KnownCarProblems2004 Buick Lesabre Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 162 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Buick Lesabre, most often about the electrical (41% of complaints, typically around 61,000 miles). It is 5th of 7 Lesabre model years by number of complaints.
Complaints162
Recalls0
Crashes reported4
Fires reported5
Injuries reported12
Most common 2004 Buick Lesabre problems
Electrical
66 complaints · 41%Half of these problems showed up before 61,000 miles. Parts named most often: instrument cluster/panel, wiring, 12v/24v/48v battery.
2004 Buick Lesabre purchased with 1k miles. At about 60k mi the gas gauge malfunctioned. At 110k the engine temp gauge malfunctioned and the dash lights faded on and off. Also, air bag warning light goes on and off randomly. Now with 120k, the tach and odometer have quit. Only remaining functioning dash instrument is…
Speedometer failed, dash indicator not working. Dealer, desert Buick in las vegas, refused to cover cost of replacement (est. $600-$800) yet 3 western states have sued gm over this failure, certainly a safety issue. Gm has a "campaign" to fix vehicles with less than 70,000 miles but desert Buick will not fix my…
Body and structure
19 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 54,000 miles. Parts named most often: body.
The dashboard on the vehicle has come loose from the grill under the window and is rising up. It has released almost all the way across the windshield and makes it difficult to see out the windshield. Also it has exposed the passenger side airbag.
Top of dash board (mat,pad) is bowing up into the field of driving vision and is separating from the front part of the dashboard. The separation is creeping in the direction of the passenger airbag and there is concern that both air bags may deploy. Gm refuses to recognize this issue as a defective dash problem and…
Engine
14 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 78,500 miles. Parts named most often: engine, exhaust system.
Parked car, turned off engine and locked car. Smoke started coming from under the hood, then a small explosion and a raging fire. Car was totaled in 5-8 minutes. Fire engines called and put out fire.
The contact owned a 2004 Buick Lesabre. While parked in the driveway, the vehicle caught on fire. The contact stated that the fire started under the hood. The fire department was notified and was able to extinguish the fire. A fire report was filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to a salvage…
Air bags
14 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 75,000 miles. Parts named most often: frontal.
The contact owns a 2004 Buick Lesabre. While driving 60 miles per hour during slippery weather conditions the contact lost control of the vehicle, crashed into a ditch and a tree. The air bags did not deploy and the vehicle was destroyed. The driver and passenger were injured and transported to the hospital. A police…
Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) accident 05/02/10 on illinois route 83 and washing to street in grayslake il. The incident involved a 2004 Buick Lesabre and a 1987 dodge pickup. The impact of the accident was on the front right side of the Buick and totaled…
Fuel system
13 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 65,000 miles. Parts named most often: delivery.
Fuel gage not working properly. When needle gets between half and a quarter, it bounces back and forth from empty to full. Then at a quarter full, it goes to empty and stays there. You are never sure how much gas you really have and can cause the vehicle to stop suddenly.happens when in motion and still on all roads.
The gauges in the instrument panel stop working. The speedometer has stopped working I am driving a vehicle and not know how fast I am driving. The gas gauge has stop working I don't know how much gas is in my car I have to fill the tank and check it every two weeks so I will not run out of gas.
Transmission
12 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 87,500 miles. Parts named most often: driveline, automatic transmission.
The contact owns a 2004 Buick Lesabre. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the contact noticed that the speedometer was functioning erratically. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostics where the mechanic advised the contact that the instrument cluster would…
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…
Wheels and tires
10 complaints · 6%Half of these problems showed up before 60,000 miles. Parts named most often: tread/belt.
When stopping on dry pavement the anti-lock brake sensor failed. After that the anti-lock breaks would not engage. Every time I applied my brakes the car would shimmy and was dangerous to control, I paid for the repair but it has happened four time since then making it dangerous to stop.
Traveling from buffalo, n.y. To greensboro, ga. On route 77, just past beckley, w. Va., I noticed a vibration in the car and thought it was a patch of rough road and immediately, there was a load bang and as I looked in my rear view mirror, I noticed black strips flying behind me. The car became sluggish and was…
Visibility and wipers
8 complaints · 5%Half of these problems showed up before 11,500 miles. Parts named most often: windshield wiper/washer, windshield, defroster/defogger/hvac system, power window devices and controls.
The vehicle's air bags deployed, dashboard collapsed and windshield shattered in two places after tapping another vehicle. The consumer indicated that the damage to both vehicle's was minimal. The driver sustained abrasion on her arm from the air bag/air bag gases.
The vehicle would not start, the theft system was replaced and battery problem still occurs. The consumer experienced the following: stalling, gauges dying out, engine light and security light illuminating, hard times starting the engine, rattle in the middle vents when set on low, the gear shift indicator light had…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2004 Buick Lesabre recalls
NHTSA lists no recalls for this model year.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
Questions about the 2004 Buick Lesabre
- What are the most common problems with the 2004 Buick Lesabre?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: electrical (66 complaints, typically around 61,000 miles); body and structure (19 complaints, typically around 54,000 miles); engine (14 complaints, typically around 78,500 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2004 Buick Lesabre have?
- NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2004 Buick Lesabre. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls in case one is issued later.
- Is the 2004 a bad year for the Buick Lesabre?
- It is 5th of 7 Lesabre model years by number of complaints, with 162 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.