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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

Exterior Lighting complaints

8 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 27, 2020
Exterior LightingPower TrainSeat Belts

I CONTINUE SMELLING AN OIL-BURNING SMELL AND MY RIGHT TURN SIGNAL CONTINUE TO GO OUT AND I HAVE REPLACED TO BLUB OVER AND OVER

NHTSA ODI #11319438

98,139 miles · Dec 21, 2016
Electrical SystemExterior LightingFuel System, Gasoline

J & K MITCHELL CASEY, IL.62420 PURCHASED ON 4/11/2014, 98,104 MILEAGE. HEADLAMPS GO OFF AT NITE DRIVING, VERY UNNERVING, FUEL GAGE, HAYWIRE FROM THE START, WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE WOULD ACCELERATE WHEN TURNING RIGHT. SWAYING/SUSPENSION, WHEN TURNING, DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, REPORTED THIS MANY TIMES AND TAKEN INTO DEALER..HOWEVER, N…

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J & K MITCHELL CASEY, IL.62420 PURCHASED ON 4/11/2014, 98,104 MILEAGE. HEADLAMPS GO OFF AT NITE DRIVING, VERY UNNERVING, FUEL GAGE, HAYWIRE FROM THE START, WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE WOULD ACCELERATE WHEN TURNING RIGHT. SWAYING/SUSPENSION, WHEN TURNING, DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, REPORTED THIS MANY TIMES AND TAKEN INTO DEALER..HOWEVER, NEVER TAKEN CARE OF. ONLY THING FIXED WAS SOLENOID. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10936638

118,568 miles · Jan 11, 2015
Exterior Lighting

WHEN SWITCHING HEADLIGHTS FROM HIGH TO LOW AND LOW TO HIGH BEAM OCCASIONALLY THE LIGHTS GO DARK. THIS IS A SCARY SITUATION AT HIGH SPEEDS. LUCKILY THE LIGHTS USUALLY COME BACK ON IF THE LEAVER IS DEPRESSED SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE ONLY FIX IS A NEW SWITCH ASSEMBLY AT OVER $500 JUST FOR THE SWITCH NOT TO MENTION T…

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WHEN SWITCHING HEADLIGHTS FROM HIGH TO LOW AND LOW TO HIGH BEAM OCCASIONALLY THE LIGHTS GO DARK. THIS IS A SCARY SITUATION AT HIGH SPEEDS. LUCKILY THE LIGHTS USUALLY COME BACK ON IF THE LEAVER IS DEPRESSED SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE ONLY FIX IS A NEW SWITCH ASSEMBLY AT OVER $500 JUST FOR THE SWITCH NOT TO MENTION THE LABOR COST. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE '07 BUICK LA CROSSE HAD A RECALL ON THIS SWITCH. I SUSPECT THAT MY '04 LA SABRE MAY HAVE A SIMILAR SWITCH. THERE ARE A TWO OTHER FUNCTIONS ON THIS SWITCH, L/R SIGNAL, WINDSHIELD WIPERS/WASHERS, ALL OF WHICH WORK WITHOUT A PROBLEM. I GOT NO SATISFACTION FROM MY GM DEALER WHEN I REQUESTED HELP WITH THE REPAIR COST. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10671634

115,000 miles · May 18, 2012
Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SUDDENLY STOPPED ILLUMINATING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A D…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SUDDENLY STOPPED ILLUMINATING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE HEADLIGHTS ALSO STOPPED FUNCTIONING SUDDENLY TWO DIFFERENT TIMES WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

NHTSA ODI #10458912

42,000 miles · Dec 9, 2011
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

THE LIGHTS ON MY HEATER CONSOLE BEGAN TO GO OUT, ONE BY ONE OVER A ONE WEEK PERIOD. OBVIOUSLY ALL THESE BULBS WERE MANUFACTURED AT THE SAME TINE TO THE VERY SAME SPECS! AFTER FINDING OUT FROM Y SERVICE SHOP THAT I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE UNIT (AT A COST OF OVER $600 JUST FOR THE PART), I FOUND SOME BULBS FROM RADIO SHA…

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THE LIGHTS ON MY HEATER CONSOLE BEGAN TO GO OUT, ONE BY ONE OVER A ONE WEEK PERIOD. OBVIOUSLY ALL THESE BULBS WERE MANUFACTURED AT THE SAME TINE TO THE VERY SAME SPECS! AFTER FINDING OUT FROM Y SERVICE SHOP THAT I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE UNIT (AT A COST OF OVER $600 JUST FOR THE PART), I FOUND SOME BULBS FROM RADIO SHACK THAT I SOLDERED IN MYSELF (THROUGH FIXYA.COM - SO MANY PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM). SHORTLY THEREAFTER, MORE BULBS ON OTHER SWITCHES (WINDOW CONTROLS, STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS, RADIO) ALSO WENT OUT. THIS COULD BE A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF YOU HAVE DRIVERS HUNTING IN THE DARK FOR CONTROLS AS THEY ARE DRIVING. TEXTING IS BAD ENOUGH, BUT FUMBLING IN THE DARK FOR YOUR OWN CAR'S CONTROLS AND TRYING TO CORRECT A BUTTON YOU PUSHED INADVERTENTLY CAN CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10439209

100,400 miles · Mar 1, 2011
Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN THE EXTERIOR HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT SHE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE DIRECTIONAL SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS REP…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN THE EXTERIOR HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT SHE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE DIRECTIONAL SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED YET THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN 7,000 MILES. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,400. UPDATED 5/2/11 *CN UPDATED 05/13/11

NHTSA ODI #10386090

Mileage unknown · Sep 25, 2009
Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DURING ATTEMPTED USAGE, THE HIGH BEAMS FAILED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING $708.31 TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 114,000 UPDATED 10/21/09*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING ON A TWO LANE ROAD, HE ATTEMPTED TO…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DURING ATTEMPTED USAGE, THE HIGH BEAMS FAILED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING $708.31 TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 114,000 UPDATED 10/21/09*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING ON A TWO LANE ROAD, HE ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH THE LIGHTS FROM LOW BEAM TO HIGH, ONLY TO DISCOVER HE HAD NO LIGHTS AT ALL. HE WORKED THE SWITCH RAPIDLY A FEW TIMES, UNTIL THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS CAME ON. SINCE THEN, THE CONSUMER HAS NOT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH LOCATED IN THE STEERING COLUMN.

NHTSA ODI #10285206

Mileage unknown · Feb 23, 2004
Exterior Lighting

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE THE ROAD. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WORE OUT PREMATURELY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10059566

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.