THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON AND THE DASH IS SEPARATING FROM THE FIREWALL OF THE MOTOR. THERE IS A GAP BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD AND THE DASH
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
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.
What owners actually said
164 reportsIN 2009 THE DASHBOARD BEGAN TO LIFT UP UNDER THE WINDSHIELD. BY 2011 THE DASHBOARD HAD LIFTED UP ALMOST COMPLETELY ACROSS THE DASH ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD, BY ABOUT 2 INCHES. I HAD MY MECHANIC ATTEMPT TO SECURE IT BACK DOWN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
FIRST ELECTRICAL... MY WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING BAD RAIN RIGHT AFTER COMING OUT THE TUNNEL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC NO ACCIDENT I KNEW ROAD ENOUGH TO PULL OVER.. GOT FIXED REPLACED WIPER MOTOR 3 TIMES AND THE WIPER SWITCH WIPERS STILL GO WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON... THEN MY DASH KEEPS GETTING DIM AND MY ABS,TRACTION ,AND BRAKE LIGHT…
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FIRST ELECTRICAL... MY WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING BAD RAIN RIGHT AFTER COMING OUT THE TUNNEL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC NO ACCIDENT I KNEW ROAD ENOUGH TO PULL OVER.. GOT FIXED REPLACED WIPER MOTOR 3 TIMES AND THE WIPER SWITCH WIPERS STILL GO WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON... THEN MY DASH KEEPS GETTING DIM AND MY ABS,TRACTION ,AND BRAKE LIGHTSARE ON AND I'VE HAD THAT FIXED STILL KEEPS STAYING LIT.... I GET REGULAR OIL CHANGES AT WALMART EVERY 3000 MILES THERES FLUID LEAKING FROM VALVE COVER THAT I HAD REPLACED ...THINGS I REPLACED ON CAR SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN INSPECTED.. MY DASH WAS LIFTED WHEN I PURCHASED VEHICLE USED ALSO SAID IT WAS FINE MVA MADE THEM REINSPECT CAR N ITS STILL LIFTED I ALSO KNOW IT WONT PASS INSPECTION LIFTED
BATTERY GOES DEAD OVER NIGHT, TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC HE SAID THE FUSE BOX UNDERBACK SEAT IS SHORTING OUT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD HAD INADVERTENTLY BECOME UNGLUED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD HAD INADVERTENTLY BECOME UNGLUED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT NO RECALL WAS ASSOCIATED WITH HE VIN. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO CALL NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
I HAD TRAVELED ABOUT 2 MILES FROM HOME TO A HOME DEPOT AND WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 20 MPH AS I WAS ABOUT TO TURN INTO ONE OF THE PARKING LANES. SUDDENLY THE CAR WENT INTO FULL SPEED AS IF I WAS FULL ON THE GAS PEDAL. I NEARLY HIT OTHER CARS TRYING TO GET CONTROL OF MY CAR. I TRIED SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF AND THEN BACK ON, BUT THAT …
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I HAD TRAVELED ABOUT 2 MILES FROM HOME TO A HOME DEPOT AND WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 20 MPH AS I WAS ABOUT TO TURN INTO ONE OF THE PARKING LANES. SUDDENLY THE CAR WENT INTO FULL SPEED AS IF I WAS FULL ON THE GAS PEDAL. I NEARLY HIT OTHER CARS TRYING TO GET CONTROL OF MY CAR. I TRIED SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF AND THEN BACK ON, BUT THAT DID NO GOOD. MY CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 70,000 ACTUAL MILES ON IT AS I AM RETIRED. CAR IS CURRENTLY IN A GARAGE WAITING FOR REPAIRS.07242013
LETTER FROM CONGRESSWOMAN FOXX ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 2003 BUICK LESABRE DEFECT ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DASHBOARD SEPARATED AND RAISED ABOUT TWO INCHES. *JB
"DEFECTIVE GASKETS FIRE HAZARD" OIL DRIPPING FROM VALVE COVER CAUGHT FIRE BURNING PLUG WIRES AND 3800 V6 ENGINE SHROUD'. I HAD PARKED THE VEHICLE IN MY DRIVE. I WENT INSIDE HOME FOR 2 MINUTES. I CAME BACK OUTSIDE TO RETRIEVE A SODA WHEN I DISCOVERED SMOKE BILLOWING FROM UNDER HOOD. WHEN I RELEASED HOOD LATCH AND RAISED HOOD F…
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"DEFECTIVE GASKETS FIRE HAZARD" OIL DRIPPING FROM VALVE COVER CAUGHT FIRE BURNING PLUG WIRES AND 3800 V6 ENGINE SHROUD'. I HAD PARKED THE VEHICLE IN MY DRIVE. I WENT INSIDE HOME FOR 2 MINUTES. I CAME BACK OUTSIDE TO RETRIEVE A SODA WHEN I DISCOVERED SMOKE BILLOWING FROM UNDER HOOD. WHEN I RELEASED HOOD LATCH AND RAISED HOOD FLAMES SHOT OUT DRIVING ME TO THE GROUND. I QUICKLY GOT A WASH BUCKET NEARBY AND WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT FIRE. I DON'T KNOW THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE. I FOUND OUT THAT OVER 1300 GM VEHICLES HAVE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO BUICK AND WAS TOLD A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD CONTACT ME WITHIN 24 HOURS. 2 DAYS PASS NO CALL AND CAR SITS IN DRIVE. I'M LUCKY I CAUGHT IT AS IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A HOUSE FIRE AS WELL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD DETACHED, INCLUDING THE AIR BAG HOUSING AREA. THE LOOSENED DASHABOARD DISTORTED THE CONTACT'S VISION WHEN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. TH…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD DETACHED, INCLUDING THE AIR BAG HOUSING AREA. THE LOOSENED DASHABOARD DISTORTED THE CONTACT'S VISION WHEN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
THE DASHBOARD PANEL IS SEPARATING AT THE FRONT WHERE IT MEETS THE DEFROSTER COWLING. THE SEPARATION IS INCREASING ALONG THE FRONT OF THE DASH FROM DRIVER TO PASSENGER SIDE, AND IS STARTING TO CURL UP CONSIDERABLY ON THE DRIVER SIDE. IT IS UNKNOWN HOW MUCH FURTHER THE SEPARATION/CURLING WILL CONTINUE, AND IS BEGINNING TO AFFECT T…
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THE DASHBOARD PANEL IS SEPARATING AT THE FRONT WHERE IT MEETS THE DEFROSTER COWLING. THE SEPARATION IS INCREASING ALONG THE FRONT OF THE DASH FROM DRIVER TO PASSENGER SIDE, AND IS STARTING TO CURL UP CONSIDERABLY ON THE DRIVER SIDE. IT IS UNKNOWN HOW MUCH FURTHER THE SEPARATION/CURLING WILL CONTINUE, AND IS BEGINNING TO AFFECT THE VISION OF THE DRIVER JUST ABOVE THE HOOD. I ADDITION, OTHER COMPONENTS UNDER THE DASHBOARD ARE BEGINNING TO BE EXPOSED TO SUNLIGHT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SUGGESTS THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON FAILURE WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE, WITH MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS, RANGING FROM OBSCURED DRIVER VISION, TO POTENTIAL OR POSSIBLE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT DUE TO EXPOSED COMPONENTS. INVESTIGATION ALSO SUGGESTS THAT GENERAL MOTORS IS NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE EXISTENCE OF THE PROBLEM, NOR PROVIDING ADEQUATE SOLUTIONS FOR REPAIR DESPITE NUMEROUS CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS.
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.
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