1989 Buick Lesabre problems & reliability
27 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1989 Buick Lesabre. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 15% |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 15% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 15% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 11% |
| Tires | 3 | 11% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 7% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 7% |
| Power Train | 2 | 7% |
| Steering | 2 | 7% |
| Visibility | 2 | 7% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“While driving on I-485s approx 45 miles drivers side tire blew out. There was tires tread only ripped in a circle around whitewall area of a kumho touring 795 size 205-75r-14 tire was serviced by dealer who I purchased tires with a warranty have not had the tires for a year they gave me free tire and rotation for 3500…”
Tires · filed Jun 2, 2008
“Fuel line pressure feeder at lh side rusted through the plastic bracket in front of rear wheel frame rail in august 2005. Pool of gas 3 inches in diameter under the car in closed garage overnight. Both rear brake lines rusted through the same spot in january 2006. Lost brakes while driving in town, rolled through a…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Apr 11, 2007
“While making a left turn, everything locked up on vehicle. Could not turn steering wheel nor turn vehicle off with the key. Dealer contacted. Nlm dealer found and replaced tcc solenoid and all 3 gear switches in transmission failed. *tt”
Power Train · filed Mar 27, 2002
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1989 Buick Lesabre in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1989 Buick Lesabre?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.