Your vehicle report
1997 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
- 394
- Received Mar 1996 to Feb 2024
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant33 complaints · 8.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbags fail to deploy in crashes26 complaints · 6.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Vehicle catches fire from wiring26 complaints · 6.6% 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 #96V044000These 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."
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: 26 crashes, 31 fires, 24 people injured, 1 death.
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 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
1 more problem
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 | 17 |
| 1997 | 48 |
| 1998 | 31 |
| 1999 | 51 |
| 2000 | 40 |
| 2001 | 27 |
| 2002 | 40 |
| 2003 | 29 |
| 2004 | 25 |
| 2005 | 15 |
| 2006 | 10 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2009 | 11 |
| 2010 | 9 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 394 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant | 33 | 8.4% | – | NHTSA recall #96V116000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 26 | 6.6% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 26 | 6.6% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 24 | 6.1% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 22 | 5.6% | – | NHTSA recall #96V044000 |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 15 | 3.8% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 11 | 2.8% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 10 | 2.5% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 10 | 2.5% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 10 | 2.5% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 10 | 2.5% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 9 | 2.3% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 8 | 2.0% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 7 | 1.8% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 6 | 1.5% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 5 | 1.3% | – |
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 #96V044000March 5, 199615,122 vehicles affected
seat belts: front: buckle assembly
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 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.
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 1997 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