Problems · NHTSA complaints

2003 Buick Lesabre problems

Owners filed 167 complaints about the 2003 Buick Lesabre with NHTSA between Apr 2003 and May 2025. The most-cited component is structure (57).

Complaints
167
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure57
  2. Air bags21
  3. Power train18
  4. Electrical system16
  5. Visibility12
  6. Engine and engine cooling10
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic10
  8. Engine8
  9. Tires7
  10. Suspension7
  11. Steering5
  12. Vehicle speed control5
  13. Fuel system, gasoline5
  14. Exterior lighting5

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
200312
200418
20055
20069
200714
20085
20092
201013
201117
201213
20136
201426
20159
20162
20172
20182
20194
20203
20211
20221
20231
20241
20251

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

Structure

57 reports
“The contact owns a 2003 Buick LeSabre. The contact stated that their trunk failed to remain in the open position when needed. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 7, 2022StructureODI 11450822

Air bags

21 reports3 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED INDICATING THAT THE AIR SYSTEM WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 24, 2015Air bagsODI 10727038

Power train

18 reports
“The transmission doesn't shift correctly even after it's warmed up it is erratic and rough while connecting the transmission gears and jerks very hard at most times. The power steering is not working correctly and makes it difficult to drive at all with the combined issues I'm very concerned about my and my family safely”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 19, 2025Steering, Power train, Unknown or otherODI 11661927

Electrical system

16 reports1 fire
“FIRST ELECTRICAL... MY WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING BAD RAIN RIGHT AFTER COMING OUT THE TUNNEL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC NO ACCIDENT I KNEW ROAD ENOUGH TO PULL OVER.. GOT FIXED REPLACED WIPER MOTOR 3 TIMES AND THE WIPER SWITCH WIPERS STILL GO WITHOUT BEING TURNED ON... THEN MY DASH KEEPS GETTING DIM AND MY ABS,TRACTION ,AND BRAKE LIGHTSARE ON AND I'VE HAD THAT FIXED STILL KEEPS STAYING LIT.... I GET REGULAR OIL CHANGES AT WALMART EVERY 3000 MILES THERES FLUID LEAKING FROM VALVE COVER THAT I HAD REPLACED ...THINGS I REPLACED ON CAR SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN INSPECTED.. MY DASH WAS LIFTED WHEN I PURCHASED VEHICLE USED ALSO SAID IT WAS FINE MVA MADE THEM REINSPECT CAR N ITS STILL LIFTED I ALSO KNOW IT WONT PASS INSPECTION LIFTED”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 3, 2018Electrical system, Unknown or other, Visibility/wiperODI 11124147

Visibility

12 reports
“TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE REAR DRIVERS DOOR WAS CLOSED, THE GLASS WINDOW FELL INTO THE DOOR PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS REPAIRED. THE REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN. ADDITIONALLY, THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WINDOWS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 16, 2014VisibilityODI 10633564

Engine and engine cooling

10 reports
“2003 BUICK LESABRE. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE INTAKE GASKET DEVELOPED A LEAK, WHICH ALLOWED COOLANT TO GET INTO THE OIL. THE CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AT 46,333 MILES AND THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET AT 71,193 MILES. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS ALLEGED TO BE AN INCOMPATIBILITY BETWEEN THE GM DEX-COOL COOLANT WHICH WAS INTRODUCED IN 1995 AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET MATERIAL WHICH COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND/OR SEIZE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 1, 2011Engine and engine coolingODI 10404798
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.