Your vehicle report
1996 Buick Lesabre
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 98
- Received Feb 1996 to Apr 2019
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Airbags fail to deploy in crashes8 complaints · 8.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant8 complaints · 8.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Frame rusts and corrodes through5 complaints · 5.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #96V116000A backfire during engine starting can cause breakage of the upper intake manifold.
- Recall #95V204000These vehicles were assembled with a malfunction alarm, lighting and locking (mall) module that can contain a damaged capacitor. If the capacitor is damaged, the "key in the ignition" warning chime and the driver seat belt unbuckled warning chime and indicator lamp may not work. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 114, "theft protection" and FMVSS no. 208, "occupant crash protection." in addition, other chime reminder functions, interior lighting controls, and power door locking features are also affected.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 8 crashes, 0 fires, 7 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 13 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 13 |
| 1997 | 14 |
| 1998 | 4 |
| 1999 | 10 |
| 2000 | 11 |
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 5 |
| 2003 | 4 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 98 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 8 | 8.2% | – | |
| Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant | 8 | 8.2% | – | NHTSA recall #96V116000 |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 5 | 5.1% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 5 | 5.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 5.1% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 4 | 4.1% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 4 | 4.1% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 4 | 4.1% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 4 | 4.1% | – | |
| Trailer frame, axle, or hitch fails while towing | 3 | 3.1% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 3 | 3.1% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 3 | 3.1% | – | |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 3 | 3.1% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #96V116000July 1, 1996275,811 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system
A backfire during engine starting Can cause breakage of the upper intake manifold.
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.
NHTSA recall #95V204000October 23, 199532,869 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition: anti-theft: control module
These vehicles were assembled with a malfunction alarm, lighting and locking (mall) module that Can contain a damaged capacitor. If the capacitor is damaged, the "key in the ignition" warning chime and the driver seat belt unbuckled warning chime and indicator lamp may not work. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 114, "theft protection" and FMVSS no. 208, "occupant crash protection." in addition, other chime reminder functions, interior lighting controls, and power door locking features are also affected.
Consequence of non-compliance; the driver may not be aware that the key was left in the ignition or that the safety belt was not buckled.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and, if required, replace the mall module.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1996 Buick Lesabre.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN