4.0

definitely annoying
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
28,000 miles
Total Complaints:
1 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (1 reports)
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problem #1

Sep 102013

LeSabre Limited 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 28,000 miles

I purchased this vehicle for my wife on the 9th of September, 2013 in Dallas, Texas. The car had 27,943 original miles. Yes that is correct... Original miles was due to a one owner fellow who was probably 109 years old. J/k - Basically, an older guy. We drove car to San Antonio, Texas and everything seemed fine.

In retrospect, upon test driving the vehicle, the chime upon exiting car went off indicating the lights were on. We should have known better but were going over other details of the car upon pre-purchase inspection.

The following day my wife drove the car to work. Got off shift, car wouldn't start.

Son met her at work and helped jump the car (note: battery located under rear seat, can jump in front of car under hood near fuse box. Red terminal post, then ground negative black cable to frame of car).

She drove it home and left it running. I went outside to take look at it. Finally learned thirty minutes later the Headlamps and Parking Lamps Switch buttons were stuck. They are located on left side of steering wheel.

Initially, I tried to bypass the battery, didn't want to pull seat cushion off, then realized I probably shouldn't pull the "Powertrain Control Module Battery Fuse" out. It helps the car with its emission, driving behaviors such as city and highway, etc. Has to idle to relearn driving behaviors...

Anyways, I got frustrated because lights would not turn off (technically buttons pushed in aka engaged and would not pop out aka disengage) and didn't want to drain the battery again. So out of frustration, I pulled wood trim to the left (towards the driver window) and out (towards driver's seat). I then disconnected the harness. Once disconnected there are clips and one bolt to unscrew on the switch itself. I banged the switch against my palm of my hand until the buttons popped back out again. I tested it by connecting the exposed prongs where the harness attaches and the lights finally turned off once car was shut off.

I did not replace it although may do later. The price for a switch is roughly $65 to $95 on the internet. However, I told my wife not to touch the buttons. The automatic "Daylights" turn on so just gave her the "Never touch these buttons for as long as you live" speech.

It did drain the battery. Well so I thought. Actually it did but there are other issues you can check out by me, BigHenry911, on this vehicle.

By the way, I am not a mechanic nor claim to be one. Just frustrated and challenged to address the issues without having to pay the big bucks.

I hope this helps.

Please share if it you like.

- bighenry911, San Antonio, TX, US