FaultScore report
Owners have filed 20 complaints about the 1986 Buick Lesabre with NHTSA between 1995 and 2001. The largest single group is the engine & cooling.
20
Complaints
1
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
1 crashes, 0 fires
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
BRAKE FAILURE
BRAKE FAILURE
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REAR BRAKE PIN
SUMMARY:THESE VEHICLES HAVE REAR DRUM BRAKES.THE PARKING LEVER PIVOTPIN IS HELD BY AN E RING.WHEN THE RING FAILS, PARTS OF THE RING ANDPIN FALL LOOSE INTO THE DRUM AND MAY JAM THE BRAKE, LOCKING THE WHEEL.A STRONGER E RING IS USED IN 1988 AND NEWER CARS.THIS INVESTIGATIONHAS BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE GMS C BODY CARS LISTED ABOVE (E RING COMMONTO ALL CARS SHOWN).===
REAR BRAKE PIN
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ANTI LOCK BRAKES
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THROTTLE NON-RETURN
POWER STEERING HOSE
HYDRO BOOST
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.
Engine
A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL (BRACKET) MAY SLIP OUT OF PLACE RESULTING IN POSSIBLE INTERMITTENT INCREASES IN ENGINE SPEED OR DIESELING. THIS CONDITION COULD ALSO CAUSE THE SERVO ROD ASSEMBLY TO WEAR THROUGH THE BALL AND CATCH ON OTHER COMPONENTS POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A STUCK THROTTLE. THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH. CORRECTION: A BUSHING KIT WILL BE INSTALLED ON THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL.
Brakes
ON VEHICLES WITH ANTILOCK BRAKES,BRAKE FLUID MAY SEEP FROM THE ABS PRESSURE/WARNING SWITCH,EVENTUALLY LEADING TO THE LOSS OF THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR.ALSO THE PUMP MOTOR AND ABS ELECTRICAL RELAYS MAY HAVE BEEN CONTAMINATED DURING ASSEMBLY.THIS CAN CAUSE LOSS OF THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR &/OR THE ABS FUNCTION.LOSS OF THE PUMP MOTOR WOULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO LOSS OF THE REAR BRAKES & LOSS OF POWER ASSIST TO THE FRONT BRAKES.THIS WOULD RESULT IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE.AN INOPERATIVE ABS RELAY COULD CAUSE LOSS OF THE ABS FUNCTION.ABS,PUMP MOTOR RELAYS,& 30 AMP FUSES WILL BE REPLACED.
Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE RAN INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON.VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE INJURED IN ACCIDENT, THE BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE TRIUMP I TIRES, TUWSRS, DOT NUMBER 00061298 ONLY HAD 1200 MILES AT TIME OF INCIDENT, CONSUMER HIT A VEHICLE HEAD ON AND THEN ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE SIDE, CONSUMER STATED THE TREAD SEPARATED. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #894654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
THE MASTER CYLINDER KIT HAS FAILED ON 4 OCCASIONS WITHOUT WARNING, AS THE DRIVER STEPPED ON THE BRAKE IT DID NOT WORK, THE DRIVER HAD TO DEPRESS THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK TO GET IT TO STOP. NLM
NHTSA complaint #562162 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 70MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE RAN INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON.VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK THERE WERE THREE PEOPLE INJURED IN ACCIDENT, THE BRIDGESTONE/FIRESTONE TRIUMP I TIRES, TUWSRS, DOT NUMBER 00061298 ONLY HAD 1200 MILES AT TIME OF INCIDENT, CONSUMER HIT A VEHICLE HEAD ON AND THEN ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE SIDE, CONSUMER STATED THE TREAD SEPARATED. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #894654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRE TREAD SEPARATION.
NHTSA complaint #748629 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
BUCKLE TO FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOESN'T LATCH. SPRING IN BUCKLE IS BROKEN. PART IS COMMONLY USED IN ALL GMC VEHICLES.
NHTSA complaint #889156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL IS ACTIVATING ON ITS OWN WHILE SWITCH IS IN OFF POSITION, CAUSING VEHICLE TO INCREASE IN SPEED UNEXPECTEDLY.
NHTSA complaint #881843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
I HAD TAKEN MY USED CAR TO TODDS TOWING AT 3867 HIGHWAY 87 REIDSVILLE NC 27320 ON THE FOLLOWING DATES 11-20-2000, AGAIN THREE DAYS LATER 11-23-00 AND AGAIN ON 13-4-00. EACH TIME HE CLAIMED TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE. I PAID 280.00, 218.00 AND $177.00. ALMOST $700.00 WITHIN A MONTHS TIME. FIVE DAYS AFTER THE LAST TIME. 12-4-00 I BROKE AGAIN. I HAD IT TOWED TO A DIFFERENT GARAGE, WHERE I WAS PROPTLEY INFORMED THAT THE MOTOR WAS SIEZING UP. I TRIED TO TALK TO TODDS TOWING ABOUT THIS AND WAS TOLD TO LEAVE THE PREMISES. I DON'T FEEL THIS MAN "TODD" IS A LICENSED MACHANIC. AND IF INFACT HE IS THEN HE NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED. I BELIEVE HE SWINDLED ME OUT OF ALMOST $700.00 AND WOULD HAVE CONTINUED IF I HADN'T GONE ELSE WERE. I AM DEBATING IF I SHOULD/COULD TAKE HIM TO CIVIL COURT ANY ADVICE WOULD BE APPRICIATE THANK YOU , TAMARA SEGUIN.
NHTSA complaint #738643 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. DEALER CONTACED AND WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #853873 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #707841 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
NOTICE SOME WEAR AT THE MOUNTING HOLES RESULTING IN IMPERFECT CENTERING. BUICK REFUSES TO TELL ME IF THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM REPLACING THE LUG NUTS THAT CAM WITH THE RIMS WITH STANDARD CENTERING LUG NUTS. THE ORIGINAL LUG NUTS AND RIMS WERE MADE WITH LARGE FLAT AREAS AND RELYING ON THE DIAMETER OF THE LUG NUTS TO DO THE CENTERING.
NHTSA complaint #533214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
'COLD POWER STEERING'.
NHTSA complaint #480941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING GEAR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #480941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STALLS WHEN DRIVING. TT
NHTSA complaint #488036 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STALLS WHEN DRIVING. TT
NHTSA complaint #488036 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LOCK IN PLACE. WHEN PUTTING THE LATCH IN IT, IT SLIPS RIGHT OUT. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY DON'T SELL THE PART ANYMORE.
NHTSA complaint #808065 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:COLUMN
TILT STEERING COLUMN BOLTS WORK LOOSE OVER TIME. *DSH
NHTSA complaint #488695 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WASHER MALFUNCTIONED.
NHTSA complaint #969485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
THE POWER MASTER BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED PRIOR TO/AFTER SERVICE RECALL (87C-013).
NHTSA complaint #969485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS
REPLACED THE RADIATOR HOSE DUE TO COOLANT LEAK.
NHTSA complaint #969485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ORIGINAL/REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION FAILED. *SKD
NHTSA complaint #486008 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HARMONIC BALANCER CAUSED ENGINE VIBRATION AND THE VEHICLE TO SURGE. TT
NHTSA complaint #961869 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.