2005 BUICK LESABRE Electrical System Problems

FAILURE OF STEPPER MOTORS IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER.

Mileage: 26,523

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ODOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO WORK. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

Mileage: 78,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND FAILED TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON A SEPARATE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TWICE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION MODULE WAS REPLACED EACH TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,771.

Mileage: 48,771

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE BATTERY EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.

Mileage: 119,000

LETTER FROM SENATOR RUBIO ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 2005 BUICK LESABRE DEFECTS (ATTN: DAVID HUFF). *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE IGNITION SWITCH BROKE, AND WHEN HE EXITED THE VEHICLE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STATED THE KEY WAS STILL IN THE IGNITION. ALSO, THE AIR BAG WAS PROTRUDING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE RECALLS DID NOT APPLY TO HIS VEHICLE. *JB

THE LIGHTS ON THE HEATER CONTROL QUIT WORKING MAKING IT HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 96,180

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,800.

Mileage: 47,800

STARTED OUT AS A HEADLAMP THAT WE THOUGHT WAS BURNED OUT. REPLACED THE BULB AND IT WORKED FOR A DAY OR TWO. NEXT THE GAS GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER, HEAT AND COOLING GAUGE AND NOW BOTH HEADLAMPS DO NOT WORK. MY HUSBAND HAS TO DRIVE IN THE DARK WITH BRIGHTS ON BECAUSE THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO HEADLIGHTS . THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND GM SHOULD BE ISSUING A RECALL. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND WE CANNOT DRIVE OUR VEHICLE AT NIGHT UNLESS WE USE OUR BRIGHTS THE WHOLE TIME WHICH THEN BECOMES A SAFETY ISSUE TO OTHER DRIVERS. THIS IS AS SERIOUS AS SEAT BELTS FAILING OR WINDSHIELD WIPERS OUT OF WHACK. PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS WITH QUICK AND SERIOUS MEASURES. *TR

Mileage: 100,000

ORIGINALLY WHEN THE ISSUE HAPPENED AT RANDOM TIMES WITH THE SPEEDOMETER READINGIN INACCURATELY. NOW IT HAS FALLEN TO THE 6 O'CLOCK POSITION AND NEVER MOVES FROM THAT POSITION. I HAVE NEVER HAD IT REPAIRED WAS TOLD BY DEALERS THAT THE PART WAS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND IT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. ISSUE STARTED AT AROUND 86000 MILES (RANDOM READINGS) AROUND 91000 SPEEDOMETER (FALLEN TO 6 O' CLOCK POSITION. *TR

Mileage: 86,000

SPEEDOMETER IS INACCURATE AND VERY SPORADIC. SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE GETS STUCK ON ANY NUMBER WHEN VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY STOPPED AND/OR TURNED OFF. MOST OF THE TIME HAVE TO GUESS HOW FAST OR SLOW THE VEHICLE IS ACTUALLY GOING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. AFTER READING ABOUT THE SAME TYPE OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER CONSUMERS, I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME GM FIXES THIS PROBLEM BY INITIATING A FORMAL RECALL. MY GRANDPARENTS SWORE BY BUICK AND GM VEHICLES. I ABSOLUTELY HAVE MY DOUBTS NOW. IF PROBLEM IS NEVER RECALLED, I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A BUICK OR ANY OTHER GM VEHICLE IN THE FUTURE. IT IS NOT RIGHT FOR THIS TO BE IGNORED WITH AS MANY COMMON COMPLAINTS THAT ARE FILED. *TR

Mileage: 62,000

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.

Mileage: 123,000

THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD SHOW LOWER SPEED THAN I WAS GOING, THEN IT WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL. THE TEMP. GAGE WOULD GO PAST HOT, THEN PEG OUT. REPLACED VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR DID NOT FIX. REPLACED TEMP. SENSOR DID NOT FIX. *TR

INSTRUMENT LIGHTS ON RADIO, HEAT/AIR CONTROLS, STEERING WHEEL RADIO/CRUISE CONTROL CONTROLS STARTED BURNING OUT ONE BY ONE. THINKING THAT IT WOULD BE A SIMPLE, CHEAP FIX, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. AT THAT TIME, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY COULD NO LONGER JUST FIX THE BURNED OUT BULBS, BUT HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL MODULE JUST TO FIX THE LIGHT. WHAT WAS ONCE A $10-$20 FIX HAS NOW BECOME A $150-$200 FIX PER MODULE. ONE MODULE CAN CONTAIN ONE OR TWO LIGHT BULBS, SO IF YOU HAVE 6 OR 8 BURNED OUT BULBS, IT CAN COST YOU UP TO $1600 TO FIX! SECONDLY, AROUND SEPTEMBER 2010, THE RPM GAUGE PEGGED OUT AND THEN DROPPED TO THE SIX O'CLOCK POSITION. EVER SINCE THEN, SOMETIMES IT WORKS ERRATICALLY AND SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL. THEN, ABOUT JANUARY 2011, MY FUEL GAUGE STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. WHEN MY TANK WAS FULL, IT WOULD READ EMPTY OR HALF FULL. AFTER RE-STARTING MY CAR, IT WOULD GO BACK TO NORMAL, ONLY TO ACT FUNNY THE NEXT TIME I STARTED THE CAR. I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON OTHER GM CARS THAT USED THE SAME DEFECTIVE STEPPER MOTORS THAT ARE INSTALLED IN THE 2002-2005 BUICK LESABRES, BUT FOR SOME REASON, THE LESABRES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL WHERE GM WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT COST ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THIS ISN'T RIGHT! WITH FAULTY INSTRUMENT PANELS, IT ISN'T SAFE TO DRIVE! AND IF YOU WANT TO GET IT REPLACED,IT WILL COST YOU AROUND $800-900!!!!

