FaultScore

1997 Buick Lesabre suspension problems

20 of the 514 complaints about the 1997 Buick Lesabre are about the suspension — 4% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 150,190 miles.

A

20

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Suspension 10 50.0%
Rear 3 15.0%
Front 2 10.0%
Macpherson Strut 2 10.0%
Control ARM 1 5.0%
Wheel Bearing 1 5.0%
Stabilizer BAR 1 5.0%

Suspension across every Buick Lesabre year

1997 20 20.6%
1998 16 16.5%
1999 19 19.6%
2000 24 24.7%
2001 18 18.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 190,000 miles Saint Cloud, MN

SUSPENSION

SUB FRAME IS COMPLETELY ROATED OUT ON THE BACK DRIVE. COMPLETE SAFTY HAZARD NEEDS RECALL

NHTSA complaint #10928836 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 103,000 miles Worcester, MA

SUSPENSION

THE SUB FRAME BUSHING IS COMPLETELY ROTTED. DAY IT WAS SOLD TO ME PASSED INSPECTION BUT ON CAR FAX IT FAILED SAFETY INSPECTION? IT CRACKS AND CREAKS WHEN TURNING LEFT.

NHTSA complaint #10859934 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 143,381 miles Morgantown, WV

SUSPENSION

WAS DRIVING CAR AND IT STARTED STEERING HARD DROVE HOME APPROX 35 MILES TO FIND THE K FRAME WASHERS HAD RUSTED OFF AND THE ENGINE WAS NOT BEING SUPPORT. HAS IT FIXED AND SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN GOING LESS THAN 5 MPH AND STEERING WENT OUT AND ON INSPECTION THE FRONT AND LOWER FRAME MOUNTS HAD FALLEN AND CAR HAS BEEN PARKED EVERY SINCE BECAUSE I CAN NOT FIND PARTS THAT ARE REASONABLY PRICED! I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE DOING 70 MPH 10 MINS PRIOR TO THE LAST INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN A BAD RESULT. HAVE READ ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS IN A FORUM SOMEONE STARTED ON GOOGLE, CANT BELIEVE THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL!

NHTSA complaint #10578934 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 157,000 miles Norwalk, WI

SUSPENSION

WHILE ACCELERATING UP TO SPEED FROM A STOP, ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A NOTICEABLE THUMP, THE STEERING WAS ERRATIC, THE CAR VIBRATED AND SHOOK. THE POWER STEERING WAS INOPERABLE. WE SLOWLY DROVE THE CAR HOME (2 MILES) AND UPON EXAMINATION, WE DISCOVERED THE ENGINE CRADLE FRAME WAS HANGING DOWN, ONLY A FEW INCHES FROM THE GROUND. THE ENGINE CRADLE MOUNTING WASHERS (2 ON EACH SIDE) HAD RUSTED THRU, ALLOWING THE REAR OF THE CRADLE TO DROP. I ALSO NOTICED THE RIGHT SIDE SWAY BAR WAS BROKEN OFF AT THE MOUNT ON THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION AND WHEEL ASSEMBLIES ARE FASTENED TO THIS CRADLE, SO THAT'S WHY THE STEERING BECAME ERRATIC - THERE WAS NO LONGER ANY SOLID ATTACHMENT TO THE CAR. AFTER CAREFULLY EXAMINING THE ATTACHMENT POINTS, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY AND STRUCTURAL DESIGN FLAW. THESE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC. WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE WERE ON A STRAIGHT ROAD AT A SLOW SPEED WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I NOTICED THERE ARE MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE OF THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #10576046 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW Gretna, NJ

SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE THE STRUTS WERE VERY BAD, CONSUMER WAS FINDING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA complaint #567929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Loves Park, IL

SUSPENSION

VEHICLE VIBRATES SEVERELY WHEN DRIVING 60 MPH, AND IT PULLS TO THE RIGHT. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFROMATION.

