RecallMyCar

1996 Buick Lesabre Recalls, Complaints & Specs

2 safety recalls list the 1996 Buick Lesabre, and owners have filed 98 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

2
safety recalls
98
owner complaints to NHTSA
8 / 0
complaints citing a crash / fire
20
MPG combined (EPA)

2 safety recalls for the 1996 Buick Lesabre

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Fuel injection system (fuel system)

    NHTSA 96V116000 Reported 275,811 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    A backfire during engine starting can cause breakage of the upper intake manifold.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module programming. Until the campaign repair is made, the vehicle hood should be shut whenever starting the vehicle to reduce the chance of personal injury.

  2. Electrical system: control module

    NHTSA 95V204000 Reported 32,869 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    These vehicles were assembled with a malfunction alarm, lighting and locking (mall) module that can contain a damaged capacitor. If the capacitor is damaged, the "key in the ignition" warning chime and the driver seat belt unbuckled warning chime and indicator lamp may not work. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 114,…

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if required, replace the mall module.

98 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1996 Buick Lesabre have filed 98 complaints with NHTSA; 8 describe a crash. Reports cite 7 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 89,951 miles. Complaints peaked in 1997 with 14 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“While at a complete stop on a city street behind a city bus which was loading passengers with no collision or contact, the passenger side AIRBAG deployed. The AIRBAG caused burns to the passenger's ha”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 28, 2019 · Air bags

“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 buick lesabre. The vehicle was taken for a tune-up where it was diagnosed that the valve cover gaskets, upper intake manifold, and the oil pan gasket needed to be replaced.”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 4, 2016 · Engine

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1996 Buick LeSabre. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined20 mpg
City / Highway17 / 27
FuelRegular
EPA classLarge Cars
Engine6 cyl, 3.8 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Compare Buick Lesabre model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Buick Lesabre model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1967 Buick Lesabre10
1970 Buick Lesabre20
1971 Buick Lesabre31
1972 Buick Lesabre10
1974 Buick Lesabre10
1975 Buick Lesabre30
1976 Buick Lesabre20
1977 Buick Lesabre31
1978 Buick Lesabre20
1979 Buick Lesabre21
1981 Buick Lesabre30
1982 Buick Lesabre11
1983 Buick Lesabre01
1984 Buick Lesabre25
1985 Buick Lesabre15
1986 Buick Lesabre216
1987 Buick Lesabre440
1988 Buick Lesabre321
1989 Buick Lesabre227
1990 Buick Lesabre046
1991 Buick Lesabre030
1992 Buick Lesabre2189
1993 Buick Lesabre1194
1994 Buick Lesabre0158
1995 Buick Lesabre1178
1996 Buick Lesabre298
1997 Buick Lesabre2394
1998 Buick Lesabre1400
1999 Buick Lesabre2209
2000 Buick Lesabre5669
2001 Buick Lesabre0328
2002 Buick Lesabre2310
2003 Buick Lesabre1164
2004 Buick Lesabre0162
2005 Buick Lesabre077
2006 Buick Lesabre03

Checking a specific 1996 Buick Lesabre

How do I know if my 1996 Buick Lesabre has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 1996 Buick Lesabre; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Buick dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 95V204000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Buick models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.