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Buick Le Sabre: Electronic/Battery Issues

54 messages,  Last post on Oct 08, 2010 at 9:38 AM

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What is this discussion about? Buick LeSabre, Electrical, Sedan

Messages Page 3 of 6

#19 of 54 Battery Problem...that brings up a memory..... by jimsxn

May 15, 2003 (10:05 pm)

I had a chronic dead battery problem when I bought my 1994 LeSabre in 2000. All of a sudden, no more starting....I took it to two different places; one changed the battery and the other changed the starter. Problem persisted. Then I did a little diagnostic on my own and found that at one time the glove compartment wasn't shut properly because of too much stuff and at the other time, I had left some interior lights on. I started taking care of these little things and hasn't had a single starting problem in last nearly two years....and I live in cold Canada.
 
Buick has so many lights and so much of electronics, something gets left on and it is easy for battery to get drained.

#20 of 54 Engine won't crank on 2004 LeSabre by romanello

Jul 30, 2004 (11:29 pm)

We have a new 2004 LeSabre with 1200 miles. It would not crank and the dealer replaced the dead battery. That was two weeks ago. Two days ago it would not crank in the morning but it did in the evening. The dealer could not find any codes listed and would not replace the switch. My 2000 Impala had the same problem when new. Replacing the switch corrected the problem. Any other ideas on this one?

#21 of 54 dead battery by kcwolfpack59

Aug 01, 2004 (12:15 pm)

Went thru this with my 2000. I think it was my mom turning the key to accessory instead of off, thus draining the battery. With this model it is easy to do. It has not happened again since I showed her.

#22 of 54 Alternator problems by imidazol97

Nov 01, 2004 (11:58 am)

I have had 3 LeSabres and two Centurys. I replaced one alternator.
 
93 LeSabre 70K replaced. Still running at 150K.
98 LeSabre 120K -running fine.
03 LeSabre 20K - running fine.
89Century traded at 120K okay.
87 Century traded at 98K okay.
 
I thinks there's something wrong with certain Bonnevilles that causes alternator failure. Neighbor had 3800SC Gran Prix that had battery drains for 3 years. It had an alarm that seemed to drain the battery and something had burned up a wiring harness early in the cars life. REplaced under warranty.
 
But the neighbor, a shadetree mechanic who had worked with used cars all his life, changed the starter and the drain was gone... after 80K.
 
The neighbor's dad has a used car lot. He says 3800 in large cars is good for 300K. He sells a lot of used ones with high mileage.

#23 of 54 Battery Life by hagrawal

Aug 20, 2005 (3:48 am)

We have a 2003 LeSabre Limited which has 47,000 miles. Yesterday, the GM battery failed and had to be replaced because it will not hold charge. I repaced the GM ACDelco with Interstate.
 
It seems to me the battery should have lasted at least 4 or 5 years and is another indication of poor quality of GM parts. Has anyone had similar experience?

#24 of 54 Re: Battery Life [hagrawal] by imidazol97

Aug 20, 2005 (4:54 am)

Replying to: hagrawal (Aug 20, 2005 3:48 am)
Battery life is not forever. It depends on the car and how the car is used as well as temperatures and so on. When a battery hits 3 years I consider it toast. Any more is borrowed time.
 
Did you check the battery hydrometer indicator every few months to see if it was showing green? That usually will give an early warning of some failures. Otherwise the battery can just simply have a cell short out as a conductive path between anode and cathode is built when the battery is recharging and then you've lost a cell.
 
I would have replaced with a Walmart Maxx battery with 960 cranking amps and long total replacement free guarantee and a 7 year or 8 year prorated replacement. Interstate seems to have an aura about it from advertising that didn't mean quality in the battery based on some coworkers who bought them in the past.

#25 of 54 Battery won't charge by crankin

Nov 11, 2005 (6:02 pm)

The battery light comes on and motor runs on battery. Changed Alt twice and it has plently of charge. Checked all battery connections. Battery not getting charge.

#26 of 54 Re: Battery won't charge [crankin] by spindel

Nov 14, 2005 (3:22 am)

Replying to: crankin (Nov 11, 2005 6:02 pm)
sounds to me that the battery is bad. Have you had the battery checked?

#27 of 54 Re: Battery won't charge [spindel] by crankin

Nov 14, 2005 (4:50 pm)

Replying to: spindel (Nov 14, 2005 3:22 am)
Maybe I didn't make myself clear enough. I thought a car could run off the alternator. When the battery dies the car dies.

#28 of 54 replacement battery for 2000 Lesabre by kcwolfpack59

Jul 31, 2006 (5:57 am)

This may have been discussed before, so forgive me, but has anyone put a replacement battery in their 2000+ car? If so, what kind? I will probably keep the car one to two more years and since mom drives it, I don't want to take a chance on the battery going bad. It has a vent system attached to it. Should I get an optima, OEM, or just go to Wal Mart and get one of their best batteries?
I think the location under the back seat is great, but I don't want to put the wrong type of battery in it. I was thinking about putting in an Optima battery, storing the one in it now, and switching them at trade in time and using the Optima in another vehicle.

Messages Page 3 of 6

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