1998 Buick Lesabre reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 1998 Buick Lesabre — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 518
- 2 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
- 54 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 0
- none on record
- Reported harm
- 20 reported crashes · 11 injuries · 64 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#993
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Buick median
+321
median 197 across 98 Buick records
Vs 1996-2000
+250
median 268 complaints in 623 records
Top component share
34%
Engine And Engine Cooling: 177 complaints
What owners report fails — 1998 Buick Lesabre
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE 54
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE 51
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE 40
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 32
- FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY 26
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 1998 Buick Lesabre
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 1998 Buick Lesabre units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Buick Lesabre reliable?
NHTSA has 518 consumer complaints on record for the 1998 Buick Lesabre. The most-reported problem area is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (54 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 1998 Buick Lesabre units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Buick Lesabre?
Owners most often report problems with: engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (54), engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (51), engine and engine cooling:engine (40), engine and engine cooling (32). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 1998 Buick Lesabre?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.