1989 Buick Lesabre Problems
- Complaints
- 27filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 101,500miles, 2 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 2campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 20 mpgcombined, 3.8L 6-cyl FWD · 17 city / 26 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1989 Buick Lesabre (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 27 consumer complaints for the 1989 Buick Lesabre. The part named most often is fuel system, with 4 complaints (15% of the total), followed by seat belts (4) and vehicle speed control (4). 2 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 101,500 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 0 technical service bulletins for this model year. Fuel system complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign filed under the same part.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Fuel system4 15%
- Seat belts4 15%
- Brakes3 11%
- Tires3 11%
- Electrical system2 7.4%
- Engine cooling2 7.4%
- Steering2 7.4%
Also reported: Equipment (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Other or unknown (1).
Example complaints
Fuel system: “Fuel line pressure feeder at lh side rusted through the plastic bracket in front of rear wheel frame rail in august 2005. Pool of gas 3 inches in diameter under the car in closed garage overnight. Both rear brake lines rusted through the same spot in january 2006. Lost brakes while driving in town, rolled through a stop sign. Fuel return line rusted throughout same area on 4-11-07. Pool of gas in garage overnight. Service / repair dealer, van zeeland in appleton wisconsin reported this was a common problems with buicks. Fixed a lot of them. …”
NHTSA complaint #10187555, filed 2007-04, 70,000 milesVehicle speed control: “When applying the accelerater pedal slightly vehicle took off at a high speed. The driver tried to apply the brakes and put the vehicle in neutral, the brakes did not stop the vehicle. Also, gearshift went into reverse and messed up the transmission. Dealer has replaced the transmission, and vehicles still idles high on occasion.”
NHTSA complaint #852462, filed 1999-11Mileage when problems were reported
0% of the 2 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 70,000 and 133,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 1989 Buick Lesabre version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LeSabre FWD | 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 17 | 26 | 20 | $3,350 |
| LeSabre/Electra Wagon RWD | 5.0L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 15 | 22 | 18 | $3,700 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 89V188000Nov 7, 1989Structure › Frame and membersCovers: Buick Lesabre 1989, Oldsmobile 88 1989
Vehicles may have discrepant welds in the left rear rocker panel which can cause deformation of the panel.
- 88V143000Aug 29, 1988Fuel system, gasoline › StorageCovers: Buick Lesabre 1989, Oldsmobile 88 1989, Pontiac Bonneville 1989
Fuel rollover valve assembly may not have been installed.
Recall details for the 1989 Buick Lesabre → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
No technical service bulletins are on record for the 1989 Buick Lesabre.
Other model years of the Buick Lesabre
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 77 | 52,000 | 0 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2004 | 162 | 63,450 | 0 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 164 | 50,000 | 1 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 310 | 60,000 | 2 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2001 | 328 | 61,000 | 0 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2000 | 669 | 59,515 | 5 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1999 | 209 | 73,353 | 2 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1998 | 400 | 69,100 | 1 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1997 | 394 | 97,000 | 2 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1996 | 98 | 92,500 | 2 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1995 | 178 | 100,000 | 1 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1994 | 158 | 101,261 | 0 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 194 | 109,714 | 1 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 189 | 130,000 | 2 | — | 19 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 30 | 93,300 | 0 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1990 | 46 | 179,000 | 0 | — | 19 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1989 | 27 | 101,500 | 2 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1988 | 21 | 54,122 | 3 | — | 20 | — | Stable |
| 1987 | 40 | — | 4 | — | 19 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1986 | 16 | — | 2 | — | 19 | — | Stable |
| 1985 | 5 | — | 1 | — | 17 | — | Not enough data |
| 1984 | 5 | — | 2 | — | 16 | — | Not enough data |
All Buick Lesabre model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1989 Buick Lesabre have?
NHTSA recorded 27 consumer complaints for the 1989 Buick Lesabre as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1989 Buick Lesabre is reported most often?
Fuel system is named most often, in 4 complaints (15% of the total), followed by seat belts with 4.
Has the 1989 Buick Lesabre been recalled?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 1989 Buick Lesabre get?
The EPA rates the 1989 Buick Lesabre (LeSabre, 3.8L 6-cyl) at 20 mpg combined, 17 city and 26 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,350 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 1989 Buick Lesabre reported?
Among the 2 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 101,500 miles and the middle half falls between 70,000 and 133,000 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.