Total Complaints
380 filings
BUICK LESABRE · model year
380 NHTSA complaints, 17 crash reports, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2002BUICKLESABRE carries 380 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 17 crashes, 16 fires, 20 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 2002 LESABRE is visibility:power window devices and controls with 82 filings, followed by structure (33) and air bags (26). 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 2 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 2002 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
380 filings
Crashes Reported
17 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 82 |
| STRUCTURE | 33 |
| AIR BAGS | 26 |
| VISIBILITY | 21 |
| ENGINE | 16 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 11 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 11 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 10 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 9 |
| STEERING | 9 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 9 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 8 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 7 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID | 6 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 6 |
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CERTAIN PASSENGER, MINI VANS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE AN AIR BAG INFLATOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT COULD FRACTURE AT A WELD DURING A DEPLOYMENT.
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH MISSING OR UNDER-TORQUED STEERING GEAR ATTACHMENT BOLTS. IF A BOLT IS MISSING, THE DRIVER MAY NOTICE UNEVEN STEERING RESPONSE OR UNUSUAL NOISES DURING TURNS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE SMOKE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND A BURNING ODOR WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THE ENGINE VALVE COVER WAS FAULTY AND OIL HAD LEAKED ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE LOCAL DEALER WALLINGFORD BUICK LOCATED AT 1122 OLD NORTH COLONY RD, WALLINGFORD, CT 06492 AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
Mileage: 200,000
THE FRAME OF MY CAR FELL OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGH WAY AFTER I HAD ALREADY REPORTED THE PROBLEM AND HAD BEEN DENIED SERVICES TO GET IT FIXED.
Mileage: 100,000
THE FRAME OF MY CAR FELL OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGH WAY AFTER I HAD ALREADY REPORTED THE PROBLEM AND HAD BEEN DENIED SERVICES TO GET IT FIXED.
Mileage: 100,000
THE FRAME OF MY CAR FELL OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGH WAY AFTER I HAD ALREADY REPORTED THE PROBLEM AND HAD BEEN DENIED SERVICES TO GET IT FIXED.
Mileage: 100,000
WHEN I WAS GETTING READY TO STOP, I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL AND WAS MOVING MY FOOT OVER TO THE BRAKE, THE CAR SUDDENLY SPEED UP; I HAD TO STEP ON THE BRAKE EXTRA HARD TO STOP IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME MORE THAN ONCE. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. I HAD ONE PARKING LOT ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE.
Mileage: 200,000
CPSC: THE HEATED SEAT IN MY VEHICLE HAS BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE SEAT.*DT THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. *JS
IN A SMALL TOWN, APPROACHING A STOP SIGN AT THE HIGHWAY CROSSROAD WITH 2-3 VEHICLES IN FRONT OF ME. I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR AND STARTED BRAKING. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY REVVED, I MOVED MY FOOT TO TRY TO RAISE THE ACCELERATOR AND IT WAS ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR; IT WOULD NOT RAISE. I IMMEDIATELY PLACED IN NEUTRAL AND AS PULLING AS CLOSE TO CURB AS POSSIBLE, I SHUT THE IGNITION OFF, THEN PLACED IN PARK. IT HAD TO BE TOWED BACK HOME UNTIL WE CAN DEAL WITH IT. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO ACT QUICKLY ENOUGH TO PREVENT ANY DAMAGE TO ANY OTHER VEHICLE OR PERSON.
Mileage: 230,000
THE HEATED SEATED ON THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT IS BURNING A HOLE THROUGH THE SEAT.
Mileage: 210,000
WAS DRIVING AND AS I PULLED TO REDLIGHT VEHICLE SMELLED OF GAS BUT BURST INTO FLAMES FROM THE MOTOR
WAS DRIVING AND AS I PULLED TO REDLIGHT VEHICLE SMELLED OF GAS BUT BURST INTO FLAMES FROM THE MOTOR
WAS DRIVING AND AS I PULLED TO REDLIGHT VEHICLE SMELLED OF GAS BUT BURST INTO FLAMES FROM THE MOTOR
WINDOW MOTOR HAS GONE OUT NUMEROUS TIMES ON FRONT 2 WINDOWS AND HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED.LAST TIME DRIVERS SIDE WAS REPAIRED WAS 4-17-2014.THAT WAS 3RD REPAIR .HAS SINCE BROKEN AGAIN BUT I DID NOT REPAIR IT AGAIN. BACK DRIVER SIDE WINDOW FELL OPEN WHILE ON INTERSTATE 2 YEARS AGO. MY CAR IS GARAGE KEPT WITH AROUND 60,000 MILES.THESE ISSUES STARTED WITHIN 3 OR 4 YEARS AFTER I PURCHASED IT NEW. THE REPAIR SHOP WHERE I TAKE MY CAR SAYS THEY HAVE SEEN MANY LESABRES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.GM DOESN'T SEEM TO FEEL THERE IS A PROBLEM.I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I HAVE WRITTEN AND CALLED THEM SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT MY CONCERNS.JUST WISH THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR POOR ENGINEERING.
Mileage: 55,000
DROVE CAR 0.2 MILES PARKED CAR WENT INTO WALMART CAR WAS SEEN SMOKING IN PARKING LOT ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE FIRE DEPT CAME TALKED TO AUTO SHOP THEY SAID IT HAS HAPPENED TO THIS YEAR OF VEHICLE MANY TIMES DUE TO A MANUFACTURER ISSUE
Mileage: 900,000
TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER OF A 2002 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT WAS A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH AROUND A CURVE, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LACERATIONS TO THE FACE AND A RIGHT KNEE INJURY, WHICH POPPED OUT OF PLACE. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS SOUGHT. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES FROM THE SEAT BELT, BUT DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ULTIMATE TOWING AND RECOVERY. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED.
Mileage: 200,000
ON STARTUP THE INTAKE MANIFOLD EXPLODED BREAKING THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE AND CATCHING THE ENGINE ON FIRE
Mileage: 116,098
12-1-10 86587M, BOTH OUTER TIE ROD ENDS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. 1-21-15 119486M, RIGHT FRONT OUTER TIE ROD REPLACED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT FELL ASLEEP AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A BROKEN NOSE, FRACTURED EYE SOCKETS, AND HEAD INJURIES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V222000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A YARD AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING ON THE MANUFACTURER TO DETERMINE WHY THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
GOT. INTO A. ACCIDENT ON 6 /9/2017 I WAS TRAVELING 35 TO37 MLS. PER HOUR A DARK BLUE VAN TRIED TO GO BEFORE ME COMING THE OPPOSITE WAY COMING TOWARDS ME SHE TURN IN FOUNT OF ME I HIT HER ON PASSAGE SIDE OF VAN IT WAS A MAJOR ACCIDENT NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED. WE WERE ON PERKINS ST OF AKRON OHIO. [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Mileage: 165,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG SENSOR INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.
Mileage: 175,000
SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED - WARMING UP AT IDLE - IN 4 DEGREE F OUTSIDE AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURE - HAVING BEEN IN HIGH WIND CONTAINING SANDY DIRT PARTICLES OVERNIGHT - VEHICLE UNOCCUPIED - STATIONARY IN RESIDENCE DRIVEWAY. *TR
Mileage: 118,000
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.