Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Buick Lesabre problems

Owners filed 335 complaints about the 2001 Buick Lesabre with NHTSA between Nov 2000 and Feb 2022. The most-cited component is visibility (103).

Complaints
335
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
22
Reported by owners
Injuries
14
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Visibility103
  2. Structure50
  3. Electrical system39
  4. Power train31
  5. Steering29
  6. Air bags29
  7. Engine and engine cooling29
  8. Engine19
  9. Suspension17
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic12
  11. Vehicle speed control10
  12. Seats10
  13. Fuel/propulsion system7
  14. Equipment7

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20003
200124
200224
200326
200433
200521
200618
200737
200823
20098
201017
201123
201216
201310
201418
201513
20169
20175
20181
20191
20201
20213
20221

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Visibility

103 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOW REGULATORS FAILED TO CLOSE OR OPEN THE SIDE WINDOWS IN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WINDOW REGULATORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,386.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 2, 2014VisibilityODI 10607788

Structure

50 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS LIFTING INDEPENDENTLY AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY WHEN TURNED IN EITHER DIRECTION. IN ADDITION, THE HEADLINER WAS TEARING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 29, 2016Steering, StructureODI 10823130

Electrical system

39 reports2 fires
“CAR HAS TWICE SHUTOFF DURING DRIVING. LAST TIME IN MIDDLE OF TURN, SON RAN OFF ROAD BECAUSE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY GM RECALL FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH, BUT SYMPTOMS ARE IDENTICAL. DEALER HAS NO IDEA HOW TO REPAIR EXCEPT TO 'TRY' THINGS. PROBLEM IS, IF GUESS IS WRONG AND PROBLEM PERSISTS, SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAPPEN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 12, 2015Steering, Power train, Electrical systemODI 10790036

Power train

31 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS DISCOVERED LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THERE WAS A TEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LINE CAUSED BY THE LINE MAKING CONTACT WITH THE INNER FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 10, 2014Power trainODI 10597467

Steering

29 reports
“I BOUGHT A CAR ON JUNE 17TH I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR SO I TOLD THE WOMAN I BOUGHT IT FROM I WANTED IT INSPECTED BEFORE I MADE A DECISION TO BUY IT TO MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE SHE BROUGHT IT TO HER INSPECTION STATION IN IT GOT IN INSPECTION STICKER STATING THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH IT AS I DROVE IT HOME I NOTICED THAT IT WAS BOUNCING UP AND DOWN IN THAT THE FRONT-END AND BACK-END WOULD HIT THE GROUND I HAD A FRIEND LOOK AT IT THAT KNOWS ABOUT CARS AND TOLD ME THAT THE FRONT AND BACK STRUTS WERE COMPLETELY GONE AND IT ALSO HAD FOR BALD TIRES AND THERE IS OIL SPLATTERED ALL OVER THE ENGINE I CONTACTED THE WOMAN I BOUGHT IT FROM AND SHE WILL NOT RETURN MY CALLS AND WANTS NOTHING TO DO WITH GIVING ME MY MONEY BACK I ALSO WENT BACK TO THE INSPECTION STATION AND ASKED HOW THE HECK DID THIS CAR GET IN INSPECTION STICKER I WAS TOLD TO LEAVE I NEED ADVICE AND WHERE I SHOULD GO FROM HERE”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 26, 2017Steering, Suspension, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11001309

Air bags

29 reports7 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED, THE AIR BAG SENSOR WARNING LIGHT SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 206,889.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 13, 2016Air bagsODI 10934933
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.