IllustrationCar has hard shift's that get worse when the car is up to temperature. Fuel gauge show's false reading. Two window regulators failed.
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.
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
230–25K
2025–50K
2750–75K
3075–100K
20100–150K
6150K+
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
Fuel/propulsion System complaints
8 reportsfuel vapor system leaks gas fumes into car. Replaced all fuel lines, pulled tank, renewed canister. 10 months later fumes are again entering car cabin. 105,000 total miles.
THE GAUGES IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STOP WORKING. THE SPEEDOMETER HAS STOPPED WORKING I AM DRIVING A VEHICLE AND NOT KNOW HOW FAST I AM DRIVING. THE GAS GAUGE HAS STOP WORKING I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GAS IS IN MY CAR I HAVE TO FILL THE TANK AND CHECK IT EVERY TWO WEEKS SO I WILL NOT RUN OUT OF GAS.
FUEL GAGE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WHEN NEEDLE GETS BETWEEN HALF AND A QUARTER, IT BOUNCES BACK AND FORTH FROM EMPTY TO FULL. THEN AT A QUARTER FULL, IT GOES TO EMPTY AND STAYS THERE. YOU ARE NEVER SURE HOW MUCH GAS YOU REALLY HAVE AND CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STOP SUDDENLY.HAPPENS WHEN IN MOTION AND STILL ON ALL ROADS.
WHILE DRIVING HOME MY FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. WHEN I GOT HOME I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN BACK ON AND THE FUEL GAUGE WAS NOW IN THE 6 POSITION ON A CLOCK. NOW I HAVE NO IDEA IF THERE IS ANY FUEL IN THE CAR OR NOT. LUCKILY I RESET THE TRIP METER WITH EVERY FUEL UP SO I KNOW I CAN GO APPROXIMATELY 300 MILES. ALTHOUGH IN …
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WHILE DRIVING HOME MY FUEL GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. WHEN I GOT HOME I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN BACK ON AND THE FUEL GAUGE WAS NOW IN THE 6 POSITION ON A CLOCK. NOW I HAVE NO IDEA IF THERE IS ANY FUEL IN THE CAR OR NOT. LUCKILY I RESET THE TRIP METER WITH EVERY FUEL UP SO I KNOW I CAN GO APPROXIMATELY 300 MILES. ALTHOUGH IN THE WINTER WHEN WE HAVE TO IDLE OUR CAR SO THE FUEL MILEAGE GOES DOWN AND I DO NOT GET AS MANY MILES ON A TANK. HOPE I DON'T RUN OUT OF FUEL DURING THE WINTER. IN READING ONLINE REVIEWS ABOUT THIS ISSUE IT TURNS OUT IT CAN GET WORSE AND CAUSE THE SPEEDOMETER TO STOP WORKING. THEN I MAY BE SPEEDING AND NOT EVEN KNOW IT. I DID TRY AND HAVE IT FIXED BUT THE GUY CHARGED ME $207 AND IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. AT THE LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THEY WOULD REPAIR IT FOR $350.
I'VE OWNED 5 BUICK LESABRES, AND CONTINUE TO RUN TWO OF THEM (2002 LESABRE WITH ABOUT 180,000 MILES, AND 2004 LESABRE WITH OVER 80,000 MILES VIN: [XXX] FOR THE 2004, AND [XXX] FOR THE 2002). BOTH CURRENTLY OWNED LESABRES HAVE FUEL GAUGE PROBLEMS. MY 2002 SHOWED ERRATIC INACCURATE READINGS, BUT NOW IS FLATLINED AT EMPTY, EVEN …
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I'VE OWNED 5 BUICK LESABRES, AND CONTINUE TO RUN TWO OF THEM (2002 LESABRE WITH ABOUT 180,000 MILES, AND 2004 LESABRE WITH OVER 80,000 MILES VIN: [XXX] FOR THE 2004, AND [XXX] FOR THE 2002). BOTH CURRENTLY OWNED LESABRES HAVE FUEL GAUGE PROBLEMS. MY 2002 SHOWED ERRATIC INACCURATE READINGS, BUT NOW IS FLATLINED AT EMPTY, EVEN IF THE TANK HAS JUST BEEN FILLED. MY 2004 IS SHOWING THE OPPOSITE REACTION, SHOWING FULL, EVEN AFTER A FULL TRIP SHOULD BE SENDING IT TOWARD AN EMPTY READING. SOMETHING SIMILAR HAPPENED ON A PREVIOUS LESABRE I OWNED, AND COST ME A NEW FUEL PUMP & GAUGE RUNNING NEARLY $500. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A COMMON OCCURRENCE IF I'VE HAD IT OCCUR ON 3 OF FIVE LESABRES I'VE OWNED. IT'S ALSO A VERY COMMON COMPLAINT ON THE INTERNET. JUST RECENTLY ON THE 2002, I RAN OUT OF GAS IN THE MIDDLE OF HEAVY TRAFFIC DUE TO GAS GAUGE INACCURACY. FORTUNATELY IT WAS A LOW SPEED REGION. HOWEVER, HAD I RUN OUT OF GAS IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC SURROUNDED BY 18 WHEELERS, THIS COULD HAVE LEAD TO TRAUMATIC INJURY OR DEATH. 1 FAILURE ... I COULD TOLERATE, AND WAS WILLING TO PAY FOR IT WITHOUT COMPLAINT ..... BUT 3 OUT OF 5 LESABRES !!!???? THAT'S A DESIGN DEFECT OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I AM SEEKING A RECALL ON BUICK LESABRE GAS GAUGE UNITS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
FIRST FUEL GAUGE WOULD NOT WORK COST $400.00 TO REPLACE SYSTEM NOW MY MILEAGE WORKS WHEN IT WANTS CAN/T ALWAYS TELL HOW FAST I AM GOING THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL WORK. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LASABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD NOT REGISTER FTHE CORRECT AMOOUNTS OF FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000.
Official recalls
0No 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.