Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-53
GARBY BUICK! Thought I loved our Buick, but 2000 LeSabre has only 40k on it, and both windows came down and broke within two days of each other!?!
When I saw the number of other people having this problem, I can't believe this hasn't been recalled.
There should be no cost for windows breaking that quick. And if they don't do right by that many people, I guess that explains why GM is in current position they are.
Fairly new car, hardly even driven with less than 40k miles, and windows don't work. I have been on hold for over 25 minutes at this time.
Wow! So sorry to hear of multiple problems similar to mine for what I once thought of as the top of the line for a GM vehicle. $320 for a rear window regulator/motor assembly from the dealership in Ft. Collins, CO; $110 including shipping from 1aauto on the web. The only "constructive" criticism I have is that the factory part is cheaply made, with a wire cable running on a nylon collecting spool. GM knows better. Unless it is an older truck, I doubt I will ever buy an American car again. And yes, I consider myself blessed to be born in this country. A copy of this will be forwarded to Buick.
Holy smokes, I've found many other people with my problem- reassuring yet VERY scary. I have a 2002 LeSabre that I bought a year old. Within one year the driver's side rear window reg. broke, and then last Sept the passenger rear window broke. Two days ago my HVAC crapped out as well. I've been using tape to hold it up, because I'm unwilling to pay $3-400 per window. Thanks for nothing Buick. I will never buy a Buick again.
Same here -- I have a 2001 Le Sabre Limited, and 3 of the 4 windows are now inoperable. About 4 months ago, I heard something break inside one rear door, and the window fell open. A brief inspection revealed the motor was working, but the cable was flopping around. Yesterday, when I was repairing the windshield wiper fluid pump, the same flaw took out the one remaining rear window, and within a few seconds, the driver's window stopped working too. Not what you would expect for a car that cost almost $30,000 just 5 years ago. Also, what are you guys referring to when you say the "regulator" -- is that the same thing as the power window motor?
Has anyone successfully repaired their own window, and if so, did you use a reference book to help (which one)?
I have a 2000 Buick Lesabre custom. it has about 165000 miles on it and has been a very reliable automobile, except for the window regulators. When this first happened a couple of years back (on rear windows that were never used), I contacted Buick, but they responded that there were no known problems with the regulators. I did not pay to fix the problem, simply blocked the windows in place which means I couldn't use them. Recently, the passenger and now driver regulators have gone. So I have begun to look again at self repair, which seems to be a viable option after reading several threads relating to this subject. One thread mentions self repair (http://www.carsurvey.org/viewmorecomments_review_38504_1.html) Looks like there are replacement parts on ebay for about $60 shipped (search "Lesabre regulator" on ebay). As well http://www.onetobuy.bizland.com/index.htm will rebuild your regulators cheaply and will fix the original problem on the regulator, which means that the regulator should work correctly without the same problem occurring in the future. I have not fixed mine yet, but I am about to chose one of these methods. I will post soon to let you know what I did.
I appreciate all of the information those before me posted, so I wanted to follow up with some new information I now have about this particular problem. I first posted in early August, beginning with "Same here" (had 3 regulators go out).
Since my original post, I ordered the three regulators from http://www.1aauto.com/ for just over $100 per, as another poster had suggested. Two regulators came within a week, and the installation was much easier than I expected, taking no more than an hour, from opening the package to having the car back in the driveway.
If you are somewhat mechanically inclined, and patient with the door panels, I think just about anyone could do this repair with a little common sense. The regulators have to be turned just so to get through the interior door structure, but they will go easily if you find the correct position.
If you haven't removed the door panels before, there are hidden screws that must be removed -- in the front doors, there is a single screw behind the reflector on the outside corner of the panel. In the back doors, there is a single screw behind the ash tray assembly).
Anyway, since I benefited from information I read on this site, I thought I would share what information I learned, in the hopes it might help someone else.
Redog06123@yahoo.com.
Today I joined the "2 or more broken window regulators" club.
I own a 2002 Buick LeSabre. My first regulator (front passenger side) broke when it was raining and I was making sure all the windows were up. I ended up driving home in the rain with the window mostly opened. Today my rear drivers side window regulator broke when I accidentally hit the drivers side control. I'm off to find a part because I can't spend $400 to have this fixed by Buick...
Very disappointed! Reviewing previous comments reveals that this problem is widespread. What about the number of people affected that can’t comment. The demographic of LeSabre owners indicates that they may not have access to web. Thank you all for your words and advice. Signed RR door. ps… not optimistic!
