Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-52
The leaking coolant at the intake manifold is a recall on 3.8L LeSabres. I actually had Buick contact me and adamantly insist that I bring my '02 LeSabre in to have it checked/repaired.
As for the window regulators, I've got 73K on mine and the right front window regulator just went. Ran the window down, and it refused to go back up. I took the door panel off and manually raised the window (rain was in the forecast) and got on here to see if I could get some info on it. :- (I'm pretty handy... I'll probably end up pulling the whole mess out and seeing if I can't find a way to fix it so it'll stay fixed... I found an article from a Mitsubishi owner that described a similar problem. It had to do with a plastic part holding the upper pulley in place. He fabricated a metal one to solve the problem.
I don't quite understand the concept of giving the entire vehicle a bad rating because of one relatively minor shortcoming.
Sure, I'm not happy that my Le Sabre has flimsy window regulators. On the other hand, I can't think of a single other large sedan that comes anywhere close to the Le Sabre's reliability.
In 73,000 miles this is the first problem I've had with the car. The Buick 3.8L V6 is arguably the best American-made engine ever built from a reliability and durability perspective. Change the timing chain at 150K-175K miles and keep clean oil in it, and it'll easily run 250K miles before any sort of major repairs, and it'll get 30MPG on the highway. I've had Honda Civics that couldn't top my Le Sabre in fuel economy.
If you need a big sedan with a big trunk, there's really not much of a contest. You could go out and pay $50K+ for a big Mercedes sedan and end up with a vehicle that tops the list for unreliability. You could buy one of the larger Ford products... enough said there. (for 2006, Lincoln and Mercedes rated as the two most trouble-prone cars on the road). I've been there and done that, and my Buick is a real gem next to that garbage.
So, am I thrilled that my window just broke? No, but if you shop around you can get a new regulator/motor assembly online for $79, and if you're reasonably handy you can install it yourself in an hour or so. That's not so terrible in my book considering I had to unload my last Ford at 63,000 miles because it was costing me an average of $400 per month in repairs.
I am buying my 2001 Buick LeSabre from my dad and both back windows broke in the down position.
When the first one broke, I took it to be repaired and was given the evidently standard quote of $400. So, I went home and managed to get the door panel off and put electric tape around the track to try and hold the window in the up position.
Now, there is an error message saying "Door Ajar" and the interior lights won't go off.
And then the other back door window broke. So now I'm looking at $800 worth of repairs. That sounds like a lot to me!
2001 Buick LeSabre. Just suffered 4th power window failure. Bought new in 2001 and only has 47000 miles. Last GM car for me.
I put pictures online at Flickr on how to repair these window regulator problems. It shows a series of pictures with instructions on how to remove and replace the regulator. I suggest buying them online from Ebay, get one with a warranty! Look up Buick Window Regualator on Flickr. Good Luck!
We couldn't find any photos matching Buick and Window and Regulator. : ( (
I own a 2001 Le Sabre LTD. Has anyone here had problems with the transaxel shifting hard? The problem started just after 38,000 miles and seems to be getting more prevalent. The problem does not happen at first; but after the car has warmed up. It is also intermittent. After it begins happening, I can turn the car off and let it set for 3 to 5 minutes. Start it back up and no problem for a few more minutes. The further I drive the car the worse the hard shifting happens.
Yes, I had a 2001 Century with the same shifting problem. Never could find out why, but I got rid of the car anyway! Worst car I ever owned.
I have a 2002 Buick Le Sabre Custom with 34k miles on it, and have had to replace 3 window regulators within 1 year (2 went out within a couple of days of each other). The windows just fell down while driving.
I had the entire electrical system go ballistic on me about 8 months ago, and burned itself out and fried the battery. Then the cruise control malfunctioned about 2 months after the electrical system was repaired.
If I keep this car much longer, I may have paid enough in repairs that I could have purchased a reliable used Toyota.
I have owned my 2001 Buick Le Sabre since new and now am on my 4th regulator. 500$ for the first and 325$ on the second. I bought off the Internet for the next two. I ordered one today and paid 53$ and will take a while to install. Buick got a few extra bucks from me but I hope my new 2008 Merck. does better. Goodbye GM.
I inherited a 2001 Buick LeSabre from my father-in-law. While I am grateful for his generosity, people should know about the problems with this car.
I have replaced 3 window regulators at considerable cost; the gas gauge does not work, most likely because of a worn tank/sender gauge; and now the trunk won’t close anymore. The CD player cuts in and out. Quite frankly, I think GM pitched this car to old retired people as an “affordable Cadillac.”
The visibility is horrendous – you can’t see out the back unless you are on totally flat ground. Visibility out the front is bad, too.
I will never own another GM product.
My 2001 Buick Lesabre has had three window regulators go out in the past 5 months. Started with the right rear passenger, then the left passenger, and now the front passenger. I might as well go ahead and replace the driver door regulator. I'm sure it will be next since it has been the most used. GM needs a recall on this item.
Actually, I have heard that these failures occur from a lack of use. So maybe that is why your front driver has not failed.
I just found this site while looking to order rear window regulators for my 2001 Buick Le Sabre Custom. What a shock to find that so many of us have problems with these regulators!
I have now planned to never roll down our windows again for fear that they will not roll up. Thank goodness for 3M clear tape. What a beautiful sight to see a nice Buick with tape on the back windows. Way to go GM!
What a pity that GM will not place a recall on this problem.
I have replaced two regulators at about $400.00 each while living in Arizona - I was told that the heat made the unit brittle. I now have my car in the shop for transmission repairs (hard up-shifting) and the mechanic told me that GM is redesigning some internal parts for that issue. While I generally have enjoyed my car, I will not buy another GM product as window regulators should not break at 50 or so thousand miles and transmissions should not have to be rebuilt (103,000 miles) when the car has been properly serviced.