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#BS-1988-BUILES-3BBC

1988 Buick Lesabre

Based on reports from 22 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Recalls

TSBs

✅

Preliminary Verdict

Green Light

Based on 22 complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 4 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Steering:rack And PinionHIGH

7 owners reported steering:rack and pinion issues — failures commonly reported around 60K miles.

!Inspect the Steering:hydraulic Power Assist SystemMED

Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure

+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Steering:rack And Pinion (7 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Steering:rack And Pinion7 (32%)

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System2 (9%)

Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly2 (9%)

Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar2 (9%)

Electrical System:ignition1 (5%)

Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System1 (5%)

Electrical System:alternator/generator/regulator1 (5%)

Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly1 (5%)

1988 Buick Lesabre: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Steering:rack And Pinion Issues

Steering:rack And Pinion complaints account for 32% of all reports filed for the 1988 Buick Lesabre, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 60,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 60K-mile mark.

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System Issues

Steering:hydraulic Power Assist System complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1988 Buick Lesabre, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to steering:hydraulic power assist system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly Issues

Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1988 Buick Lesabre, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to seat belts:front:buckle assembly-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar Issues

Steering: Steering Wheel/handle Bar complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1988 Buick Lesabre, with 2 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to steering: steering wheel/handle bar-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1988 Buick Lesabre. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (4 recalls)

06E043000Oct 2006

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.

88V006000Feb 1988

SEAT BELTS

OWNERS MANUAL DID NOT INCLUDE INSTRUCTIONS ON PROPER USAGE OF REAR SEAT SAFETY BELT SYSTEMS.

88V067000May 1988

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK

LOW TORQUE OF THE BRAKE HYDRAULIC UNIT MOUNTING BOLTS COULD CAUSE INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL AND/OR POOR PEDAL FEEL IF ATTACHMENT LOOSENS.

89V102000Jul 1989

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL MAY SLIP OUT OF PLACE, CAUSING INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN ENGINE SPEED OR DIESELING (ENGINE RUN ON WITH IGNITION OFF).

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Buick Lesabre is the 2002 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is windows / windshield.

1988 Buick Lesabre vs. Class Average (Large Cars)

This vehicle

Class avg

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical large cars vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 22 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Buick Lesabre Model Years

2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967

View all Buick Lesabre years →

1988 Buick Lesabre: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1988 Buick Lesabre?

The most commonly reported issue with the 1988 Buick Lesabre is related to the steering:rack and pinion, with 7 complaints filed with NHTSA.

Is the 1988 Buick Lesabre reliable?

The 1988 Buick Lesabre has 22 complaints, 0 crash reports, and 0 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.

How much does it cost to fix 1988 Buick Lesabre problems?

Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.

Does the 1988 Buick Lesabre have any recalls?

Yes, the 1988 Buick Lesabre has 4 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

What mileage do Buick Lesabre problems start?

Based on 2 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 60,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 30–60K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.

What’s in the full report?

10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.

How is this different from free NHTSA data?

NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.

How is this different from Carfax?

Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.

What if the report isn’t useful?

100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.

Get the Full 1988 Buick Lesabre Report

10 sections of AI analysis based on 22 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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