION. THIS INSPECTION & REPAIR SHOULD APPLY TO ALL GM BADGES WITH THE 3800 SERIES II ENGINES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#891293June 26, 2001
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 50 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION I WHICH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#6900536May 25, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN GARAGE WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE MAJORITY OF CONSUMERS HOUSE, CLAIM 04-1284-911. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#561192May 14, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING, THE DEALER RECOMMENDED AND PERFORMED A TUNE UP, THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#885175April 5, 2001
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, CAUSING LOSS OF COOLANT. VEHICLE TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. *AK OIL AND OIL FILTER HAD TO BE CHANGED, SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED AND CYLINDER HAD TO BE CLEANED OUT. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#884145March 26, 2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAR SHIFTS FROM DRIVE TO OVERDRIVE WITH LOT OF NOISE, AND WILL CHATTER A LITTLE. FROM A COLD START. IT WON'T MOVE JUST VIBRATE AND SHATTER. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS VALVE BODY THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Buick LeSabre