Problems · NHTSA complaints
2004 Buick Lesabre problems
Owners filed 162 complaints about the 2004 Buick Lesabre with NHTSA between Oct 2003 and Jun 2024. The most-cited component is electrical system (66).
Complaints
162
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system66
- Structure19
- Air bags14
- Power train12
- Fuel/propulsion system8
- Exterior lighting8
- Tires8
- Engine and engine cooling8
- Engine7
- Seats6
- Suspension6
- Visibility6
- Steering5
- Vehicle speed control5
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
11
10
3
5
9
14
12
17
12
10
17
14
9
6
3
2
1
3
2
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 11 |
| 2005 | 10 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2009 | 14 |
| 2010 | 12 |
| 2011 | 17 |
| 2012 | 12 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 17 |
| 2015 | 14 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
66 reports1 fire
“The backup camera will stay in 'night' brightness mode for 15 seconds while backing out of the garage into daylight. This makes the video screen usless until the 15 second delay is over. I have asked several times at the dealership since I purchased this vehicle new, and they say nothing can be done. Not only is this a huge safety issue but it also is an enviromental issue as may times I must wait in the driveway with the car needlessly idling until the 15 seconds is up. This is seems to be a simple software update to remove the delay when the car is in reverse.”
Structure
19 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD STARTED TO LIFT FROM THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW TO THE END OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE UNDERLINING PADDING WAS VIABLE AT THE TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.”
Air bags
14 reports4 crashes
“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.”
Power train
12 reports
“Drove to the store, transmission was hard shifting and then wouldn't hardly move at all. Almost got hit three x!! Very tramatized. How is it that on just one of many web pages 400 people had this problem 140 complained about it! that's just one website! how has this problem not been fixed and recalled?”
Fuel/propulsion system
8 reports
“fuel vapor system leaks gas fumes into car. Replaced all fuel lines, pulled tank, renewed canister. 10 months later fumes are again entering car cabin. 105,000 total miles.”
Exterior lighting
8 reports
“J & K MITCHELL CASEY, IL.62420 PURCHASED ON 4/11/2014, 98,104 MILEAGE. HEADLAMPS GO OFF AT NITE DRIVING, VERY UNNERVING, FUEL GAGE, HAYWIRE FROM THE START, WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE WOULD ACCELERATE WHEN TURNING RIGHT. SWAYING/SUSPENSION, WHEN TURNING, DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, REPORTED THIS MANY TIMES AND TAKEN INTO DEALER..HOWEVER, NEVER TAKEN CARE OF. ONLY THING FIXED WAS SOLENOID. *TR”
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.