FaultScore

2004 Buick Lesabre airbag problems

14 of the 212 complaints about the 2004 Buick Lesabre are about the airbag system — 7% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 75,000 miles.

F

14

Complaints

4

Crashes

0

Fires

7

Injuries

Exactly what failed

AIR Bags 11 78.6%
Frontal 2 14.3%
Sensor/Control Module 1 7.1%

Airbags across every Buick Lesabre year

1992 15 5.4%
1993 10 3.6%
1994 21 7.5%
1995 45 16.1%
1997 33 11.8%
1998 11 3.9%
1999 13 4.6%
2000 31 11.1%
2001 29 10.4%
2002 37 13.2%
2003 21 7.5%
2004 14 5.0%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Patrick, SC 1 injured

AIR BAGS

TAKATA RECALL. CAR'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHEN CAR WAS STARTED. CAR WAS IN PARK. IT WAS NOT EVEN GOING TO BE DRIVEN ONLY STARTED TO PUT DOWN THE WINDOWS. AS SOON AS THE KEY WAS TURNED BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING THE DASH TO POP OUT OF PLACE AND CRACK THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA complaint #10851990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 98,000 miles Perry, MO

AIR BAGS

TOP OF DASH (PAD) IS RAISING UP OFF TOP OF DASH?

NHTSA complaint #10721475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 104,000 miles Carol Stream, IL Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

I WAS GOING EAST ON A ONELANE STREET,WHEN THE OTHER CAR MADE A LEFT HAND TURN IN FRONT OF ME CAUSING THE ACCIDENT,MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING MY SEATBELT TO TIGHTEN AROUND MY LOWER BACK AND CREATING PAIN AND SPRAIN.IF AIRBAG DID DEPLOY I WOULD HAVE SUFFER ALOT LESS.

NHTSA complaint #10714872 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 55,000 miles Goose Creek, SC

AIR BAGS

THE DASHBOARD ON THE VEHICLE HAS COME LOOSE FROM THE GRILL UNDER THE WINDOW AND IS RISING UP. IT HAS RELEASED ALMOST ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT THE WINDSHIELD. ALSO IT HAS EXPOSED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG.

NHTSA complaint #10615079 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 60,000 miles Harrisburg, NC

AIR BAGS

TOP OF DASH BOARD (MAT,PAD) IS BOWING UP INTO THE FIELD OF DRIVING VISION AND IS SEPARATING FROM THE FRONT PART OF THE DASHBOARD. THE SEPARATION IS CREEPING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND THERE IS CONCERN THAT BOTH AIR BAGS MAY DEPLOY. GM REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE THIS ISSUE AS A DEFECTIVE DASH PROBLEM AND WILL DO NOTHING TO HELP REPAIR/REPLACE THE PART. TO GET A GOOD FEEL FOR THE PREVALENCE OF THIS ISSUE, GO TO CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-C5295_DS45613 AND READ ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND FRUSTRATIONS OF DEALING WITH GM. I HAVE EVEN SEEN OTHER BUICKS DRIVING WITH THIS PROBLEM. WHY WON'T THEY ADMIT TO THE PROBLEM AND GET THEM FIXED??

NHTSA complaint #10522424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 100,000 miles Carnegie, PA

AIR BAGS

DASHBOARD COVER STARTED LIFTING AND PULLING OUT FROM UNDER WINDSHIELD COWLING ABOUT JUNE 2012 AND IS TRAVELING ACROSS TO THE PASSENGER SIDE WHERE THERE IS AN AIRBAG. I AM NOW CONCERNED THAT THE LIFTING AND CREASING IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER IS A SAFETY DISTRACTION AND THAT IF IT CONTINUES TO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG THAT AIRBAG MAY GET SET OFF UNEXPECTEDLY, ANOTHER SAFETY HAZARD. IT IS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS ON THE INTERNET. IS THERE, OR WILL THERE BE, A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM? THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10490023 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 75,000 miles Jasper, TX Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MILES PER HOUR DURING SLIPPERY WEATHER CONDITIONS THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, CRASHED INTO A DITCH AND A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE INJURED AND TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA complaint #10445834 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chicago, IL Crash

AIR BAGS

MY BROTHER WAS DRIVING MY 2004 BUICK LESABRE CUSTOM AND CRASHED INTO IRON GATE AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA complaint #10396842 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 115,000 miles Colchester, CT

AIR BAGS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE DRIVER PRESSED ON THE CENTER OF THE STEERING COLUMN TO ACTIVATE THE HORN. THE HORN SOUNDED AND THE AIR BAG SERVICE LIGHT BEGAN ILLUMINATING ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF FOR A FEW MOMENTS. UPON RESTART THE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 115,000.

