no report yet
Air bags: frontal
Risk. PIECES OF THE INFLATOR COULD STRIKE AND INJURE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND THE AIR BAG CUSHION WOULD NOT INFLATE FULLY, REDUCING THE CAPABILITY OF THE BAG TO PROTECT…
2003 Buick LesabreProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 164 owner complaints about the 2003 Buick Lesabre, most often about the structure. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 19, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Buick Lesabre has problems
164 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
57Structure2 crash/fire/injury
21Air bags3 crash/fire/injury
18Power train
15Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
12Visibility
10Service brakes, hydraulic
8Engine and engine cooling
8Engine
7Tires
4011 other systems5 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | 57 | 2 |
| Air bags | 21 | 3 |
| Power train | 18 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 15 | 1 |
| Visibility | 12 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 10 | 3 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 8 | 0 |
| Engine | 8 | 3 |
| Tires | 7 | 1 |
| 11 other systems | 40 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2003 Buick Lesabre recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Buick.
Mileage at failure
When do structure problems start?
60kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 46 structure complaints. 85% were reported before 100,000 miles.
7under 30k miles39under 100k miles7100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2003 vs. every other Lesabre year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Lesabre median. How we score
'67'70'71'72'74'75'76'77'78'79'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2003 Buick Lesabre safety ratings
2003 Buick LeSabre 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: Optional
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Lesabre owners report
Recent structure complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2003 Buick LeSabre. The contact stated that their trunk failed to remain in the open position when needed. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD HAD INADVERTENTLY BECOME UNGLUED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT…
LETTER FROM CONGRESSWOMAN FOXX ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 2003 BUICK LESABRE DEFECT ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DASHBOARD SEPARATED AND RAISED ABOUT TWO INCHES. *JB
Own a 2003 Lesabre?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.