Model year report

1998 Buick Lesabre: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 1998 Buick Lesabre

On the 1998 Buick Lesabre, the failure owners report most often is other engine problem, and the reports cluster around 67,500 miles. The earliest to appear is radiator or coolant leak, reported by a median of 60,000 miles. Overall it scores 68 out of 100, high risk for a 1998.

High risk for a 1998 — 88th riskiest of the 271 1998 vehicles we can rate. 518 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

What owners report breaking

Owners have reported 61 named failure modes on the 1998 Buick Lesabre, and the three most-reported carry 34% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.

Other engine problem leads with 97 reports, about 1.6 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 51k to 92,500 miles.

Other fuel system problem follows with 42 reports, usually reported between 67k to 90,000 miles. 3 of those reports mention a fire.

Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin follows with 37 reports, usually reported between 58k to 92,500 miles. 2 of those reports mention a fire.

By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (162), fuel (68) and electrical (51).

At what mileage it happens

206 of the reports on the 1998 Buick Lesabre came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 71,000 miles.

Cumulatively, 20% by 50,000 miles, 80% by 100,000 miles and 96% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 2 filed above the top of the chart.

The busiest stretch is between 60,000 and 70,000 miles, which alone holds 15% of the dated reports.

12% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.

In the order they tend to show up: radiator or coolant leak around 58k, no-start or intermittent start failure around 62k, other engine problem around 68k and exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin around 73k.

Median

Other engine problem

68k
Other fuel system problem

82k
Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin

73k
Other electrical problem

85k
Radiator or coolant leak

58k
No-start or intermittent start failure

62k
Alternator or charging system failure
no odometer readings given
—
Other powertrain problem

98k
Other brake problem

50k
Other body or interior problem

91k
Stalling while driving

79k
Complete transmission failure

102k

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 61. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 70.7k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 2 reports 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, 17 mention a crash, 63 a fire and 6 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 4.81, 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 fuel system problem at $300–$2,200, exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin at $250–$2,000 and other electrical problem at $250–$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.

44% 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

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode	System	Reports	With reading	25th	Median	75th	Per 1,000	Typical repair	Severity
Other engine problem	engine	97	40	51k	68k	93k	1.6	$300–$4,000	High
Other fuel system problem	fuel	42	16	67k	82k	88k	0.7	$300–$2,200	High
Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin	emissions	37	27	58k	73k	93k	0.6	$250–$2,000	High
Other electrical problem	electrical	28	11	57k	85k	102k	0.5	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Radiator or coolant leak	cooling	23	17	43k	58k	63k	0.4	$350–$1,900	High
No-start or intermittent start failure	engine	22	11	60k	62k	78k	0.4	$200–$1,800	Moderate
Alternator or charging system failure	electrical	15	0	—	—	—	0.2	$450–$1,600	High
Other powertrain problem	transmission	12	1	—	98k	—	0.2	$400–$4,500	High
Other brake problem	brakes	12	5	—	50k	—	0.2	$300–$1,800	High
Other body or interior problem	body	12	2	—	91k	—	0.2	$200–$2,000	Moderate
Stalling while driving	engine	10	2	—	79k	—	0.2	$300–$2,500	Critical
Complete transmission failure	transmission	10	3	—	102k	—	0.2	$2,800–$8,000	Critical
Fuel leak or fuel odor	fuel	10	5	—	50k	—	0.2	$300–$2,500	Critical
Misfire or rough idle	engine	9	4	—	158k	—	0.1	$250–$1,600	Moderate
DPF, EGR or DEF system failure	emissions	9	1	—	78k	—	0.1	$800–$5,000	High
ABS module or sensor failure	brakes	8	1	—	61k	—	0.1	$500–$2,400	High
Other steering problem	steering	8	3	—	35k	—	0.1	$350–$2,400	High
Other suspension problem	suspension	8	2	—	101k	—	0.1	$350–$2,000	Moderate
Other visibility problem	glass	7	2	—	39k	—	0.1	$150–$1,400	Moderate
Head gasket failure	engine	6	3	—	88k	—	0.1	$1,400–$4,000	Critical
Overheating	cooling	6	2	—	75k	—	0.1	$400–$3,500	High
Fuel pump failure	fuel	6	2	—	88k	—	0.1	$600–$2,600	High
Fuel gauge or level sensor failure	fuel	6	5	—	119k	—	0.1	$300–$1,200	Moderate
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure	electrical	6	0	—	—	—	0.1	$700–$3,000	High
Other wheel or tire problem	wheels	6	1	—	33k	—	0.1	$200–$1,500	High
Complete engine failure or seizure	engine	5	4	—	111k	—	0.1	$4,500–$12,000	Critical
Oil leak	engine	5	3	—	71k	—	0.1	$250–$2,200	Moderate
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	5	1	—	42k	—	0.1	$200–$900	High
Engine bay fire	engine	4	0	—	—	—	0.1	$4,000–$20,000	Critical
Water pump failure	cooling	4	2	—	63k	—	0.1	$500–$2,200	High
Cooling fan failure	cooling	4	0	—	—	—	0.1	$350–$1,300	Moderate
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure	fuel	4	1	—	50k	—	0.1	$250–$1,800	Moderate
Cruise control failure	adas	4	0	—	—	—	0.1	$200–$1,400	High
Strut, shock or spring failure	suspension	4	2	—	80k	—	0.1	$500–$2,000	Moderate
Thermostat failure	cooling	3	3	—	46k	—	0.0	$250–$900	Moderate
Wheel bearing or hub failure	drivetrain	3	0	—	—	—	0.0	$350–$1,200	Moderate
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure	steering	3	0	—	—	—	0.0	$700–$2,600	High
Steering column or shaft failure	steering	3	0	—	—	—	0.0	$600–$2,500	Critical
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure	suspension	3	3	—	64k	—	0.0	$400–$2,200	High
Headlight failure or clouding	lighting	3	3	—	111k	—	0.0	$150–$1,800	Moderate
Wiper or washer failure	glass	3	0	—	—	—	0.0	$120–$800	Moderate
Lifter, cam or cylinder-deactivation failure	engine	2	2	—	78k	—	0.0	$1,800–$7,000	High
Master cylinder or brake booster failure	brakes	2	1	—	133k	—	0.0	$450–$2,200	Critical
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash	airbag	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$1,000–$5,000	Critical
Loss of power steering	steering	2	2	—	77k	—	0.0	$600–$2,800	Critical
Tail light, brake light or signal failure	lighting	2	1	—	66k	—	0.0	$100–$900	Moderate
Other lighting problem	lighting	2	1	—	68k	—	0.0	$120–$1,200	Moderate
Other speed control problem	adas	2	1	—	50k	—	0.0	$250–$2,000	Critical
Engine knock or bearing noise	engine	1	1	—	45k	—	0.0	$2,500–$9,000	High
Intake carbon buildup	engine	1	1	—	43k	—	0.0	$400–$1,200	Moderate
CV axle or driveshaft failure	drivetrain	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$450–$2,200	High
Starter failure	electrical	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$350–$1,300	Moderate
Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure	electrical	1	1	—	79k	—	0.0	$250–$1,500	High
Loss of braking	brakes	1	1	—	93k	—	0.0	$400–$3,000	Critical
Brake line, hose or caliper failure	brakes	1	1	—	132k	—	0.0	$250–$1,600	Critical
Parking brake failure	brakes	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$250–$1,300	Moderate
Power steering pump or fluid leak	steering	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$350–$1,600	Moderate
Tire blowout or tread separation	wheels	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$200–$1,500	Critical
Catalytic converter failure	emissions	1	1	—	63	—	0.0	$900–$3,500	Moderate
Other seat belt problem	airbag	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$200–$900	High
Other driver assistance problem	adas	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$250–$1,800	High
Unclassified problem	other	16	4	—	56k	—	0.3	—	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 1998 Buick Lesabre draws about 8.5 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 87th percentile of complaint rates among 1998 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 60,724 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 1998 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.

Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin

The plastic intake manifold on my 1998 buick lesabre went bad last fall, which cost me over $1,000 to repair. There were about 70,000 miles on the engine at that time. Subsequently, I read an article in a newspaper that said the NHTSA was investigating gm cars with the 3.8 liter engines for engine fires that resulted from these problems with the plastic intake manifold. I am wondering if a recall has been/could be issued, or if there is any way owners of cars with these engines can be reimbursed for the massive repair bills resulting from this engineering defect. Of course I am also very concerned for my safety since I have learned of the propensity for fires with these engines. Thank you.

70,000 miles NHTSA complaint 399387 filed 2003-03-25

Consumer having problems with the intake manifold. While driving the vehicle stalled and lost complete p[ower of the steering and brakes. Manufacture was not contacted at the time of this call.*ak

58,297 miles NHTSA complaint 410728 filed 2003-06-03

Recalls on the 1998 model year

NHTSA has issued 1 recall campaign covering the 1998 Buick Lesabre, affecting an estimated 60,724 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:delivery. 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.

Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.

04V090000

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY

910,873 vehicles 2004-02-24

Defect: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 3800 v6 (l36) engines and certain delphi fuel pressure regulators, the regulators have a much higher than usual rate of fuel leaks. A leak can allow fuel to enter the intake manifold through a vacuum line. If the engine does not start when cranked, the fuel from the leaking regulator and a mistimed spark can cause a backfire.
Consequence: The backfire can rupture the intake manifold. The rupture of the intake manifold can displace a fuel line, pulling an injector out of place, and causing a fuel leak and possible fire.
Remedy: Dealers will install new fuel pressure regulators with improved diaphragms. The recall will be conducted in phased mailings. Phase 1 began on june 30, 2004, and phase 2 began on september 30, 2004. Owners should contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537, or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.

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 1998 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.

Risk score against the rest of the 1998 field

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 1998 compares with the other years

High risk for a 1998 — 88th riskiest of the 271 1998 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.

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 1998 itself at 68.

If the model year is negotiable, 1996, 2004, 2005 and 2001 score lower than 1998 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.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

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: radiator or coolant leak from about 43k, other engine problem from about 51k, other electrical problem from about 57k and exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin from about 58k.

On a 1998 Buick Lesabre with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether radiator or coolant leak 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.

None of this is a diagnosis. It is a list of what other owners of the same model year reported, ordered by when they reported it, which is a good place to point an inspection and a poor place to stop.

What this page cannot tell you

518 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 518 reports, 206 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 40% 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".

Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.

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 1998 Buick Lesabre?

The most-reported failures are other engine problem (97 reports, median 67,500 miles), other fuel system problem (42 reports, median 80,000 miles) and exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin (37 reports, median 72,500 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 1998 Buick Lesabre problems start?

Radiator or coolant leak is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 60,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 45,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 71,000 miles.

Is the 1998 Buick Lesabre reliable?

It scores 68 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 88th riskiest of the 271 1998 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 1998 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 20 August 2026 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed