FaultScore

Buick Lesabre acceleration problems

146 of the 4,865 complaints filed about the Buick Lesabre are about the throttle and cruise control — 3% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2000.

146

Complaints

3%

Share of all complaints

30

Crashes

3

Fires

Acceleration & Cruise Control complaints by model year

1982 Lesabre 1 0.7%
1985 Lesabre 1 0.7%
1986 Lesabre 1 0.7%
1987 Lesabre 3 2.1%
1989 Lesabre 6 4.1%
1990 Lesabre 7 4.8%
1991 Lesabre 1 0.7%
1992 Lesabre 3 2.1%
1993 Lesabre 14 9.6%
1994 Lesabre 11 7.5%

Median failure at 104,522 miles

1995 Lesabre 8 5.5%

Median failure at 36,500 miles

1996 Lesabre 6 4.1%

Median failure at 22,000 miles

1997 Lesabre 12 8.2%

Median failure at 53,300 miles

1998 Lesabre 4 2.7%

Median failure at 50,000 miles

1999 Lesabre 9 6.2%

Median failure at 24,000 miles

2000 Lesabre 26 17.8%

Median failure at 42,500 miles

2001 Lesabre 11 7.5%

Median failure at 24,570 miles

2002 Lesabre 8 5.5%

Median failure at 107,500 miles

2003 Lesabre 5 3.4%

Median failure at 130,000 miles

2004 Lesabre 5 3.4%

Median failure at 75,000 miles

2005 Lesabre 4 2.7%

Median failure at 52,300 miles

What owners said

2000 Buick Lesabre Greeneville, TN Fire

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

the 2000 Buick Lesabre is a wonderful car basically a tank with the 3800 SERIES II you cant go wrong but the tiny little plastic part holding the throttle cable will dryrot even with a garage kept car under 150k miles please get them replaced I was driving and then the part came off and it got wrapped around the bracket and it took off I melted the breaks I wasn't stopping due to constant gas so I flipped in down into neutral to stop the vehicle from accelerating after i found a spot to pull it off the road but you can also put your foot under the peddle and pull up on it while pressing the breaks if you cant find a safe area while this is happening but i didnt relise it was happning until i hit 65 because the road i was on was a 55 and before i knew it i was going 90 luciky i live out in the rural areas

NHTSA complaint #11706263 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2000 Buick Lesabre Greeneville, TN Fire

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

The plastic pice holding the throttle lines snapped off and my cable went under my bracket and it took off I destroyed the Transmission putting it in neutral to stop the vehicle after I had gotten it stoped the fire from the engine was small I will recommend this car and yes I do want another one but it is a common issue I will recomed this car because the body is made out of steel and they are basicly tanks with the 3800 Series II and it was easy for me to spot what was happening and get ahead of it before it got worse I drove 5 miles with this happening before the engine overheated and caught fire

NHTSA complaint #11676853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Buick Lesabre at 230,000 miles Central City, IA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

IN A SMALL TOWN, APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AT THE HIGHWAY CROSSROAD WITH 2-3 VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME. I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR AND STARTED BRAKING. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY REVVED, I MOVED MY FOOT TO TRY TO RAISE THE ACCELERATOR AND IT WAS ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR; IT WOULD NOT RAISE. I IMMEDIATELY PLACED IN NEUTRAL AND AS PULLING AS CLOSE TO CURB AS POSSIBLE, I SHUT THE IGNITION OFF, THEN PLACED IN PARK. IT HAD TO BE TOWED BACK HOME UNTIL WE CAN DEAL WITH IT. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO ACT QUICKLY ENOUGH TO PREVENT ANY DAMAGE TO ANY OTHER VEHICLE OR PERSON.

NHTSA complaint #11203844 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Buick Lesabre at 140,000 miles Rossford, OH

