Total Complaints
849 filings
BUICK LESABRE · model year
849 NHTSA complaints, 33 crash reports, and 5 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2000BUICKLESABRE carries 849 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 33 crashes, 43 fires, 26 injuries, 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 2000 LESABRE is visibility:power window devices and controls with 203 filings, followed by electrical system (36) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (32). 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. This model year has 5 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 2000 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.
Total Complaints
849 filings
Crashes Reported
33 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 203 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 36 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 32 |
| STEERING | 24 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN | 22 |
| TIRES | 21 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 19 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 18 |
| VISIBILITY | 18 |
| ENGINE | 18 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 17 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 17 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 15 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 14 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 13 |
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE INNER TIE ROD NUTS ARE LOOSE AND CAN RESULT IN SEPARATION OF A TIE ROD.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE BRAKE BOOSTER TO PEDAL ASSEMBLY ATTACHMENT NUTS MAY BE LOOSE.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
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
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE HEAD LAMP ADJUSTMENT DEVICE HORIZONTAL ADJUSTER MAY NOT MOVE THE HEAD LAMP REFLECTOR WHEN THE SHAFT IS ROTATED IN A NORMAL MANNER
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE INTERNAL FLUID LEAKS IN THE BRAKE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT.
the 2000 Buick Lesabre is a wonderful car basically a tank with the 3800 SERIES II you cant go wrong but the tiny little plastic part holding the throttle cable will dryrot even with a garage kept car under 150k miles please get them replaced I was driving and then the part came off and it got wrapped around the bracket and it took off I melted the breaks I wasn't stopping due to constant gas so I flipped in down into neutral to stop the vehicle from accelerating after i found a spot to pull it off the road but you can also put your foot under the peddle and pull up on it while pressing the breaks if you cant find a safe area while this is happening but i didnt relise it was happning until i hit 65 because the road i was on was a 55 and before i knew it i was going 90 luciky i live out in the rural areas
the 2000 Buick Lesabre is a wonderful car basically a tank with the 3800 SERIES II you cant go wrong but the tiny little plastic part holding the throttle cable will dryrot even with a garage kept car under 150k miles please get them replaced I was driving and then the part came off and it got wrapped around the bracket and it took off I melted the breaks I wasn't stopping due to constant gas so I flipped in down into neutral to stop the vehicle from accelerating after i found a spot to pull it off the road but you can also put your foot under the peddle and pull up on it while pressing the breaks if you cant find a safe area while this is happening but i didnt relise it was happning until i hit 65 because the road i was on was a 55 and before i knew it i was going 90 luciky i live out in the rural areas
The plastic pice holding the throttle lines snapped off and my cable went under my bracket and it took off I destroyed the Transmission putting it in neutral to stop the vehicle after I had gotten it stoped the fire from the engine was small I will recommend this car and yes I do want another one but it is a common issue I will recomed this car because the body is made out of steel and they are basicly tanks with the 3800 Series II and it was easy for me to spot what was happening and get ahead of it before it got worse I drove 5 miles with this happening before the engine overheated and caught fire
The plastic pice holding the throttle lines snapped off and my cable went under my bracket and it took off I destroyed the Transmission putting it in neutral to stop the vehicle after I had gotten it stoped the fire from the engine was small I will recommend this car and yes I do want another one but it is a common issue I will recomed this car because the body is made out of steel and they are basicly tanks with the 3800 Series II and it was easy for me to spot what was happening and get ahead of it before it got worse I drove 5 miles with this happening before the engine overheated and caught fire
I started my car in the morning, per my usual routine. After a few seconds, I heard a very loud bang and the car stalled. A few seconds later, there was a large amount of smoke coming from under the hood. I opened the hood to see a large fire had started. My son, who heard the loud bang, came outside and saw the flames from under the hood. He ran into the house, grabbed a fire extinguisher, and attempted to put out the fire. He got the fire out but it was difficult. I had the car looked at by a mechanic and told me that the intake manifold had literally exploded. He has stated that he has never seen anything like this. It appears that the exploding manifold ruptured a fuel line. He told me there was a recall on this vehicle relating to a rupturing manifold and leaking fuel but that my vehicle had already had the recall performed. He thought that the new parts may be defective which is why I am reporting this incident.
The contact owns a 2000 Buick LeSabre. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40-45 MPH, the front end of the vehicle started shaking uncontrollably. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle at a slower speed. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic who diagnosed that the tie rod nuts had failed and the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 99V301000 (Steering). The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that they could not repair the vehicle under the recall because the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The contact also stated that the vehicle was experiencing the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V090000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 139,000.
