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1985 Buick Lesabre

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

Limited mileage data: 0 of 5 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Parking Brake. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

1 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 11, 2003
Unknown Or Other

THE VEHICLE SPEEDOMETER READ 10 MILES PER HOUR OVER THE VEHICLE ACTUAL SPEED. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A WARNING FROM A POLICE OFF WHO INDICATED THAT THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 10 MILES OVER THE 45 MPH SPEED LIMIT. THE CONSUMER ALSO WANTED TO KNOW HOW TO GET BETTER GAS MILEAGE. *MR *CB *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10027272

Official recalls

1

89V102000 · Vehicle Speed Control

Jun 16, 1989

A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL MAY SLIP OUT OF PLACE, CAUSING INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN ENGINE SPEED OR DIESELING (ENGINE RUN ON WITH IGNITION OFF).

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SERVO ROD ASSEMBLY COULD CATCH ON ENGINE COMPONENTS ANDRESULT IN A STUCK THROTTLE WITH POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: INSTALL A NEW BUSHING IN CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL.

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

4

C89001 · Throttle NON-RETURN

Opened Mar 6, 1989 · Closed Jan 16, 1990

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available

PE88027 · Headlamp Switch Failure

Opened Feb 9, 1988 · Closed May 11, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting

===

EA88019 · Hydro Boost

Opened Jan 28, 1988 · Closed Oct 31, 1990

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering

There is no summary currently available

PE87038 · Hydroboost Failure

Opened Jul 9, 1987 · Closed Jan 28, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering

SUBJECT VEHICLES:CAPRICE, CAPRICE CLASSIC, CUSTOM CRUISER, DEVILLE,ELECTRA, ESTATE WAGON, FLEETWOOD, LESABRE, NINETY-EIGHT, PARISIENNE,PARK AVENUE.(ALL 1984-86 GM VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDROBOOST II SYSTEMS)ANALYSIS:CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGE SEVERAL PROBLEMS INVOLVING THE POWERSTEERING AND POWER BRAKE SYSTEMS OF THESE VEHICLES.THESE PROBLEMSINCLUDE: POWER STEERING FLUID LOSS, POWER BRAKE FLUID LOSS, LEAKAGE FROMTHE HYDRO-BOOST II POWER BRAKE BOOSTER, BROKEN BOOSTER SEALS, AND MASTERCYLINDER FAILURE.ALL PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE HYDRO-BOOST IIPOWER ASSIST SYSTEM, IN WHICH THE WORKING FLUID PROVIDES POWER ASSIST TO BOKE BOOSTER.THE EFFECT OF THESE PROBLEMS COULD BE A LOSS OF STEERINGCONTROL AND/OR BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS.STATUS:THE VOLUMINOUS AMOUNT OF DATA SUPPLIED BY GM IS PRESENTLY BEING CODED BY A CONTRACTOR AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY 12/30/87. GM DATA INDICATED A 50% WEIBULL DISTRIBUTION FAILURE AT 50K MILES FOR THE PISTON PUSH-ROD SEAL. THIS PE LOOKS TO HAVE AN EXTRODINARILY HIGH FREQUENCY, ALTHOUGH THE SEVERITY APEARS TO BE LOW.SHOULD BE INTERESTING DISCUSSING THIS FOR UPGRADE/CLOSURE.===