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY ACCELERATES AS HIGH AS 50-60MPH WITHOUT TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL. THE CAR HAS TO BE THROWN IN NEUTRAL OR STOPPED SOME PLACE SAFE, AT WHICH POINT IT REVS UP PAST 3000 RPM UNTIL THE GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED TO THROTTLE IT BACK DOWN. THE VEHICLE HAS DONE THIS IN REVERSE WHILE BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY AS WELL, WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO DO THIS UPON STARTING OR WHILE IT IS WARMING UP. IT CAN BE ON ANY STREET OR HIGHWAY AND AT ANY SPEED WHEN IT STARTS REVVING HIGH. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, BUT CLUSTERS SOMETIMES SEVERAL DAYS IN A ROW AS CONSTANT AND THEN GOING A MONTH WITHOUT DOING IT AT ALL. IT DOES SEEM TO BE MORE LIKELY TO ACCELERATE AFTER HITTING A DIP (LIKE NEAR WHERE A DRAIN IS IN A PARKING LOT) BUT THAT MAY BE JUST COINCIDENTAL. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITH A TUNE UP DONE AND THE THROTTLE BODY CLEANED ALONG WITH SOME OTHER TROUBLE-SHOOTING WITH THE THROTTLE AT A COST (THUS FAR) OF SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS. THE VEHICLE IS DOING THIS SO FREQUENTLY IN THE LAST FEW DAYS THAT IS HAS BECOME UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA complaint #11176068 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2000 Buick Lesabre at 195,000 miles Knoxville, IA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE VEHICLE'S THROTTLE APPARENTLY BECOMES STUCK OPEN, WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE TO A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND BECOME DIFFICULT TO STOP. IT HAS OCCURRED WHILE THE CAR IS IN PARK OR WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP ON CITY STREETS OR WHEN ACCELERATING ON AN INTERSTATE RAMP.

NHTSA complaint #11022733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Buick Lesabre at 115,000 miles Fort Myers, FL Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

DRIVING VEHICLE ON ROAD IN SUBDIVISION WHEN GAS PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND CAR ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL STRIKING A GARAGE DOOR AND WALL WITH GREAT IMPACT. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER ESCAPED WITH MINOR INJURIES. CAR WAS TOTALED. NO ELSE IN CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10924252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Buick Lesabre at 75,000 miles Clifton, NJ

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WITHIN THE PASSED 2 MONTHS I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING "HARD SHIFTS". VERY PRONOUNCED JOLT/JERK WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER A FULL STOP OR DECELERATING TO COME TO A STOP. JUST RESEARCHED ON THIS SITE AND FOUND MANY OTHER CONSUMERS WITH 2004 LESABRE'S EXPERIENCING SAME SITUATION. HAS TO DO WITH INFERIOR PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID AND/OR SHIFT SOLENOIDS. APPARENTLY GM HAS REFUSED TO RECALL AND REPLACE DUE TO THE COST. CAN CAUSE PREMATURE FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION AND THEY SAY THEY ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO MAKE IT RIGHT!!! ALSO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH SPEEDOMETER AND TACHCOMETER. MY TACH IS FROZEN AT 2 AND SPEEDOMETER STARTED GIVING FALSE READINGS ABOUT 3 YRS. AGO. DID NOT ADDRESS BECAUSE MY MECHANIC TOLD ME ITS VERY COSTLY. I HAVE TO USE MY GARMIN TO TELL ME HOW FAST I AM GOING. HAPPENED FIRST TIME IN EXTREME HEAT TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY. THEN AGAIN WHEN IT W AS RAINING. VERY UNSAFE SITUATION AND AGAIN A VERY COSTLY FIX THAT GM WILL NOT ADDRESS.

NHTSA complaint #10846233 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Buick Lesabre at 75,146 miles Merrill, WI

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

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.

NHTSA complaint #10717774 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Buick Lesabre at 51,000 miles Garden City, MI

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

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.

NHTSA complaint #10712915 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2003 Buick Lesabre at 150,000 miles Springfield, PA Crash 2 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 BUICK LESABRE. AFTER CRASHING INTO A TREE STUMP, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE AND MOVE THE VEHICLE FORWARD WHEN IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION, FOOT, CHEST, NECK, BACK AND KNEE INJURIES WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MIDDLE REAR PASSENGER SUSTAINED BRAIN AND KNEE INJURIES WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA complaint #10660853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Buick Lesabre Rome, GA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

HAS A 1997 BUICK LESABRE AND HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IGNITION AND I CAN BE DRIVING AND IT JUST LIKE IT DON,T GET NO JUICE FROM ENGINE THEN WHEN TRIED TO START UP IT DON,T CATCH IN IGNITION SWITCH. I HAVE SPEND OVER 2,000 IN THIS CAR BUT EVERY ONE I TAKE IT TO SAYS IT IN THE IGNITION IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WANTS TO START SOMETIMES IT TAKES UP TO 6 HOURS BEFORE IT STARTS.

