Electrical complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl contact owns a 2005 Buick Lesabre. While driving approximately 15 MPH, all of the warning indicators illuminated on the instrument control panel. The contact also smelled a burning odor and noticed flames erupting from the trunk of the vehicle. The flames spread to the entire vehicle. All of the locks melted, which nearly prevented her from exiting the vehicle. The vehicle was completely destroyed. An investigator from the fire department stated that the battery underneath the rear passenger seat failed and caused the fire. The contact has a copy of the police report and pictures of the failed incident. She called the manufacturer, but did not receive a response. The failure and current mileages were 20,000. Updated 02/10/09. Updated 02/11/09.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Buick Lesabre. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, smoke was emitting from under the rear seat. The contact was able to pull over to further assess the failure. The contact diagnosed that the electrical chords were overheated and the medal had become unbearably hot. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection or repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The failure and the current mileage was 123,000.
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Buick Lesabre. While driving approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle restarted; however, the failure recurred on several occasions while driving at low speeds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but the failure was unable to be determined; however, the gasket kit, a connector, and the maf sensor were replaced. The failure persisted and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the failure was unable to be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 71,449.
I was driving and proceeded to slow down as I did I heard a loud noise I continued driving about 3 miles when I smelled something burning. I stopped for a red light and noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood on the driver side. I pulled into a parking lot where the car proceeded to ignite on fire and burned before the fire department got there. I had no previous problems with car before this incident.
I have had issues with my vehicle's oil leaking then burning/smoking off my car. This issue is on my engine's manifold & hasn't been recalled even though the same engine is recalled on other GM models. The engine on my Lesabre is the same 3.8 liter v6 3800 engine that was recalled twice by GM in the past 6 years. My engine had minimal fire in the incidents I experienced but quite a bit of smoke from the area the oil leaks. Once I kill the engine the smoke stops. GM wants to charge for a diagnostic check & wouldn't recognize the issue on the very same engine, viewing it as just a vehicle not recalled even if it has the same faulty part. It caused my car's catalytic converter to fail as it burned through. A fix is costly, so I went to my own independent mechanic to save myself money since GM does not want to take care of issues that they recalled. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Buick Lesabre. While checking the window motor, it was discovered that the wiring inside the door was poorly assembled. Every time it rained, the window regulators had to be replaced. The failure occurred twice. The manufacturer was not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 24,000. Updated 7/21/15 updated 9/23/15
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system › Ignition › Anti-theft › Control module
These vehicles were assembled with a malfunction alarm, lighting and locking (mall) module that can contain a damaged capacitor. If the capacitor is damaged, the "key in the ignition" warning chime and the driver seat belt unbuckled warning chime and indicator lamp May not work. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if required, replace the mall module.
Frequently asked questions
Which Buick Lesabre years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (87), 2004 (66), 1998 (50), 1997 (42) and 2001 (38) model years. Electrical complaints make up 13% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Buick Lesabre electrical problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 95V-204 (control module, Oct 23, 1995). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Buick Lesabre electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 65,000 miles; 39% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the horn (53 mentions), followed by the 12v/24v/48v battery (38).
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.