Mileage: 139,000
The contact owns a 2000 Buick LeSabre. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40-45 MPH, the front end of the vehicle started shaking uncontrollably. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle at a slower speed. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic who diagnosed that the tie rod nuts had failed and the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 99V301000 (Steering). The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that they could not repair the vehicle under the recall because the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The contact also stated that the vehicle was experiencing the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 04V090000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 139,000.
Mileage: 139,000
BRAKE LINES RUSTING EVEN THOUGH I REPLACED THE RUSTY BRAKE LINES BEFORE. THE FIRST TIME THEY ROTTED THROUGH AND I COULD NOT STOP BUT FORTUNATELY I WAS GOING SLOW AND USED EMERGENCY BRAKE.
Mileage: 59,000
BRAKE LINES RUSTING EVEN THOUGH I REPLACED THE RUSTY BRAKE LINES BEFORE. THE FIRST TIME THEY ROTTED THROUGH AND I COULD NOT STOP BUT FORTUNATELY I WAS GOING SLOW AND USED EMERGENCY BRAKE.
Mileage: 59,000
BRAKE LINES RUSTING EVEN THOUGH I REPLACED THE RUSTY BRAKE LINES BEFORE. THE FIRST TIME THEY ROTTED THROUGH AND I COULD NOT STOP BUT FORTUNATELY I WAS GOING SLOW AND USED EMERGENCY BRAKE.
Mileage: 59,000
ENGINE MOUNTS ARE LOOSE AND NEED REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THEY MAKE JERKING SOUNDS WHEN I SPEED UP OR SLOW DOWN MAKING FOR EXTRA MOVEMENTS IN CAR
Mileage: 59,000
GAS LINES ARE RUSTY AND LOOK LIKE THEY ARE ABOUT TO LEAK GAS AND ALSO I GOT STUCK ON HIGHWAY BECAUSE GAS GAUGE DID NOT WORK BECAUSE GROUND WIRE TO SENDER WAS BROKEN
Mileage: 59,000
WONT HO IN DRIVE
Mileage: 130,000
WONT HO IN DRIVE
Mileage: 130,000
CLUNK WHEN TURNING THEN LOSS OF CONTROL WHEN STEERING, MECHANIC FOUND FRACTURED POWER STEERING RACK.
Mileage: 198,000
I TURN THE IGNITION OVER DIDN'T IT DID NOT EVEN START YET A LOUD WENT BOOM AND UP UNDER THE HOOD WAS BLAZING WITH FIRE THAN MY DOORS LOCKED I COULD NOT GET OUT I HAD TO KICK THE OPPOSITE SIDE AND THEN I GOT OUT I HAD TO CALL SLEEP FIRE RESCUE SQUAD THE FIRE WAS SO BAD IT WAS GOING UP UNDER MY CARPORT AND ALMOST CAUGHT MY ROOF ON FIRE AND ALMOST DID AND DID A LITTLE BIT
Mileage: 130,000
I TURN THE IGNITION OVER DIDN'T IT DID NOT EVEN START YET A LOUD WENT BOOM AND UP UNDER THE HOOD WAS BLAZING WITH FIRE THAN MY DOORS LOCKED I COULD NOT GET OUT I HAD TO KICK THE OPPOSITE SIDE AND THEN I GOT OUT I HAD TO CALL SLEEP FIRE RESCUE SQUAD THE FIRE WAS SO BAD IT WAS GOING UP UNDER MY CARPORT AND ALMOST CAUGHT MY ROOF ON FIRE AND ALMOST DID AND DID A LITTLE BIT
Mileage: 130,000
I TURN THE IGNITION OVER DIDN'T IT DID NOT EVEN START YET A LOUD WENT BOOM AND UP UNDER THE HOOD WAS BLAZING WITH FIRE THAN MY DOORS LOCKED I COULD NOT GET OUT I HAD TO KICK THE OPPOSITE SIDE AND THEN I GOT OUT I HAD TO CALL SLEEP FIRE RESCUE SQUAD THE FIRE WAS SO BAD IT WAS GOING UP UNDER MY CARPORT AND ALMOST CAUGHT MY ROOF ON FIRE AND ALMOST DID AND DID A LITTLE BIT
Mileage: 130,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DUE TO A FLAT TIRE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE INNER TIE ROD BUSHING HAD RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.
Mileage: 93,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK LESABRE. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD EXPLODED INTO PIECES. THE CONTACT CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE COVER AND FUEL FILTER EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V090000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS DONATED. *TR
Mileage: 80,000
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.