IllustrationTHE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD AT OWNER'S EXPENSE OF $985.00. *AK
1998 Buick Lesabre
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Lesabre years
Owner complaints for the 1998 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
90–25K
2525–50K
6150–75K
4775–100K
25100–150K
6150K+
173 reports with mileage · 227 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 196 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 70 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
15 crash reports42 fire reports7 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
196 reportsTHE INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKED COOLANT INTO THE CYLINDERS. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE STALLED. *AK *TS *NLM
CONSUMER HAD MANIFOLD SYSTEM REPAIRS DONE ON 98 BUICK LESABRE. THE MANIFOLD SYSTEM WAS REPLACED TWICE. AFTER THE SECOND REPAIR, CONSUMER BECAME AWARE OF THE RECALLS FOR THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL WITH 3.8 V6 ENGINE. GENERAL MOTORS WERE CONTACTED BUT THE CONSUMER DIDN'T RECEIVE A RESPONSE. *PH
VEHICLE HAD BEEN LOSING COOLANT SINCE 1998. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS AT LEAST SEVEN TIMES. THE GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR) PORT WAS MADE OF PLASTIC, AND WHEN IT MELTED, COOLANT SEEPED INTO THE ENGINE. *AK
WHEN CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, BLACK SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE REAR OF VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED OUT INTO THE TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS REPAIRED.*AK *TS *JB
THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED DUE TO AN INOPERATIVE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED AND THE COOLANT SYSTEM WAS FLUSHED. *JB *TS *NLM
INTAKE MANIFOLD MELTING. LOSS OF COOLANT. REPLACE PLASTIC INTAKE, PLUGS, STARTER, OIL AND FILTER, PCV VALVE, COOLANT. PLUS TOWING BILL AND SHOP LABOR. GM DEFECT. GM KNOWS IT, GM SHOULD REIMBURSE FOR REPAIR COST. *LA
WATER WAS LEAKING FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD INTO THE ENGINE. THIS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO BLOW OUT. INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS DETERIORATING DUE TO THE LEAKAGE. *AK
CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH ALL DASHBOARD INDICATORS STARTED FLASHING, AND ENGINE STALLED. *AK
ENGINE COOLANT LEAK, INTO THE ENGINE MANIFOLD,OF MY VEHICLE, RESULTED FROM DEFECTIVE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD COMPOSITE MATERIAL DEGRADING AROUND THE EGR STOVE PIPE. BUICK MOTOR DIVISION OF GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN, #01-06-01-007A-(07/18/2001), DOCUMENT ID#812024, PERTAINING TO THIS EXACT TYPE OF ENG…
Read full complaint
ENGINE COOLANT LEAK, INTO THE ENGINE MANIFOLD,OF MY VEHICLE, RESULTED FROM DEFECTIVE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD COMPOSITE MATERIAL DEGRADING AROUND THE EGR STOVE PIPE. BUICK MOTOR DIVISION OF GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN, #01-06-01-007A-(07/18/2001), DOCUMENT ID#812024, PERTAINING TO THIS EXACT TYPE OF ENGINE MANIFOLD DEFECT IN 1998 BUICK LESABRE AUTOMOBILES. ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2003, THE EGR STOVE PIPE FAILED IN MY 1998 BUICK LESABRE, ALLOWING ENGINE COOLANT TO ENTER THE ENGINE MANFOLD. I FORMALLY REQUEST THAT YOUR AGENCY IMMEDIATELY BEGIN AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS DEFECT, IN ORDER TO PROCEED TOWARD ORDERING A RECALL OF THIS VEHICLE.
Official recalls
104V090000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
Feb 24, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3800 V6 (L36) ENGINES AND CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, THE REGULATORS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER THAN USUAL RATE OF FUEL LEAKS. A LEAK CAN ALLOW FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH A VACUUM LINE. IF THE ENGINE DOES NOT START WHEN CRANKED, THE FUEL FROM THE LEAKING REGULATOR AND A MISTIMED SPARK CAN CAUSE A BACKFIRE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE BACKFIRE CAN RUPTURE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE RUPTURE OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CAN DISPLACE A FUEL LINE, PULLING AN INJECTOR OUT OF PLACE, AND CAUSING A FUEL LEAK AND POSSIBLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH IMPROVED DIAPHRAGMS. THE RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASED MAILINGS. PHASE 1 BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2004, AND PHASE 2 BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537, OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
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
2EA02030 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 9, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
PE02050 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Jun 13, 2002 · Closed Oct 22, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
No summary supplied.