Most common 2004 Buick Lesabre problems
Share of the 162 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Buick Lesabre complaints by model year
Best Lesabre years: 2005, 1996, 2003. Years to avoid: 2000, 1998, 1997. Compare all years →
What 2004 Buick Lesabre owners say
Electrical system all 66 →
The backup camera will stay in 'night' brightness mode for 15 seconds while backing out of the garage into daylight. This makes the video screen usless until the 15 second delay is over. I have asked several times at the dealership since I purchased this vehicle new, and they say nothing can be done. Not only is this a huge safety issue but it also is an enviromental issue as may times I must wait in the driveway with the car needlessly idling until the 15 seconds is up. This is seems to be a simple software update to remove the delay when the car is in reverse.
While driving home my fuel gauge stopped working. When I got home I turned the car off and then back on and the fuel gauge was now in the 6 position on a clock. Now I have no idea if there is any fuel in the car or not. Luckily I reset the trip meter with every fuel up so I know I can go approximately 300 miles. Although in the winter when we have to idle our car so the fuel mileage goes down and I do not get as many miles on a tank. Hope I don't run out of fuel during the winter. In reading online reviews about this issue it turns out it can get worse and cause the speedometer to stop working. Then I May be speeding and not even know it. I did try and have it fixed but the guy charged me $207 and it did not fix the problem. At the local GM dealership they said they would repair it for $350.
Body & structure
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Buick Lesabre. The contact stated that the dashboard started to lift from the driver side window to the end of the steering wheel. The underlining padding was viable at the time. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 119,000.
February was the first time I noticed that the top of the dash was bulging upward and separating from the main dash (only easily seen from outside the vehicle). The separation is propagating past the half way point and I fear it could interfere with the passenger side air bag, or in the case of air bag deployment the whole upper dash could be projected into the occupants of the vehicle causing injury or death. This is a recurring problem with Buick Lesabre cars from 2000 thru 2005. Same design, never changed. I have filed a complaint with GM to no avail. The dealer told them the dash pad was peeling, witch is untrue. The entire upper section, about a quarter of an inch thick, is deforming and separating from the dash. I have photos if you are interested. My GM report number is: [redacted].
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 Buick Lesabre. While parked in the driveway, the vehicle caught on fire. The contact stated that the fire started under the hood. The fire department was notified and was able to extinguish the fire. A fire report was filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to a salvage yard and deemed destroyed. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
Owner purchased a 2004 Buick Lesabre, VIN [redacted] (?Buick?), which was manufactured by general motors. On October 14, 2010, owner drove the Buick from the grocery store, returned to her home, and parked the Buick in the attached garage of her home and proceeded to retrieve her groceries from the trunk of the Buick. After she retrieved her groceries from the trunk of the Buick, owner noticed a fire at the front of the Buick. The fire spread from the Buick to the owner's home, and it caused extensive damage to the Buick and to the home. The fire originated from the engine compartment of the Buick. On March 12, 2008, general motors issued a recall, identified by NHTSA campaign id number 08V118000, in response to the potential for an engine compartment fire to occur in 207,542 automobiles manufactured by general motors from 1997 to 2003 and contained a 3.8l engine (?2008 recall?). …
2004 Buick Lesabre engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 27 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Buick Lesabre a good car?
Based on 162 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Lesabre rates better than average: 49% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Lesabre at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 Buick Lesabre?
The electrical system — 66 complaints, 41% of all complaints for this model year, most often about instrument cluster/panel. Next are the body & structure (19) and engine & cooling (14).
How many recalls does the 2004 Buick Lesabre have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2004 Buick Lesabre. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Buick Lesabre?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005, 1996 and 2003. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000, 1998 and 1997. See the full Buick Lesabre years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Buick Lesabre problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 64,000 miles; 34% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.