Total Complaints
35 filings
BUICK LESABRE · model year
1989 BUICK LESABRE
35 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989BUICKLESABRE carries 35 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1989 LESABRE is vehicle speed control with 4 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (2) and fuel system, gasoline (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1989 LESABRE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
35
Complaints
2
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080602TIRES
WHILE DRIVING ON I-485S APPROX 45 MILES DRIVERS SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THERE WAS TIRES TREAD ONLY RIPPED IN A CIRCLE AROUND WHITEWALL AREA OF A KUMHO TOURING 795 SIZE 205-75R-14 TIRE WAS SERVICED BY DEALER WHO I PURCHASED TIRES WITH A WARRANTY HAVE NOT HAD THE TIRES FOR A YEAR THEY GAVE ME FREE TIRE AND ROTATION FOR 3500 MI OR MORE AS LONG AS A HAD THE SET THEY WERE NEW WHEN I PURCHASED THEM. *TR
Mileage: 133,000
20070411FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
FUEL LINE PRESSURE FEEDER AT LH SIDE RUSTED THROUGH THE PLASTIC BRACKET IN FRONT OF REAR WHEEL FRAME RAIL IN AUGUST 2005. POOL OF GAS 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER UNDER THE CAR IN CLOSED GARAGE OVERNIGHT. BOTH REAR BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH THE SAME SPOT IN JANUARY 2006. LOST BRAKES WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN, ROLLED THROUGH A STOP SIGN. FUEL RETURN LINE RUSTED THROUGHOUT SAME AREA ON 4-11-07. POOL OF GAS IN GARAGE OVERNIGHT. SERVICE / REPAIR DEALER, VAN ZEELAND IN APPLETON WISCONSIN REPORTED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEMS WITH BUICKS. FIXED A LOT OF THEM. SOME THING WAS WRONG WITH THIS DESIGN, LEADING TO A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. FUEL & BRAKE FAILURE AT 70,000 MILES ON THIS CAR. *AK
Mileage: 70,000
20070411SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
FUEL LINE PRESSURE FEEDER AT LH SIDE RUSTED THROUGH THE PLASTIC BRACKET IN FRONT OF REAR WHEEL FRAME RAIL IN AUGUST 2005. POOL OF GAS 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER UNDER THE CAR IN CLOSED GARAGE OVERNIGHT. BOTH REAR BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH THE SAME SPOT IN JANUARY 2006. LOST BRAKES WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN, ROLLED THROUGH A STOP SIGN. FUEL RETURN LINE RUSTED THROUGHOUT SAME AREA ON 4-11-07. POOL OF GAS IN GARAGE OVERNIGHT. SERVICE / REPAIR DEALER, VAN ZEELAND IN APPLETON WISCONSIN REPORTED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEMS WITH BUICKS. FIXED A LOT OF THEM. SOME THING WAS WRONG WITH THIS DESIGN, LEADING TO A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. FUEL & BRAKE FAILURE AT 70,000 MILES ON THIS CAR. *AK
Mileage: 70,000
20060504FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
1989 BUICK LESABRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE. *TS *JB
20020731TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TREADS SEPARATED ON TWO FRONT TIRES AFTER ONLY 14,582 MILES. *AK
20020327POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, EVERYTHING LOCKED UP ON VEHICLE. COULD NOT TURN STEERING WHEEL NOR TURN VEHICLE OFF WITH THE KEY. DEALER CONTACTED. NLM DEALER FOUND AND REPLACED TCC SOLENOID AND ALL 3 GEAR SWITCHES IN TRANSMISSION FAILED. *TT
20020327POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, EVERYTHING LOCKED UP ON VEHICLE. COULD NOT TURN STEERING WHEEL NOR TURN VEHICLE OFF WITH THE KEY. DEALER CONTACTED. NLM DEALER FOUND AND REPLACED TCC SOLENOID AND ALL 3 GEAR SWITCHES IN TRANSMISSION FAILED. *TT
20001002FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
FUEL LINE IS LEAKING FUEL DUE TO CORROSION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
20000919UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
20000412CrashTIRES
WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 55 MPH, VEHICLE HYDROPLANED, CAME DOWN INTO A CONCRETE PILLAR ONTO GUARDRAIL ON PASSENGER'S SIDE, AND BOUNCED OFF INTO THE MEDIUM STRIP. INSURANCE NOTIFIED. *AK
19991103VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHEN APPLYING THE ACCELERATER PEDAL SLIGHTLY VEHICLE TOOK OFF AT A HIGH SPEED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. ALSO, GEARSHIFT WENT INTO REVERSE AND MESSED UP THE TRANSMISSION. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, AND VEHICLES STILL IDLES HIGH ON OCCASION. *AK
19991103POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN APPLYING THE ACCELERATER PEDAL SLIGHTLY VEHICLE TOOK OFF AT A HIGH SPEED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. ALSO, GEARSHIFT WENT INTO REVERSE AND MESSED UP THE TRANSMISSION. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, AND VEHICLES STILL IDLES HIGH ON OCCASION. *AK
19991103VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
WHEN APPLYING THE ACCELERATER PEDAL SLIGHTLY VEHICLE TOOK OFF AT A HIGH SPEED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. ALSO, GEARSHIFT WENT INTO REVERSE AND MESSED UP THE TRANSMISSION. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, AND VEHICLES STILL IDLES HIGH ON OCCASION. *AK
19991103SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING THE ACCELERATER PEDAL SLIGHTLY VEHICLE TOOK OFF AT A HIGH SPEED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. ALSO, GEARSHIFT WENT INTO REVERSE AND MESSED UP THE TRANSMISSION. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, AND VEHICLES STILL IDLES HIGH ON OCCASION. *AK
19990921VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
RIGHT FRONT DOOR WINDOW SHATTERED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). MJS
19990717EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
THEY HAVE SPRAYED AND DEODORIZED 5 TI AND ODOR COMES BACK AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS,I'VE BEEN TO DR. ABOUT FOUR TIMES WITH SINUS AND EAR INFECTIONS AND HEAD STOPS UP WHEN A/C COMES ON. PARKWAY SAYS THEY CAN'T TREAT CAR ANY MORE AS WARRANTY IS OUT AFTER 1 YEAR. THE LAST TIME THEY SAID THEY OPENED DRAIN HOLES BUT STILL ODOR HAS COME BACK AND I SEE VERY LITTLE WATER DRAINAGE FROM A/C
19990629VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. MJS
19990405STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED,CAUSING VEHICLE TO FISHTAIL ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. DEALER REALIGNED THE STEERING SYSTEM. *AK
19981005LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
INTERMITTENTLY FRONT DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S DOORS DO NOT OPEN. MANUAL LOCKS ARE UP AT THE TIME. *AK
19980522STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE/JIGGLES.
Compare 1989BUICKLESABRE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 BUICK LESABRE have?▼
The 1989 BUICK LESABRE has 35 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 BUICK LESABRE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 BUICK LESABRE is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 1989 BUICK LESABRE safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.