1997 Buick Lesabre: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 1997 Buick Lesabre
On the 1997 Buick Lesabre, the failure owners report most often is other engine problem, and the reports cluster around 75,000 miles. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 96,000 miles. Overall it scores 68 out of 100, high risk for a 1997.
High risk for a 1997 — 58th riskiest of the 243 1997 vehicles we can rate. 514 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 1997 Buick Lesabre
Owners have reported 62 named failure modes on the 1997 Buick Lesabre, and the three most-reported carry 26% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other engine problem leads with 76 reports, about 2.2 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 51k to 115,000 miles.
Other electrical problem follows with 29 reports, median 80,000 miles. 3 of those reports mention a fire.
Other fuel system problem follows with 27 reports, usually reported between 58k to 115,000 miles. 13 of those reports mention a fire.
By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (107), electrical (50) and fuel (39).
At what mileage it happens
134 of the reports on the 1997 Buick Lesabre came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 96,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 15% by 50,000 miles, 54% by 100,000 miles and 79% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 1 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 50,000 and 60,000 miles, which alone holds 11% of the dated reports.
9% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, so this is mostly a story about older, higher-mileage cars.
In the order they tend to show up: other engine problem around 75k, other fuel system problem around 80k, exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin around 80k and radiator or coolant leak around 91k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 62. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 1 report came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 18 mention a crash, 48 a fire and 13 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.86, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other engine problem at $300–$4,000, other electrical problem at $250–$2,000, other fuel system problem at $300–$2,200 and other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
30% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other engine problem | engine | 76 | 15 | 51k | 75k | 115k | 2.2 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 29 | 6 | — | 80k | — | 0.8 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 27 | 10 | 58k | 80k | 116k | 0.8 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 21 | 5 | — | 140k | — | 0.6 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 20 | 3 | — | 45k | — | 0.6 | $200–$900 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 19 | 6 | — | 86k | — | 0.6 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin | emissions | 16 | 9 | 32k | 80k | 101k | 0.5 | $250–$2,000 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 15 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.4 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 14 | 2 | — | 118k | — | 0.4 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 12 | 4 | — | 66k | — | 0.3 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 12 | 6 | — | 132k | — | 0.3 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 12 | 2 | — | 167k | — | 0.3 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 11 | 1 | — | 156k | — | 0.3 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 10 | 9 | 68k | 91k | 91k | 0.3 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Wiper or washer failure | glass | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $120–$800 | Moderate |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 9 | 5 | — | 94k | — | 0.3 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 9 | 7 | — | 130k | — | 0.3 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 9 | 2 | — | 53k | — | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 8 | 1 | — | 12k | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Head gasket failure | engine | 7 | 3 | — | 67k | — | 0.2 | $1,400–$4,000 | Critical |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 7 | 2 | — | 107k | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Fuel leak or fuel odor | fuel | 6 | 2 | — | 86k | — | 0.2 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Engine sensor failure | electrical | 6 | 1 | — | 46k | — | 0.2 | $180–$900 | Moderate |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 6 | 2 | — | 196k | — | 0.2 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Water pump failure | cooling | 5 | 3 | — | 153k | — | 0.1 | $500–$2,200 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Steering column or shaft failure | steering | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $600–$2,500 | Critical |
| DPF, EGR or DEF system failure | emissions | 5 | 1 | — | 116k | — | 0.1 | $800–$5,000 | High |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 4 | 2 | — | 106k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Overheating | cooling | 4 | 2 | — | 117k | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 4 | 2 | — | 92k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Master cylinder or brake booster failure | brakes | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $450–$2,200 | Critical |
| Strut, shock or spring failure | suspension | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $500–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 3 | 1 | — | 55k | — | 0.1 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Engine bay fire | engine | 2 | 1 | — | 173k | — | 0.1 | $4,000–$20,000 | Critical |
| Electrical fire or melted wiring | electrical | 2 | 2 | — | 65k | — | 0.1 | $1,500–$9,000 | Critical |
| Complete engine failure or seizure | engine | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $4,500–$12,000 | Critical |
| Fuel gauge or level sensor failure | fuel | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 2 | 1 | — | 57k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Airbag deployed without a crash | airbag | 2 | 2 | — | 187k | — | 0.1 | $2,500–$8,000 | Critical |
| Blower motor or climate control failure | hvac | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Catalytic converter failure | emissions | 2 | 1 | — | 172k | — | 0.1 | $900–$3,500 | Moderate |
| Other seat belt problem | airbag | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Heater core failure | cooling | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,400 | Moderate |
| Torque converter failure | transmission | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,100–$3,200 | High |
| Wheel bearing or hub failure | drivetrain | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 197k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 1 | 1 | — | 106k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Power steering pump or fluid leak | steering | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Rust or structural corrosion | body | 1 | 1 | — | 50k | — | 0.0 | $500–$6,000 | High |
| Door latch or handle failure | body | 1 | 1 | — | 90k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,200 | High |