NHTSA complaint #10354185 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 82,000 miles Grayslake, IL Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) ACCIDENT 05/02/10 ON ILLINOIS ROUTE 83 AND WASHING TO STREET IN GRAYSLAKE IL. THE INCIDENT INVOLVED A 2004 BUICK LESABRE AND A 1987 DODGE PICKUP. THE IMPACT OF THE ACCIDENT WAS ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE BUICK AND TOTALED THE VEHICLE. THE VIN OF THE VEHICLE WAS [XXX] . THE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN THE PASSENGER OF THE BUICK AND THE DRIVER OF THE PICKUP BEING TRANSPORTED TO THE LAKE FOREST HOSPITAL ON ILLINOIS RT 120 IN GRAYSLAKE FOR CHECKUP. OUR CONCERN IS THAT WITH FORCE OF THE IMPACT THE AIRBAGS IN THE VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY AND IN OUR ESTIMATION THEY SHOULD HAVE. THE FEMALE PASSENGER OF THE BUICK CONTINUES TO COMPLAIN OF PAIN NEARLY 10 DAYS AFTER THE COLLISION. WE ARE NOT AWARE OF A DEFECT OTHER THAN THE BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE FORCE OF THE COLLISION WAS SUBSTANTIAL. THE MAIN IMPACT OF THE COLLISION APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER WHEEL. OUR DAUGHTER HAD A SIMILAR COLLISION WITH A FORD TAURUS WAGON IN THE 1990'S WHEREIN SHE WAS BROADSIDED ON THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR DEPLOYED THE AIRBAGS. ALTHOUGH INJURIES ARE MINIMAL IF THE CENTER OF THE IMPACT WAS ON THE PASSENGER DOOR, THE INJURIES WOULD HAVE BEEN HORRIFIC. OUR CONCERN IS THAT THERE MAY BE A DEFECT IN THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM.

NHTSA complaint #10330311 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 8,500 miles Emporium, PA

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE

DT: THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER LIGHTS BEGAN TO SCATTER AND ILLUMINATED WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED, THE BATTERY AND AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO STAY ON WHILE DRIVING FOR ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF. WHEN CONSUMER GOT HOME SHU OFF AENGINE AND THEN TRIED TO RESTART TO SEE IF THIS WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. THERE WAS NO POWER IN THE CAR. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. CALLED BUICK ROADSIDE ASSSITANCE BECAUSE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. A TOW TRUCK WAS SENT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO BUICK DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL AT DEALER. BUT CONSUMER WISHEED TO FILE A COMPLAINT AT THIS TIME.

NHTSA complaint #10133884 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Mcdaniel, MD 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

FAX INQUIRING WHAT ACTIONS TAKE PLACE ONCE A DEFECT PROBLEM IS POSTED AND REFERENCED WITH NHTSA, DEFECTIVE AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN HIS 2004 BUICK LESABRE INJURING HIS WIFE. *MR THE CONSUMER'S WIFE SUSTAINED SEVER ABRASIONS ON BOTH ARMS AND A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN THAT STILL PERSIST TODAY WHEN RIDING IN THE VEHICLE. *NM *SC

NHTSA complaint #10092205 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 8,077 miles Crofton, MD 1 injured

AIR BAGS

THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, DASHBOARD COLLAPSED AND WINDSHIELD SHATTERED IN TWO PLACES AFTER TAPPING ANOTHER VEHICLE.*MR THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLE'S WAS MINIMAL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED ABRASION ON HER ARM FROM THE AIR BAG/AIR BAG GASES.

NHTSA complaint #10083380 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 8,077 miles Crofton, MD 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHEN TAPPING THE BUMPER IN FRONT AT 5 MPH. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO SUSTAIN MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE. *AK THE DASHBOARD COLLAPSED AND THE WINDSHIELD SHATTERED IN TWO PLACES AND CAUSED ABRASIONS ON BOTH OF THE CONSUMER'S WIFE'S ARMS DUE TO THE DEPLOYMENT. *SC

NHTSA complaint #10081723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2004 Buick Lesabre problems

← Full 2004 Buick Lesabre report