Problems · NHTSA complaints
2005 Buick Lesabre problems
Owners filed 77 complaints about the 2005 Buick Lesabre with NHTSA between Feb 2005 and Oct 2025. The most-cited component is electrical system (25).
Complaints
77
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system25
- Power train8
- Engine5
- Air bags5
- Tires5
- Service brakes, hydraulic5
- Suspension5
- Fuel system, gasoline4
- Exterior lighting4
- Vehicle speed control4
- Service brakes4
- Steering4
- Seat belts3
- Structure3
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
13
7
3
4
2
8
5
4
4
11
6
2
1
0
2
1
2
1
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 13 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 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
25 reports2 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ODOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO WORK. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.”
Power train
8 reports
“TOOK VEHICLE WITH 55,100 MILES TO THE AUTHORIZED GM DEALER AFTER SHUTTERING AND BARELY BEGINNING TO MOVE WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. THE AUTHORIZED GM DEALER STATED "INSPECTED, NO CODES IN SYSTEM, ERRATIC SHIFT POINTS, DELAY SHIFT THRU 1ST AND 2ND GEAR, NO 3RD GEAR, GOES TO 4TH GEAR. RECOMMENDS SRTA TRANS (3YR/100,000 WARRANTY) $3782.64." *TR”
Engine
5 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, WHICH FAILED TO ENGAGE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DECELERATE. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CO2 SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AFTER TWO YEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE MULTIPLE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS WERE PERFORMED, BUT NO FAILURE CODES APPEARED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSORS FOR THE CONTACT'S SAFETY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. BROWN & WOOD INC. (329 GREENVILLE BLVD SW, GREENVILLE, NC 27834, (252) 227-0948) WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER FOR FURTHER REPAIR INFORMATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 59,000.”
Air bags
5 reports1 crash
“AIR BAG LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED IN THE DASH BOARD INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS MAKING THE SRS SYSTEM INOPERABLE AND MOST OF ALL A SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE ASAP THANK YOU [XXX] *TR UPDATED 1/28/16 *JS”
Tires
5 reports
“BRIDGESTONE INSIGNIA SE200/P215/70R/15 ORIGINALLY BOUGHT 4 OF THESE AT FIRESTONE HAVE HAD 2 REPLACED AND YESTERDAY 2 MORE AND FIRESTONE SAID THEY DON'T MAKE INSIGNIAS ANYMORE.....?? WONDER WHY BECAUSE THEY ARE DEFECTIVE!!!!!! HAD 7/32 TREAD LEFT ON THEM AND WORST WAS 6/32 AND HAD 30,000 MILES ON THEM AND ROTATED EVERY OTHER OIL CHANGE AS SCHEDULED!WARRANTY MADE ME PAY 165.00 FOR 2 NEW AFFINITY TOURING TIRES......NO DEAL THAT'S FOR SURE!!!!MECHANIC FOUND A BULGE IN TIRE SIDEWALL. NOW HAVE TO GO BACK TOMORROW AS ALL 4 TIRES ARE SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY EVEN THE NEW ONES!! BELTS WERE SEPARATED TOO ON INSIGNIAS SHAME ON B'STONE FOR ALL THE TREAD LEFT TO HAVE MANUF. SUCH A POOR TIRE!!!!!!! 2005 BUICK LESABRE DOT#WBM3E201711 . 183,000 MILES ON CAR NOW BUT ALL HIGHWAY MILEAGE. *TR”
Service brakes, hydraulic
5 reports1 crash
“2005 BUICK LESABRE WITH 42,330 MILES WENT INTO THE REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE THE BRAKES REPLACED. ONCE THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED, THE MECHANIC TOOK THE CAR FROM THE REPAIR BAY ONTO THE PARKING LOT TO CHECK THE INTEGRITY OF THE BRAKES. THE MECHANIC APPLIED A HARD BRAKING WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. UPON INSPECTION OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINE WHICH GOES ACROSS THE REAR OF THE CAR FROM WHEEL TO WHEEL HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND CAUSED THE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK. THIS BRAKE LINE WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE FROM WHEEL TO WHEEL. THE SYSTEM WAS THEN BLED AND BRAKE FLUID REPLACED. THE CAR WAS CHECKED AGAIN AND WAS FOUND TO BE DRIVABLE. *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.