9 Oct 06.
I will concur that Buick must review the widespread regulator problem. I just had my 2002 Buick's rear passenger side window replaced for the second time in a year. I am not mechanically inclined so I fall prey to the Buick dealership's overpricing.
I am going to see if I can speak with someone at Buick that will actually listen and do something about this problem.
Other than the window regulator's (which are not covered under the extended warranty) I have had know problems and enjoy the ride and comfort of my Buick. However at almost $600.00 a pop to replace a regulator, that seems to be a epidemic amongst owners. I don't see my self in another GM product again.
What a surprise - so many people have had the same problem. We have a 2000 Buick LeSabre and have enjoyed owning it. About six months ago, we noticed our left rear window open. We thought someone tried to break into the car.. Being it was so expensive to fix, we had a mechanic lock it closed so we cannot use it. Yesterday for some reason two other windows stopped working. We at least need to have the window on the drivers side working. We know one other Buick owner that had the same problem, he just traded it in. We did own another LeSabre that had a window go bad, but thought that was a one time thing.
We will call Buick just to make them aware. Thanks for all the comments.
Unreal!!! My neighbor asked me to help get her passenger side window up on her 2000 La Sabre which they bought used 6 mos. ago. I noticed the bolt behind the reflector was missing, no biggie. When I was trying to understand the problem I found the cable to be all frayed. I muscled the window up knowing I was going to have to get a cable assembely. A big knot of cable came out of the gear box and the cable end plastic spring retainer was broke. The owner just paid $900 for both rear windows to be fixed. I was told $140 for the new part. Never did I think the Buick would allow such a widespread problem to exist and taint their prestige image. I really thought that this was an isolated incident.
Glad I came across this site as I was contemplating getting a Le Sabre! A friend of mine has a Buick Regal and has had NOTHING but problems with the windows since she purchased the car NEW. Three windows "fell" and would NOT go up and were repaired and/or replaced at least TWO times each! They were NOT cheap! I noticed a New York poster here mentioned, that when confronted about the window problem, the dealer informed her that her window problem was due to the cold New York winters! This is nonsense, my friend with the Regal lives in PHOENIX, ARIZONA and the car has NEVER seen cold weather! Sounds like the window mechanism in the Regal AND Le Sabre are a faulty money trap! I won't even consider buying a Buick after seeing the LACK of customer service!
To the fellow who keeps having to replace his battery: You may have a corroded battery box that keeps allowing corrosion to sap your batteries. Check out your battery box. Clean and paint it if it has any signs of corrosion. Also be sure to check your battery cable leads. Make sure that the copper leads connecting to the battery are free of corrosion. Use a wire brush on them. I used ketchup and a toothbrush to polish mine after I got rid of the heavy corrosion. Last make sure that you have good clean connections. Connect the battery and then put on Vaseline or white lithium grease.
I would also check your alternator and make sure that it's putting out the correct voltage. If you make lots of very short trips your battery could die out prematurely, as it won't have time to build up the charge that it used starting. Good luck to you.
June 20, 2007.
Bought my mother-in-laws 2001 Buick La Sabre following her death - 30,000 miles. First few time the RF and both rear window were lowered, the infamous plastic cable retrainer broke on all windows and I too got into the duct tape business like so many buicks you see driving down the road. Currently have door panels off two rear door and lumber poles holding up the windows. I normally open the drivers door to order at a fast food drive thru cause I hate to be 100 miles from home in a rain storm with a failure and window binding in a down position. Buick was very irresponsible for not recalling this design flaw. They blew it and really left a lasting impression on potential buyers.
Aside from having 3 windows which don't work (I had two replaced, one of them is broken again) I have another quite serious problem with my 2000 Buick LeSebre. It will die when I'm going down the highway. I never know when it's going to happen and a couple times were pretty scary as I was surrounded by semi trucks and didn't think I was going to make it to the pullover lane. It first happened at around 60,000 miles. At first I could throw it into neutral and start it back up without even having to slow down. But it seems that if it doesn't restart on the first attempt, I must pull over and sit for 5-10 minutes, then it will usually start and continue without any problem. We've had the fuel filter and fuel pump replaced twice, but the problem persists. The dealership said that unless it left a code or they could see it at the time the problem was occurring, they couldn't do anything. As I never know when it will happen and it never leaves a code, I finally just park the car behind the garage and bought a new car. I would really like to be able to drive the LeSabre again, but not willing to risk my life in doing so. I've seen other posts about the same problem, but they too have replaced many costly parts without fixing the problem.
Any ideas?