Mileage: 42,000

VEHICLE SPEEDOMETER WORKS ON AND OFF. SPEEDOMETER READS 20 MPH WHEN GOING 60 ON HWY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF 800 PLUS LABOR..... VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 60,000 MILES AND HAD 55,000 AT TIME. *TR

Mileage: 55,000

2005 BUICK LESABRE. CONSUMER STATES RECENTLY THE RPS DIAL WENT INTO A ROUND IN A CIRCLE AND FELL TO THE BOTTOM, THEN THE GAS GAUGE DID THE SAME THING *TGW THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOOSE. *JB

THE SPEEDOMETER IN MY 2005 BUICK LE SABRE INTERMITTENTLY READ FALSE SPEED READINGS FOR 2000 MILES AFTER 55,000 MILES OF USE. IT FAILED COMPLETELY AT 57,000 MILES AND DOES NOT REGISTER SPEED AT ALL AND IS FLAT-LINED ON 0. *TR

Mileage: 52,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER DID NOT ALWAYS DISPLAY THE PROPER SPEED WHILE DRIVING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT HE SHOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER SINCE THIS WAS A KNOWN FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HE HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR COST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,200.

Mileage: 52,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER ABNORMALLY INCREASED TO 140 MPH. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SPEEDOMETER PANEL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 27,100 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,800. UPDATED 6/1/10 *CN UPDATED 06/04/10.8JB

Mileage: 26,800

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHILE DRIVING AN UNDETERMINED SPEED, THE SPEEDOMETER BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HIS INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT HE SHOULD CONTACT GENERAL MOTORS SINCE HE HAD SEEN THIS ISSUE WITH HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE AN AUTHORIZED DEALER DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 94, 031. UPDATED 01/19/10 *BF UPDATED 01/20/10.*JB UPDATED 04/09/10. *LJ GM DID NOT AGREE TO HAVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPAIRED AT THEIR EXPENSE. THE CONSUMER HAD A LOCAL SHOP REMOVE THE CLUSTER AND IT WAS SENT FOR REPAIR AND RE-INSTALLED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SPEEDOMETER IS OPERATING NORMALLY. UPDATED 07/16/10.*JB

Mileage: 90,431

TL*THE 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. *LJ UPDATED 02/11/09. *JB

Mileage: 20,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LESABRE. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTS THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES BECOME HOT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $600. IN ADDITION, ONE OF THE GAUGES IS NOT REGISTERING THE CORRECT INFORMATION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Mileage: 60,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE BRAKES SUDDENLY FAILED. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS HANGING LOOSE AND WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. THE ROD CONNECTING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS MISALIGNED. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THIS HAPPENED AT THE FACTORY AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. THE SERVICE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE BY REPLACING SEVERAL UNKNOWN BRAKE COMPONENTS. UPDATED 6-12-2006. THE CONSUMER REPORTED THE FAILURE TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT CRANK DUE TO A DEAD BATTERY. *NM

Mileage: 5,777

2005 BUICK LESABRE HORN REQUIRED EXCESSIVE EFFORT TO ACTIVATE AND IT ISN'T EASY TO FIND. THE CONSUMER HAS TO PUSH ALL OVER THE HORN PADDING TO FIND THE HORN BUTTON. *TS THE SUN VISOR IS POORLY POSITIONED AND BLOCKS A LARGE PART OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY DEVICE UNLOCKED MORE GM VEHICLES THAN JUST HIS OWN. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY TOLD HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP REPROGRAMMED THE DEVICE AND IT STILL UNLOCKED OTHER VEHICLES. *AK UPDATED 1/11/2006 - *NM

Mileage: 6,061

DT: THE CONTACT STATED ON FEBRUARY 1, 2005 THE HORN WAS DIFFICULT TO BLOW. IT TOOK TOO MUCH PRESSURE IN ORDER TO GET THE HORN TO BLOW. WHEN MAKING A TURN IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND THE CORRECT SPOT . CONSUMER STATES THEY HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. HOWEVER, THE DEALER'S TECHNICIAN STATED THEY HAD THE SAME COMPLAINT FROM OTHER CUSTOMERS. *AK