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2004 Buick Lesabre

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Lesabre years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Buick Lesabre are substantially higher than the model-year median of 24.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

126 reports with mileage · 36 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 66 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports5 fire reports8 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

66 reports
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59,302 miles · Jan 2, 2009
Electrical System

AT 56,980 MILES-DRIVING AFTER A STOP FOR LUNCH.-ALL INSTRUMENT PANEL EXCEPT AIRBAG AND ABS LIGHTS WENT OFF. SHOWED 11.7 VOLTS ON DISPLAY. TOOK TO DEALER WHO SAID THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM, IT WAS OK NEXT MORNING WHEN THEY LOOKED AT IT. REPLACED BATTERY WITH A HIGHER CCA RATING AT 59200 MILES TRACTION OFF, ABS AND BRAKE LIGH…

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AT 56,980 MILES-DRIVING AFTER A STOP FOR LUNCH.-ALL INSTRUMENT PANEL EXCEPT AIRBAG AND ABS LIGHTS WENT OFF. SHOWED 11.7 VOLTS ON DISPLAY. TOOK TO DEALER WHO SAID THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM, IT WAS OK NEXT MORNING WHEN THEY LOOKED AT IT. REPLACED BATTERY WITH A HIGHER CCA RATING AT 59200 MILES TRACTION OFF, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. OK NEXT MORNING. AT 59,290 MILES, OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. TRACTION OFF, ABS, AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. GONG SOUNDED THEN ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS WENT OFF BUT TRACTION OFF STAYED LIGHTED. UNABLE TO SWITCH TRACTION ON OR OFF. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH THE PRIMARY REASON TO PROVIDE REGULAR TRANSPORTATION TO A VA HOSPITAL TWO HOURS AWAY. CANNOT NOW TRUST THE CAR TO MAKE THE TRIP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10253548

51,000 miles · Dec 7, 2008
Electrical System

MY 2004 BUICK LESABRE LIMITED HAD ABOUT 49,000 MILES WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE GAS GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. IT IS MOST OFTEN PEGGED IN THE 6 O'CLOCK POSITION, WHICH ALSO IS AFFECTING THE HEAT GAUGE. I CALLED BUICK, AFTER CONFERRING WITH MY MECHANIC WHO ASSURED ME IT WAS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND NOT THE FUEL SENSOR IN THE TANK. BU…

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MY 2004 BUICK LESABRE LIMITED HAD ABOUT 49,000 MILES WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE GAS GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. IT IS MOST OFTEN PEGGED IN THE 6 O'CLOCK POSITION, WHICH ALSO IS AFFECTING THE HEAT GAUGE. I CALLED BUICK, AFTER CONFERRING WITH MY MECHANIC WHO ASSURED ME IT WAS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND NOT THE FUEL SENSOR IN THE TANK. BUICK MADE IT SOUND AS IF THEY WERE GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM IF I JUMPED THROUGH THEIR HOOPS AND TAKE IT TO A DEALER AND PAY $85.00 TO PUT IT ON THE COMPUTER. THE COMPUTER CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS A MALFUNCTIONING INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, AFTER WAITING A WEEK, BUICK CALLED ME BACK AND SAID THEY WERE NOT GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS UP TO ME TO PAY THE OVER $600 TO REPLACE THE CLUSTER. I HAVE NOT DONE SO AS OF YET. NOW THE SPEEDOMETER IS TOTALLY USELESS. THE CAR NOW HAS 52,000 MILES AND ON A RECENT ROAD TRIP, THE GAUGE QUIT WORKING ALL TOGETHER. I CONSIDER IT LUCK THAT I HAVE NOT GOTTEN A TICKET YET. I CAN LIVE WITHOUT A FUEL GAUGE SINCE THE DASH COMPUTER TELLS ME HOW FAR I CAN TRAVEL BEFORE RUNNING OUT OF GAS. I CANNOT, HOWEVER, LIVE WITHOUT A SPEEDOMETER. IT HAS NOW BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE. I KNOW FROM SEARCHING THE WEB, INCLUDING THIS WEB SITE, THAT BUICK IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ARE SO TOTALLY AGAINST FIXING IT. I ONLY HAVE ONE MORE GAUGE TO GO BEFORE THE DASH IS TOTALLY INOPERABLE AND THAT IS THE TACHOMETER. I HAVE BEEN NOTICING A PULSE IN THAT RECENTLY AS WELL SO I'M SURE ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THAT GOES OUT AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10250976

92,000 miles · Nov 21, 2008
Electrical SystemVisibility

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS PLACING FUEL INTO THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL GAUGE DIAL ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MOVED FROM FULL TO EMPTY. THE DIAL REMAINED ON EMPTY AND WOULD NOT MOVE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENTIRE INSTRU…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS PLACING FUEL INTO THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL GAUGE DIAL ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MOVED FROM FULL TO EMPTY. THE DIAL REMAINED ON EMPTY AND WOULD NOT MOVE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NO RECALL PERTAINING TO THIS FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000. UPDATED 12/22/08. *LJ THE POWER WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING. UPDATED 12/23/08.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10249486

45,500 miles · Jun 2, 2008
Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE CONTACT INFORMED HIM OF THE SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY BE INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HIM T…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE CONTACT INFORMED HIM OF THE SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY BE INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HIM TO BRING THEM THE VEHICLE. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,500 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,833.