NHTSA complaint #10626597 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2001 Buick Lesabre at 123,092 miles Escondido, CA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CAR WENT INTO CRUISE CONTROL ON ITS OWN AND WOULD NOT DIS-ENGAGE. FOUND OUT THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE CLIP BROKE. LUCKILY WE WERE ABLE TO STOP THE CAR AND NO ONE WAS HURT.

NHTSA complaint #10622539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Buick Lesabre at 39,000 miles Sliver Sprind, MD Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER RELEASING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE SHE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,900.

NHTSA complaint #10615075 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Buick Lesabre at 52,300 miles Mount Laurel, NJ

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEPPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

NHTSA complaint #10614597 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2000 Buick Lesabre at 116,633 miles Girard, PA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AS THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT AND RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVEN SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,633.

NHTSA complaint #10585211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2003 Buick Lesabre at 130,000 miles Seqwuim, WA Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

STOPPED CAR IN PARKING LOT, TURNED OFF ENGINE. RETURNED TO CAR, STARTED ENGINE AND PUT IN REVERSE. CAR TOOK OFF WHEN THROTTLE BODY STUCK WIDE OPEN. CAR MADE WIDE CIRCLE'S, I TRIED TO STOP BY PUSHING ON BRAKE PEDAL, AFTER HITTING SEVERAL CEMENT PARKING CURBS AND THEN STRIKING ANOTHER CAR I WAS ABLE TO GET CAR STOPPED AND TURNED OFF ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #10566786 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2003 Buick Lesabre MT. Airy, NC

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

GAS PEDAL STICKS WHEN GOING FORWARD AFTER USING REVERSE.

NHTSA complaint #10532793 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Buick Lesabre Reno, NV

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2002 BUICK LESABRE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. *SMD THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE HAD DEFECTIVE DRUMS, THAT MELTED AND SEVERED THE FRONT BRAKE WIRING, EXACTLY AT THE POINT WHEN THE BRAKE SYSTEM WIRES TRAVELED FROM THE ENGINE AND ENTERED THE BRAKE DRUMS. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE HAD POOR GAS MILEAGE, THE THREE OUT OF THE FOUR WINDOWS COLLAPSED IN THE DOWN POSITION, AND WOULD NOT COME BACK UP. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE ENGINE AND THE HOOD WERE DEFECTIVE, AS THE PAINT ON THE HOOD MELTED.

NHTSA complaint #10514214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Buick Lesabre at 150,000 miles ORE City, TX

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXITING A PARKING SPACE, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME EXTREMELY RESISTANT AND THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD SPORADICALLY FLICKER ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR A MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA complaint #10481978 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Buick Lesabre at 75,000 miles Wilmington, DE

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I BOUGHT THIS CAR MAY 2010 FROM GREGORY AUTOMOTIVE GROUP IN NEW CASTLE DE. I IMMEDIATELY HAD A PROPBLEM WITH THE SPEEDOMETER THE DAY I BOUGHT IT, TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WASNT A BIG DEAL, THIS PROBLEM WAS COVERED BY BY WARRANTY AND I WOULD JUST NEED TO PAY A $100.00 DEDUCTIBLE. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL BUICK DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT ISN'T COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY I BOUGHT FROM THE DEALER AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIRS. MY NEXT ISSUE IS THE GAS GAUGE STARTED TO MESS UP; WRONG READINGS AND GAS LEVELS LEFT ME OUT OF GAS AND VERY UPSET. I WILL BE TAKING THIS BACK TO BUICK TO SEE IF I AM AT ALL ELIGIBLE TO RECIEVE RECALL BENEFITS OR SOMETHING BECAUSE THE AMOUNT TO FIX THESE ISSUES ARE GREATER THAN I CAN AFFORD WITHIN THE YEAR AND SOME CHANGE OF OWNING THE VEH. AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY I DID RESEARCH AND DO A CARFAX ON THE CAR AND IT CAME BACK WITH ACCURATE MILEAGE, ONE OWNER AND NO ACCIDENTS AND I JUMPED ON IT, ONLY TO HAVE A NICE CAR WITHOUT A WORKING SPEEDOMETER AND GAS GAUGE. I THOUGHT BUICKS WERE GOOD SOLID CARS......

NHTSA complaint #10425863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Buick Lesabre problems