NHTSA complaint #8013675 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LOS Alamitos, CA

SUSPENSION

WHILE DRIVING 65-70 MPH ON ROUGH PAVEMENT, VEHICLE WAS SKIPPING LANES WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL.*AK CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS DRIVING AND WENT THROUGH A ROUGH SECTION OF THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE'S REAR END BEGAN GOING UP AND DOWN FORCING CONSUMER TO LIGHTLY APPLY THE BRAKES, THIS ACTION CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VEER SLIGHTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE, CONSUMER RELASED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR THE TYPE OF SUSPENSION THE VEHICLE HAS.

NHTSA complaint #8011021 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Corpus Christie, TX

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM

REAR BRAKES SOUND LIKE METAL RUBBING AGAINST METAL WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE CHECKING THE BALL JOINTS AGAIN AND FOUND THAT TWO OF THE BALL JOINTS, ONE ON EACH SIDE, DID NOT HAVE ANY GREASE, WHICH MEANS THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE WORN OUT.

NHTSA complaint #898930 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EAU Claire, WI

SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING

HAD TAKEN VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AT INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. WAS INFORMED THAT A BOLT TO RACK AND PINION STEERING HAD BROKEN , AND BUSHINGS HAD WORN OUT. BOLT NUT WAS SITTING THERE, LOOKED LIKE IT WAS WELDED.

NHTSA complaint #879759 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Unknown, UN

SUSPENSION:FRONT:MACPHERSON STRUT

SUSPENSION SYSTEM HAD PROBLEMS, GM REPLACED THE STRUTS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE BOTTOMED OUT WHILE HITTING SMALL BUMPS.

NHTSA complaint #783921 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Roswell, NM

SUSPENSION:FRONT:STABILIZER BAR

FRONT RIGHT SIDE STABLIZER BAR BUSHING CAME APART/FELL OFF ONTO ROAD WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

NHTSA complaint #847327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Middle Village, NY 1 injured

SUSPENSION

NOISE HEARD IN THE FRONT END SUSPENSION.

NHTSA complaint #543132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hazel Hurst, MS

SUSPENSION:REAR

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH REAR SUSPENSION. VEHICLE BOUNCES UP AND DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #831496 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Ridgefield, CT

SUSPENSION:REAR

REAR SUSPENSION POOR RESULTING IN VEHICLE BOTTOMING OUT WHILE DRIVING, STRUTS REPLACED WITH KIT TO PROHIBIT BOTTOMING OUT HOWEVER FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #542000 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Indianopolis, IN

SUSPENSION

WHEN DRIVING AT 65 MPH OR OVER, VEHICLE VIBRATES.

NHTSA complaint #537056 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Angleton, TX

SUSPENSION:FRONT

FRONT END MISALIGNMENT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND PREMATURE WEAR OF TIRES. ALSO, BATTERY LEAKED ACID, AND TERMINAL WAS WORN OUT TO THE POINT OF BEING BROKEN.

NHTSA complaint #536768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Queensbury, NY

SUSPENSION

VEHICLE BOTTOMS OUT WITH FOUR OR MORE PASSENGERS ABOARD.

NHTSA complaint #526306 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Middle Town, PA

SUSPENSION:REAR

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS GO DIM FOR NO REASON. OWNER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND WAS TOLD ITS THE DESIGN OF VEHICLE. OWNER FURTHER NOTES THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS. *AK SES LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WHEN THERE IS NOT EVEN 300 POUNDS IN VEHICLE AND GOING OVER BUMPS, IT BOTTOMS OUT, DEALER REPLACED REAR SPRINGS AND WEAK COIL SPRINGS. CONSUMER HAD TO WIGGLE KEY TO GET IT OUT OF THE DOOR, DEALER FILED KEY AND LUBRICATED THE LOCK CYLINDER. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #816185 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Philadelphia, PA

SUSPENSION

STRUT FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #520206 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Springfield, VA

SUSPENSION:FRONT

FRONT SUSPENSION, WHEN DRIVING AT SPEED 40 TO 70MPH, VIBRATION IN THE FRONT, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #985995 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1997 Buick Lesabre problems

← Full 1997 Buick Lesabre report