NHTSA ODI #10229515

59,824 miles · Mar 30, 2008
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER FAILED, DASH INDICATOR NOT WORKING. DEALER, DESERT BUICK IN LAS VEGAS, REFUSED TO COVER COST OF REPLACEMENT (EST. $600-$800) YET 3 WESTERN STATES HAVE SUED GM OVER THIS FAILURE, CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE. GM HAS A "CAMPAIGN" TO FIX VEHICLES WITH LESS THAN 70,000 MILES BUT DESERT BUICK WILL NOT FIX MY VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10222728

50,000 miles · Mar 12, 2008
Electrical SystemFuel System, Gasoline

I HAVE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS. MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE GAS TANK FILLER NECK AS IT CRACKED. MY CAR HAD 45,000 SOME MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. ($473) BUICK SAID IT WAS THE RESULT OF FREEZING/ THAWING TEMPERATURES IN WINTER. THEN MY ASHTRAY DOOR BROKE - IT WON'T STAY CLOSED ON IT'S OWN. BUICK …

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I HAVE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS. MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE GAS TANK FILLER NECK AS IT CRACKED. MY CAR HAD 45,000 SOME MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. ($473) BUICK SAID IT WAS THE RESULT OF FREEZING/ THAWING TEMPERATURES IN WINTER. THEN MY ASHTRAY DOOR BROKE - IT WON'T STAY CLOSED ON IT'S OWN. BUICK WANTED $300 - 400 TO FIX THAT. I'M USING VELCRO. THEN MY ODOMETER NEEDLE STOPPED WORKING AND JUST HANGS. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE EVERY LIGHT BULB IN THE CAR AND THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH HEATING/AIR PANEL AREA HAVE GONE OUT. I HAVE LESS THAN 55,000 MILES ON THE CAR NOW AND ALL THIS HAPPENED BEFORE IT HIT 50,000 MILES. THIS IS A $35,000 CAR RETAIL -COME ON BUICK - LETS DO BETTER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10220895

Mileage unknown · Mar 3, 2008
Electrical System

DRIVING MY CAR AROUND 45 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE BEGAN TO CLIMB WITHOUT ANY MORE ACCELERATION TO THE GAS. THE NEEDLE WENT PAST THE 140 MPH MARK AND THEN BOTTOMED OUT HANGING COMPLETELY STILL. AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR IT REMAINED HANGING UNTIL A COUPLE WEEKS LATER THEN IT WOULD BEGIN TO CLIMB BUT NEVER REACH…

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DRIVING MY CAR AROUND 45 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE BEGAN TO CLIMB WITHOUT ANY MORE ACCELERATION TO THE GAS. THE NEEDLE WENT PAST THE 140 MPH MARK AND THEN BOTTOMED OUT HANGING COMPLETELY STILL. AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR IT REMAINED HANGING UNTIL A COUPLE WEEKS LATER THEN IT WOULD BEGIN TO CLIMB BUT NEVER REACHED THE CORRECT SPEED. (I HAVE THE MPH IMAGE ON MY WINDSHIELD THAT REVEALS MY SPEED-WHICH STILL WORKS). THE NEEDLE ON MY SPEEDOMETER CONTINUES TO FLUCTUATE OR REMAIN FROZEN EACH TIME I DRIVE MY CAR-IT NEVER MATCHES THE MPH IMAGE ON MY WINDSHIELD. THANKFULLY I HAVE THIS IMAGE, OR IT COULD OF CAUSED SERIOUS BRAKING OR PANIC THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED AND THE SPEEDOMETER WAS TELLING ME I WAS GOING OVER 140 WHEN I ACTUALLY I WAS NOT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10219880

87,000 miles · Dec 27, 2007
Electrical System

NO CRASHES OR ACCIDENTS AS OF YET. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON MY 2004 BUICK LESABRE WENT BAD RESULTING IN A NOT TRUE MPH READING CAUSING POTENTIAL SPEEDING IN SLOWER ZONES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10212966

Mileage unknown · Apr 25, 2007
Electrical System

EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF HEAT GAUGE, THEN FAILURE OF GAS GAUGE, NOW FAILURE OF SPEEDOMETER. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10188893

31,240 miles · Apr 1, 2007
Electrical System

THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER ON MY 2004 BUICK LESABRE FAILED TO REGISTER AT ALL ON ONE OCCASION, AND THE TACHOMETER REGISTERED ERRONEOUSLY HIGH READINGS ON ANOTHER OCCASION. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS REPLACED AT THE DEALER; SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED SOME TWO MONTHS EARLIER, IT COST ME $330 FOR THE REPLACEMENT. THE OLD …

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THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER ON MY 2004 BUICK LESABRE FAILED TO REGISTER AT ALL ON ONE OCCASION, AND THE TACHOMETER REGISTERED ERRONEOUSLY HIGH READINGS ON ANOTHER OCCASION. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WAS REPLACED AT THE DEALER; SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED SOME TWO MONTHS EARLIER, IT COST ME $330 FOR THE REPLACEMENT. THE OLD PART WAS NOT MADE AVAILABLE TO ME AT ALL. SINCE I SAW A TELEVISION NEWS REPORT JUST TODAY OF OTHER SPEEDOMETER FAILURES IN GM CARS AND TRUCKS, AND SINCE THE REPORT SUGGESTED SUBMITTING A REPORT, I DECIDED TO DO SO EVEN THOUGH MY MAKE AND MODEL OF CAR WAS NOT MENTIONED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10186684

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.