IllustrationI AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER WINDOWS ON 2003 BUICK LESABRE. I HAVE REPLACE 2 WINDOW REGULATOR MOTOR ASSEMBLIES. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CABLE WHICH RAISES AND LOWERS THE WINDOW IS ATTACHED TO A PLASTIC PART, WHICH FAILS. *JB UPDATED 09/27/07. *JB
2003 Buick Lesabre
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Lesabre years
Owner complaints for the 2003 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
270–25K
3125–50K
2550–75K
1775–100K
13100–150K
6150K+
119 reports with mileage · 45 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.
- Structure. Review the 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports4 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
164 reportsNOISE HAD OCCURRED UPON SLOWING AND BRAKING, SO I TOOK IT TO A DEALER. A PERSON FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT RODE WITH ME BUT THE PROBLEM DID NOT HAPPEN (PERHAPS DUE TO THE LIGHT RAIN). TWO DAYS LATER I MADE A TRIP INTO ATLANTA. THE FRONT BRAKES SOUNDED AS THOUGH THEY WERE GRINDING AT ALL SPEEDS. A TIRE DEALER IN DECATUR (NEAREST…
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NOISE HAD OCCURRED UPON SLOWING AND BRAKING, SO I TOOK IT TO A DEALER. A PERSON FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT RODE WITH ME BUT THE PROBLEM DID NOT HAPPEN (PERHAPS DUE TO THE LIGHT RAIN). TWO DAYS LATER I MADE A TRIP INTO ATLANTA. THE FRONT BRAKES SOUNDED AS THOUGH THEY WERE GRINDING AT ALL SPEEDS. A TIRE DEALER IN DECATUR (NEAREST MY LOCATION AT THE TIME) REPLACED BOTH FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS (36,000 MILES). THE PROBLEM IS BACK. EXAMINATION OF ALL FOUR BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS SHOWS NO GOUGING OF THE ROTOR AND PLENTY OF PAD REMAINING ON ALL 8 PADS; THEY APPEAR TO BE PRACTICALLY NEW (48,000 MILES). *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INFLATER DEVICE IN THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SHE STATED THAT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY. SHE HAS HAD THE PART REPLACED, BUT BUICK DOES NOT FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE CONTACT HEARS AN OCCASIONAL SQUEAKI…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INFLATER DEVICE IN THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SHE STATED THAT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE AIR BAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY. SHE HAS HAD THE PART REPLACED, BUT BUICK DOES NOT FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE CONTACT HEARS AN OCCASIONAL SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON. AIR BAG LIGHT WAS NOT COVERED IN GE AUTO WARRANTY SERVICES 4 STAR PLUS CONTRACT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER OF WHICH I PURCHASED IT FROM AND FOUND OUT IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY CRASH SENSOR BUT NOT COVERED, COST WAS $95 FOR A 5 MIN DIAGNOSTIC, ERROR CODE READING TAKEN OFF THE C…
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AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON. AIR BAG LIGHT WAS NOT COVERED IN GE AUTO WARRANTY SERVICES 4 STAR PLUS CONTRACT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER OF WHICH I PURCHASED IT FROM AND FOUND OUT IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY CRASH SENSOR BUT NOT COVERED, COST WAS $95 FOR A 5 MIN DIAGNOSTIC, ERROR CODE READING TAKEN OFF THE CONTROL COMPUTER FOR THE AIRBAG. SAFETY FEATURE FAILURE IS NOT COVERED BY MANUFACTURER, DEALER OR WARRANTY. HAVE NOT AT THIS TIME CORRECTED FAILURE, PRICE FOR REPAIR WAS $300 ON TOP OF $95 DIAGNOSTIC. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FEELS AS IF IT IS SLIPPING WHEN CHANGING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. HE FEELS A SHUDDER WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED A TWO-CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 50,800 AND FAILURE MILEAGE …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FEELS AS IF IT IS SLIPPING WHEN CHANGING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. HE FEELS A SHUDDER WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED A TWO-CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 50,800 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,200. UPDATED 02-01-08 *BF UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR
INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS DIM AND BRIGHTENED, DASH REPLACED AND CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. DRIVER'S DOOR LOCKED ALL BY ITSELF WHILE CAR WAS PARKED WITH NO ONE INSIDE, ONLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR LOCKS. *AK
DASHBOARD LIGHTS INTERMITTENT ON / OFF. HEADLIGHT FAILURES AT NIGHT ON THE FREEWAY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS NOTED IN DEFECT INVESTIGATION ACTION # EA02030. THIS FAILURE RELATED TO THE LEAK IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OF THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE CONTACT SMELLED ANTIFREEZE WHEN HE SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, AND THE OIL AND ANTIFREEZE LEAKED OUT…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS NOTED IN DEFECT INVESTIGATION ACTION # EA02030. THIS FAILURE RELATED TO THE LEAK IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD OF THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE CONTACT SMELLED ANTIFREEZE WHEN HE SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, AND THE OIL AND ANTIFREEZE LEAKED OUT FREQUENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 15,350. *AK
WINDOW MOTORS ON THREE WINDOWS ON MY BUICK LESABRE, 2002, HAVE FAILED. SLIGHT POPPING SOUND, THEN WINDOW WILL NOT OPERATE. SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH BUICK. *JB
UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKING EXTERNALLY AT 50,400 MILES ON 2003 BUICK LESABRE. SAME OCCURRED ON MY 1997 BUICK LESABRE AT 85,000 MILES. REPLACED UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD AND GASKET WITH AFTER MARKET ASSEMBLY ON 1997 NOW AT 103,000 MILES. 2003 BUICK CURRENTLY AT DEALERS FOR REPAIR PENDING. *JB
Official recalls
102V222000 · Air Bags:frontal
Aug 9, 2002
CERTAIN PASSENGER, MINI VANS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE AN AIR BAG INFLATOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT COULD FRACTURE AT A WELD DURING A DEPLOYMENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: PIECES OF THE INFLATOR COULD STRIKE AND INJURE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND THE AIR BAG CUSHION WOULD NOT INFLATE FULLY, REDUCING THE CAPABILITY OF THE BAG TO PROTECT THE DRIVER.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT, AND REPLACE, IF NECESSARY, THE AIR BAG MODULE ASSEMBLY ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 15, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300, CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537, OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737.
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.