IllustrationWHILE PARKING VEHICLE, CONSUMER COULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNING, EXPERIENCED FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 05-4681-265. *SLC
1999 Buick Lesabre
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Lesabre years
Owner complaints for the 1999 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
40–25K
1725–50K
1950–75K
2275–100K
8100–150K
10150K+
80 reports with mileage · 129 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 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
19 crash reports20 fire reports15 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
69 reportsWHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING ,CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WHEN DRIVING SUSPENSION IS ROUGH. WHEN APPLING PRESSURE VEHICLE SHAKES. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK DEALER REFUSES TO REPLACE THE SHOCKS. AIR CONDITIONER LEAK, DEALER REPLACED COMPRESSOR SHAFT SEAL. PRESSURE OCNTROL SOLENOID REPLACED, CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE, THERE IS A SHUDDER FELT AT …
Read full complaint
WHEN DRIVING SUSPENSION IS ROUGH. WHEN APPLING PRESSURE VEHICLE SHAKES. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK DEALER REFUSES TO REPLACE THE SHOCKS. AIR CONDITIONER LEAK, DEALER REPLACED COMPRESSOR SHAFT SEAL. PRESSURE OCNTROL SOLENOID REPLACED, CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE, THERE IS A SHUDDER FELT AT TIMES, DEALER REPLACED THE TURBINE SHAFT SEAL BECAUSE IT WAS WORN AND AGAIN THE VEHICLE JUMPS WHEN PUTTING INTO GEAR AS IF GEAR IS NOT ENGAGING, DEALER CAN NOT REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. ENGINE LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED. FRONT ROTORS WARPED CAUSING VIBRATION. TURN SIGNALS INOPERABLE, DEALER FOUND WIRE OUT OF TERMINAL. *SLC
AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP OR WHEN MAKING A VERY SLOW TURN, VEHICLE WILL STALL.DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES OVER LAST YEAR, AND REPLACED COMPUTER. HOWEVER IT DID NOT REMEDY DEFECT. *AK OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THE DRIVER WAS IN LINE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT A VERY BUSY INTERS…
Read full complaint
AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP OR WHEN MAKING A VERY SLOW TURN, VEHICLE WILL STALL.DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES OVER LAST YEAR, AND REPLACED COMPUTER. HOWEVER IT DID NOT REMEDY DEFECT. *AK OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THE DRIVER WAS IN LINE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION AND THE ENGINE QUIT IN THE MIDST OF THE TURN. *YH
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FIRE, POSSIBLY STARTED IN LEFT FRONT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CLAIM 36-A176-319. *SLC
VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING WHILE MAKING TURNS AND WHILE ON STRAIGHT AWAYS, CONSUMER WAS ATTEMPTING TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BUT THE VEHICLE DIED HALFWAY INTO A TURN (NO BRAKE, POWER STEERING) AND CRASHED INTO A CHAIN LINKED FENCE. NLM
THE ENGINE STOPS ABRUPTLY WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, DEALER CANNOT FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. NLM
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WILL STALL. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING 20- 35 MPH ON FOUR OCCAISIONS ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER REPLACED CRANKSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR AND FAULTY IGNITION MODULE WHICH DID CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ALSO, CONSUMER STATED THERE WA SNO NO CORRECTION FOR THE PROBLEM . PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DOWN MOUNTAIN & HAD DOWNSHIFTED INTO 2ND GEAR, VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. ENGINE HAD STALLED OUT. HAD NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE. POWER BRAKES & POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKES TO STOP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK
Official recalls
204V090000 · 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.
99V089000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Apr 26, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4T65E AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE." A RETAINING CLIP, WHICH SECURES THE MANUAL VALVE TO THE LINKAGE OF THE TRANSMISSION DETENT LEVER, CAN BECOME LOOSE UNDER A COMBINATION OF POSSIBLE DRIVER SHIFTING MANEUVERS AND ALLOW THE LINK TO BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE MANUAL VALVE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE LINK DISCONNECTS, THE DRIVER'S INDICATED PRNDL STATE MAY DIFFER FROM THE HYDRAULIC STATE OF THE TRANSMISSION. IF THE DRIVER SELECTS 'DRIVE' AND THE TRANSMISSION IS ACTUALLY IN 'REVERSE', A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MANUAL VALVE/LINK ASSEMBLY WITH A REPLACEMENT MANUAL VALVE/LINK KIT, FEATURING A SPRING-TYPE FASTENER.
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
3EA02030 · 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.
RQ99007 · Transmission Shift Lever Sequence
Opened May 26, 1999 · Closed Feb 8, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
No summary supplied.