2001 Daewoo Leganza Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year report a narrow set of problems, dominated by the camshaft position sensor recall campaign and the practical difficulty of getting that repair done after the brand left the U.S. market. Complaints also describe a check engine light staying on, a burning or melting smell under the hood, and — in smaller numbers — brake lights that stop working, transmission shifting concerns, and air bag warning lights. Most reports fall in the 20,000-80,000 mile range, though a few appear much earlier or much later.

1. 1
   Engine cooling

   Camshaft position sensor recall service not completed

   • 99 complaints (77%)
   • median 47,244 mi at 4.0 yrs old (34 state mileage)
   • filed 2004–2006

   Complaints describe owners receiving recall notices for the camshaft position sensor and then being unable to get the work done. Owners report being told their vehicle's VIN or part number was not covered, being quoted a charge for the repair, or finding no operating dealership and a dead phone number on the recall letter. Several owners connect the recall to a check engine light that stays on, and some mention a burning or melting smell from the engine area. Reports cluster between roughly 3,600 and 78,000 miles, many filed in 2004-2005 shortly after the recall letters went out.

   Recall 04V394000Recall 04V357000

   What to check: Ask whether the camshaft position sensor recall work was actually performed and keep any paperwork; if the check engine light is on, have the stored codes read before purchase. Confirm parts availability and who will service the car, since dealer support for this brand is limited.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Consumer complaint concerning the 2001 Leganza reimbursement for camshaft sensor. The consumer had the camshaft sensor repair prior to recall notification. When the notice was received the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer indicated that the consumer's vehicle was not included in the recall due to VIN.”

   NHTSA complaint #10163671, filed 2006-07, 22,679 miles

   “The consumer received recall 04v357000 concerning cam shaft position sensor. The consumer took the vehicle to auto zone where it was diagnosed with the proposed symptoms as described in the recall notice. Also, the consumer took the vehicle to a Daewoo dealer, and was told that there was nothing wrong with vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #10094107, filed 2004-11, 77,000 miles
2. 2
   Engine cooling

   Burning or melting smell from engine bay

   • 8 complaints (6%)
   • median 77,000 mi at 4.0 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2004–2005

   Several complaints describe an odor of hot plastic or something melting under the hood, sometimes with visible smoke, and in one case fumes entering the cabin through the air vents. Owners link this to the camshaft position sensor area, which the recall text describes as a sensor that may melt along with the camshaft cover and wire harness. Reported from very low mileage up to roughly 70,000 miles, generally while the engine is running or just after it is shut off.

   Recall 04V394000Recall 04V357000

   What to check: Inspect the sensor, camshaft cover and wiring for heat damage or melted insulation, and ask whether the recall remedy was applied. A persistent hot-plastic smell after a drive is worth having looked at.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The dealership was refusing to honor the cam shaft position sensor recall 04v357000, because they were indicating that the part was not part of the recalled parts. Also, there were fumes that were coming into the cabin of the vehicle through the air vents. There was no leak in the exhaust pipe.”

   NHTSA complaint #10095366, filed 2004-11, 58,000 miles

   “Recall 03v357000 was issued for the cam shaft position sensor. Conumer stated theat dealer refused to repair the vehicle under the recall because the parts serial number was not included. However, the VIN was included in the recall.”

   NHTSA complaint #10092664, filed 2004-09, 78,739 miles

Buying note. The camshaft position sensor recall and the difficulty of getting it serviced dominate what owners report, so paperwork showing the repair was completed matters more than usual here. Have a shop check the check engine light, brake lights and air bag warning before purchase, and confirm that parts and service are actually available for this brand in your area.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.