Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-55
1997 Buick Lesabre C Same same same.
Gasket set from the heads up $225.00, manifold??? Still at the machine shop. No indication of any problem around 135,000 miles slowly loosing coolant. DO SOMETHING AT THIS POINT! Then hydro lock # 1 cylinder. It appears the coolant came through the manifold, down the intake runner and by the intake valve. As both valves close on the compression stroke there is no way to relieve the pressure. Fluid does not compress as air does. This locks the engine. If the head gasket is not junk before this it is now! This does not mean the engine is junk! Inspection of the cylinders indicates no other problem at this point. Will repost when complete!!
Well, I read about the plenum problem, and it hit me at 75,000 miles without any warning whatsoever. Then a week later, the starter went out. I only tried once to restart after the plenum incident, and evidently that caused the starter to go out.
Other than that, I love this car! I drive it back and forth to work every day, take it on vacations, and it drives like a dream. I love the smooth ride, responsive handling, and all the amenities. I will probably buy another LeSabre in a couple more years.
Thanks a lot Buick, I talked my Mom into this 1998 Le-sabre. I thought how could She go wrong with a Buick; WRONG; 82000 miles;The intake is leaking antifreeze into engine.$1170. There should be a recall. I'm going to call GM ;Buick;This car has never been over 65 mph. The intake has no moving parts, come on!!! This is just a weak part. I may not understand,but shouldn't the Better Business or some other consumer group be on this. This problem is all over the Internet, its not like the intakes have just started leaking now.
Have 1997 Buick Le Sabre Custom that I have religiously changed oil and fluids at recommended dates.
At 90,000 miles I noticed temp gauge starting to rise, but could not "see" a leak, and then after having a mechanic check it, found that coolant was leaking under intake manifold. Fortunately it was not going into the oil, and I caught it before it ruined engine.
After reading all these posts, it's no wonder General Motor's share price is sinking. I'll never buy another GM, especially after they have known for years that this same problem would never be fixed, but continue to make same design year after year without fixing the problem. I own 2 Buick Le Sabre's and will sell both of them before I run out of money trying to keep them running.
I just got my estimate for my repair on my 1998 Le Sabre with 96,000 miles on it. Yes, it's the same intake manifold gasket
leaking. My estimate is 1400.00 plus taxes. We have no choice
but to fix it. This is my second Le Sabre. My 1992 was driven to over 200,000 miles. I love this car, but I agree that since this is a fairly common problem a recall should be issued. Someone told me that the intake plenum was changed for models after 2000. Is that true?
I have a 93 Regal. Great car, durable, fuel efficient on the highway. Good winter car - I live in Winnipeg where winters are no laughing matter.
At 14 years, and 156,000 miles, it started erratic idling behavior - often idling at 3000 rpm at stop lights, etc. It also occasionally shifted erratically - staying in lower gears too long or not up-shifting at all. Service Engine Soon light comes on. Then, after a while, symptoms retreat for a while.
Cause: intake manifold deterioration has allowed coolant to bleed into throttle body, corroding throttle position sensor. Cost: $700 to replace manifold and sensor.
What a dumb idea to manufacture a key engine component out of plastic! I was lucky the leakage was up and out rather than down and into the cylinders.
Sometimes you gotta wonder about GM engineers. I can imagine one coming home at night: "Honey - you wouldn't believe what we did today... I got this great idea from your Tupperware collection... ".
And she says, "Remember the time I left the Tupperware butter container on the stove and turned on the element and it melted?"
And he thinks, "Darn - never thought of that! Oh well, I work for GM, so I guess it'll work out somehow."
I am extremely close to purchasing a 98 le sabre with 53,000 miles. All of these comments are really making me rethink purchasing this car. I would really like to purchase this car, but I don't want to deal with these problems.
I had the same problem as others with my 1998 LaSabre, repaired my engine and in march 07 replaced the engine. Now A/C doesn't seem work properly. Cannot get mid-level vents to work regardless of the setting. Has anyone had similar problems with the A/C system?
Check your actuators, one of them may be broke and not letting the passage way for the mid level vents to open. You can tell if their broke because they will move freely, but they're not supposed to. Also check and see if the rods from the vents are attached to the actuator. This happened with my 95 park avenue. The heat didn't work and I think that's why it got traded in around september because whoever owned it didn't want to experience another cold winter. It took me 4 months and a trip to the junkyard to figure out. In my case I assume someone did this deliberately because the rod to the vent was tied down with a plastic tie.
Yesterday had the same problem with my 98 Le Sabre. Bought it two years ago with only 70k on it. Driving to an appointment and it stuttered, then stopped. I had hoped it was the alternator, but they've found the rad empty, coolant in the cylinders, and tomorrow they pull the heads off. I'm hoping the engine is not shot cause I love this car! Has anyone had any recourse from GM on this? Thanks.
Well, add another '98 Buick Le-sabre to the list... 104,000 miles is what I bought it at. At 106,00 miles had a problem on my way to work. Thought was smelling my Pads burning as My ABS light was on. Pulled over got a ride to work. Three day wait to get it to the shop, then... I couldn't get the engine to turn over.
I have just been told that I am looking at a $1500 repair to replace the head gasket.
Should I go with it, get an engine rebuild, or get rid of my ox?
The shop has it now and I'm not sure which way I should have them go with it.
Any word back from GM? Post if you got the same issue and file a claim... This is a Defect and many people DO have the same problem. I would like to think that GM can correct a mistake.
This is too bad as I LOVE the car.
I own a 1998 Buick also and have not had any of these problems YET. Has anyone been successful in finding a recall for replacement of the gasket or found an after market metal gasket.
My Buick Le Sabre Custom with the 3800 engine was purchased used with only 35,000 miles on it. I thought it was a deal and I paid cash.
At 60,000 miles the coolant disappeared and the car went into a vapor lock or something. The car never overheated, the check engine light never came on... it just stopped running.
I looked up the problem myself on the Internet, and my brother (he races cars) put in the replacement intake manifold... which, by the way is also made out of plastic that will melt. That fix solved the problem until I hit 89,500 miles last week when the car ran rough and it really struggled up the hill; the check engine light came on, and I did a U turn and coasted back down the hill home. I lifted the hood and of course no coolant anyplace, and there was no dripping coolant so it was inside the engine... again! It did NOT go into lock-up... I managed to get home with the check engine light was blinking like crazy for the 1.5 mile drive home.
I left the stupid thing in the driveway for 4 days... alternating between cursing it and kicking it as I walk by to catch the bus and catch rides with friends while I wait for my brother to get time to fix it... anybody want it... after this fix, I'm getting rid of it... the problem will NOT go away with plastic replacement parts being the only thing available to fix a manufacturers defect.
I've had my Buick LeSabre for 3 years and never had any problems, and the man I bought it from had a brand new engine installed 1 year and half before that. Then today I stopped at a stop sign; the temperature gauge went all the way up then died. We need some kind of compensation from Buick. It is a continuing problem and it needs to be fixed.
Same problem as all the rest last summer on my 98 Le sabre. Had to replace engine $3500. Now vehicle occasionally stalls while driving? Has anyone else had this trouble or found a fix for stalling? I hate to take it to a garage to have them start guessing & make "shotgun" repairs on my dollar.