| Window regulator or power window failure | body | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$900 | Moderate |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 36 | 9 | 77k | 115k | 159k | 1.0 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 1997 Buick Lesabre draws about 15 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 91st percentile of complaint rates among 1997 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 34,476 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 1997 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other engine problem
The vehicle leaked oil in the consumers garage. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic who stated the shield was made of plastic. He also stated he read these things were made of plastic and could catch fire if the vehicle became hot enough. *nlm *ts *jb
I would like to complain about the fact that the NHTSA has so little concern for safety that you charge $38.73 per hour and other fees to obtain recall or service bulletins about ones vehicle. I am sure that this charge does exactly as desired by consumers just giving up. Your work load must be near zero which I am sure was the desire. If safety was the desire the information would be available for one to search for free. Is that not what the government web sites are for. I hope homeland security does not take after your site. It would appear that the vehicle cooling leaked into the engine due to a plastic intake manifold failure. Hard to believe a company would make it from plastic. I also believe if I had access to the infomation I would find that many other vehicles had the same failure and the manufacturer should bear responsibility.*ak
Other electrical problem
Dt: the consumer stated the horn will not stop blowing, and the air bag assembly is making a noise. The sound is coming out of the steering wheel. When driving the horn just starts blowing out of nowhere, it just starts blowing, specifically states the consumer. When pressing the horn pad it will stop sometimes. One has to press in a certain spot. The car is a 1997 buick lesabre. The consumer is going to call and see what gm can do. This has been happening for two weeks.*ak
Tl*the contact owns a 1997 buick lesabre. While driving at speeds of 30 MPH, the horn began to sound. The horn continued to sound until the vehicle was stopped and the hood was lifted. Upon closing the hood the horn began to sound again and would not stop until pressure was applied to the center of the steering wheel. The failure continued intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent vehicle care center and the horn was disabled. The failure mileage was 173,130 updated 06/25/10 updated 07/16/10*jb
Other fuel system problem
When consumer starting the vehicle there was a huge explosion, then fire broke out under the hood. When the fire department arrived the battery was still smoking, and the engine and wires were burnt. Recall 96v116000 was issued for the fuel carburetor manifold intake. But this vehicle was not included in the recall due to VIN. *ak *la
Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle back fired causing an explosion when an attempt was made to turn vehicle on. The vehicle was rendered un-drivable and was towed to dealers for service. The dealers determined that a leaky fuel regulator caused the back fire that destroyed upper intake of manifold, which could also lead to fires. The dealers replaced the fuel regulator and upper intake manifold. The manufacturer was also contacted to see if vehicle was part of a recall. The manufacturers determined the vehicle was not a part of the recall. *jb
Recalls on the 1997 model year
NHTSA has issued 2 recall campaigns covering the 1997 Buick Lesabre, affecting an estimated 42,037 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system and seat belts:front:buckle assembly. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
275,811 vehicles 1996-07-01- Defect
- A backfire during engine starting can cause breakage of the upper intake manifold.
- Consequence
- This condition can cause a no-start condition and possibly an engine compartment fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the powertrain control module programming. Until the campaign repair is made, the vehicle hood should be shut whenever starting the vehicle to reduce the chance of personal injury.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
15,122 vehicles 1996-03-05- Defect
- These vehicles were assembled with one or more incorrect safety belt and/or safety belt buckle ends. This does not conform with the requirements of fmvss no. 209, "seat belt assemblies."
- Consequence
- Consequence of non-compliance: if an incorrect part is used, the belt may not latch properly, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant should a vehicle crash occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect all front and rear safety belt latch ends and safety belt buckles for correct parts and replace any incorrect parts.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 1997 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
How 1997 compares with the other years
High risk for a 1997 — 58th riskiest of the 243 1997 vehicles we can rate. The comparison is always within the same model year, so an older car is never penalised for having had longer to break.
Across the 10 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 1996 comes out best at 59 and 2003 worst at 68, with 1997 itself at 68.
If the model year is negotiable, 1996, 2004, 2005 and 2001 score lower than 1997 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 1996–2003 generation specifically, 1996 is the strongest year at 59 and 2003 the weakest at 68.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 1996-2003 generation, 1996 Buick Lesabre scores best at 59 and 2003 Buick Lesabre worst at 68.
Where to spend the inspection money
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin from about 32k, other engine problem from about 51k, other fuel system problem from about 58k and radiator or coolant leak from about 68k.
On a 1997 Buick Lesabre with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.
What this page cannot tell you
514 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 514 reports, 134 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 26% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Buick Lesabre?
The most-reported failures are other engine problem (76 reports, median 75,000 miles), other electrical problem (29 reports, median 80,000 miles) and other fuel system problem (27 reports, median 80,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 1997 Buick Lesabre problems start?
Other engine problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 75,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 50,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 96,000 miles.
Is the 1997 Buick Lesabre reliable?
It scores 68 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 58th riskiest of the 243 1997 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 1997 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Buick Lesabre is best?
Within the 1996–2003 generation, 1996 scores best at 59 out of 100 and 2003 worst at 68. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed