8.3
pretty bad- Typical Repair Cost:
- $370
- Average Mileage:
- 80,700 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 62 complaints
Most common solutions:
- replace window regulator (41 reports)
- replace regulator (5 reports)
- blocks of wood to hold window up (4 reports)
- not sure (4 reports)
- remove and replace (4 reports)
- replaced window motor (3 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Buick dealer.
There is no telling how long the window has been having issues. I've owned the car for approximately 5 months and I've always needed to "help" it up. It finally got stuck in the downward position. The worst thing about the fix was that one of the door clips broke. Not the actual clip itself, but the slot off the door interior that is to hold the clip. Now it doesn't hold entirely and it'll rattle when the door is not shut. The only way to legitimately fix this would be to get another door interior all together. This would cost me booka bucks in comparison . . .
- Brett W., Phoenix, AZ, US
In the four years I've owned this car I've had to replace ALL four regulators ....the rt rear pass side TWICE for a total of $600. 00. Replaced driver side wheel speed sensor TWICE. Two engine mounts and BOTH axles. Now it's getting cold weather and the heater's blowing cold w/no cabin heat....Second year in a row for this ...
Btw it had 114000 mi. on it when I got it ....173000 now....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
- Larry B., Paducah, KY, US
Passenger window would not go up or down, stuck down. Then Sat. Oct. 24th 2015 rear window right side did the same thing, but did get it up and stay.
- mshoopma, Tucson, AZ, US
2002 window regulators should be a recall broke the first time I used the rear left window - in other complaints all the windows are falling down and breaking- I will be seeking a class action lawsuit at GM if they do not make this a recall. On every 2001-2002 all their windows break because they use cheap plastic parts in their window regulators. After fixing all the window regulators bought used with 37,000 miles on car $3500 down and a five years loan $71.73 a month a am spending more more on window regulators than my car payment and car insurance combined. Buick you should be sued to the fullest extent of the law and if I have my way you will. I am a Jewish kid from New Jersey I have lots of Jewish lawyers willing to take the case based on all the complaints to back me up on carcompaints.com.
- Jeffrey S., Edgewater Park, NJ, US
I thought I would add my gripe to the long list already here. Both regulators on rear windows went out, mid winter in Minnesota. The passenger side just fell down one day while I was at work, during a snow storm. I had quite the snowfall inside my car and had near frostbite getting it home to my garage. Hearing all these comments does make me angry that a recall hasn't been considered. Doesn't seem right!
- Lisa H., Hastings, MN, US
THIS PROBLEM AROSE DURING MID-WINTER. I HAD TO DRIVE WITH THE DRIVERS' SIDE WINDOW COMPLETELY DOWN FOR 30 MILES TO MY REPAIR SHOP. COME TO FIND OUT THE REGULATORS ON POWER WINDOWS ON GM CARS ARE MADE TOO CHEAP WITH PLASTIC PARTS, SO MY INSTALLER GOT A BETTER MADE AFTER MARKET REPLACEMENT. NO SOONER I HAD IT FIXED THE RIGHT REAR WENT OUT. SAME PROBLEM. MY SISTER-IN LAW HAS HAD ALL HER WINDOWS REPAIRED ON HER LESABRE. SAYING THIS I FEEL THAT GM IS SITTING BACK KNOWING THIS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM AND LETTING THE CONSUMER FOOT THE BILL . WHICH IS OK AS LONG AS THEY DON'T GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS. KEEPING THE PROBLEM QUIET IS NO ANSWER TO THE PEOPLE WHO UNKNOWINGLY BY THESE VEHICLES. I THINK GM HOPES THAT TIME WILL CURE THIS PROBLEM. NOW THAT THEY ARE ON RECORD OF CORPORATE SECRECY ON A WIDE RANGE OF VEHICLE PROBLEMS. WHEN A MANUFACTURE MAKES A PRODUCT CHEAPLY TO GET PAST WARRANTY THAT IS IMMORAL. IN CONCLUSION, PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF PAYING FOR OTHER PEOPLES' MISTAKES
- grainger, Butler, KY, US
First; both rear window regulators went out about a year ago within months of each other. Now; the front passenger went out. I'm going out now to try to see if I can repair it. Can't afford to pay someone or give Buick garage $500 per window. Can't wait for the driver's to go as well.
- Mike P., Crystal River, FL, US
This is annoying. 2nd regulator to go on the car. Front passenger window. Why won't buick recall them??
- mblondin, Cicero, Ny, US
My front driver window is done! This is bullshit! Buick needs to get their heads out of their a**es and deal with this problem with a permanent solution. I can't even roll down my damn window when I'm too hot and pregnant to top it off!!! I only have 1 window(knock on wood) that goes down! And only halfway!!!Screw you buick!!!
- mblondin, Cicero, Ny, US
3rd times the charm with this crap! My rear passenger side window won't go down. My kids hate not being able to roll down the window. They fight over who gets to have "the good seat!" Buick your worthless junk you can have back!
- mblondin, Cicero, Ny, US
I am the 2nd owner, purchased 2002 Buick LaSabre with 29000 miles and was a good deal, until the window regulators began to fail.
I replaced the first one at 50681, second one at 54604, third one at 55970 and number four at 66932.
Since the last window problem, in less than a year, the power window and the power door lock quit working on the right rear door. I got an estimate of $400.00 to replace a module. I decided not to have it fixed. This car is a money pit, costing me money just sitting in my driveway most of the time!
So much for a good deal; Buick should have to pay up for the defective window regulators. I have not met a 2002 Buick owner that has not had the same experience with their window regulators failing.
- Joe M., Haw River, NC, US
Right rear window lift broke while driving on a paved road. Repair was made using an aftermarket cheap lift. This car is driven only by my wife or myself and only rarely is anyone in the rear seat My guess is that this window lift had been operated less than 15 times in the life of the car.
- Bruce R., Glendive, MT, US
This is no joke. I would like to know how I'm supposed to get a vehicle safety inspection if I lose a right rear door window regulator on Monday, have it replaced on Tuesday, then have the left rear door regulator fail on Thursday?
IN THE SAME WEEK !!!!!!! RECALL !!!!!!!
- thefuse, Augusta, ME, US
I was driving to work yesterday, after I rolled my window in the back up I heard a crack. The window then dropped and I am sad to say the Buick Lesabre 2002 had a horrible defect. I don't know what parts are needed to fix this problem, but it would be a great assurance to know if Buick can recall these cars and have the low cost problem fixed for free.
- David W., Bowie, MD, US
First, back driver's side window went down and wouldn't roll back up after I was gifted the car by my grandmother in October (only 24,000 miles in 10 years!--the window malfunction was not related to overuse). Two snow storms and one hurricane later, I finally cleaned the water out of my backseat and was able to scrape up enough money to pay for a replacement (regulator and motor in one). Just got back from Christmas vacation to find the passenger front window stuck completely down. I can't afford to keep paying for regulators every other month. A block of wood it is...
- boscar, Boston, MA, US
This the 4th time that I have had a window regulator break on me. This is the second time for the front drivers window in the last year. All 4 have went out in the last 2 years. I replaced all with the entire motor and regulator part from autozone. The glass guy doing the work said that the motor is not far behind it so I replaced the whole piece. It has a lifetime warranty and was around $170. Thank god for that warranty, because it went out again last week. These parts are crap. It was installed professionally for $35 at a windshield glass shop. It took maybe 40 minutes.
Update from Jun 16, 2014: I have had every single one of the window regulators replaced in this car. I am now working on replacing them for the 2nd time. I just replaced rear passenger side, now getting ready to do drivers again. I am getting SICK to death of replacing this junk on this car. Can they make anything that lasts?
- gijoemp127, Corpus Christi, TX, US
Left rear window lift broke while backing the car out of the driveway. I do not think this window lift had been operated 15 times in the life of the car. My bodyman said the aftermarket window lift regulator would be about a $100 cheaper but he said it might be better to use a GM brand. He also said his shop had replaced a tremendous amount of regulators on buicks.
- Bruce R., Glendive, MT, US
2011=Driver side regulator broke replaced cost $490.00 . 2011 passenger side broke,cost to repair $491.00.2012 Within a week both rear window regulators broke. Held up with tape. Unbelievable . Called to see if any changes were made to regulators. NO. Cost is the same to replace.
- kap, Lakeland, FL, US
I purchased my 2002 Buick LeSabre new from Wilson County Motors (WCM), April 30, 2002. This latest problem with the bad regulator for the power window, driver's side, rear came as quite a shock -- until I read all the many complaints at www.carcomplaints.com regarding this same issue (bad regulator on power windows for 2000 - 2002 Buick LeSabre). If I had known about all these complaints BEFORE I took my car back to WCM on July 3, 2012 to get the power window fixed, I would have probably just let my husband fix the window where the window would be permanently up. When I read other complaints and discovered this "problem" happens over and over and some Buick LeSabre owners have had it happen to ALL FOUR windows, I really wanted to step outside and scream! WCM stated they had to install the complete assembly - even though the only part that was bad was the regulator. Initially they wanted to charge me $452.12. I boldly asked for my senior discount (twice)! The first gentleman who took our information and had the power window problem checked out said, "I can give you $10 off." When we went to pay (the exorbitant bill), I again asked for my senior discount - which I carefully explained was normally 10%. This gentleman figured and figured and finally said, "I'll give you $30 off, and he's already given you $10 off, so that's pretty close." Close? Close is for playing Horseshoes -- not giving a person their 10% senior discount! I'm not a math major, but 10% of $452.12 equals $45.21 -- NOT $40! Never-the-less, $40 discount was all I could wangle out of them, and since I was in semi-shock from the entire ordeal, I finally gave in and paid them. Feeling totally "ripped off," after I got home I searched the Internet for this problem. Holy Smokes! This has been going on with LOTS of Buick LeSabre owners since the 2000 Buick LeSabre, and GM has done absolutely NOTHING! Do they think if they keep doing the same stupid thing (installing power windows that fail) they will get a different result? Or, do they just not give a hoot? I have emailed GM and they replied - stating they will phone me. I can hardly wait!!!!!
Update from Jul 10, 2012: 7/10/12 UPDATE - Around 3 PM today, I spoke with Jason from GM (Buick Consumer Support Team). He informed me they talked with Wilson County Motors (WCM) [who performed the $412.12 repair of the failed power window] and they determined, due to the age of the car, it was not a defective part. Jason stated a WCM representative told him it was a broken cable that caused the problem. INTERESTING! We were told, and our Invoice from WCM shows, the window failed because of the regulator. I told Jason about that. He was unimpressed.
Jason at GM also told me they would continue to monitor this situation, and if there were enough complaints, GM would take action (a possible recall?). I mentioned to Jason I had already found 144 complaints at carcomplaints.com about the power windows (including my complaint). I even emailed GM the links to the various complaints.
That didn't impress him much either. He simply repeated his previous statement about GM monitoring for this type complaint.
So, Buick car owners who have experienced failed power windows, now is a great time to let GM know about it. Most people don't bother to file complaints. Remember the squeaky wheel gets the oil. So, "squeak up"! Their email address is crc@buick.com.
- scorbin, Hermitage, TN, US
I have had to replace each of my windows regulators at least twice since owning the car brand new.. This is likely the 10th one that has had to be replaced due to cheap plastic products...
- gijoemp127, Corpus Christi, TX, US