Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1981 LeSabre.
The 1981 Buick LeSabre opens this model-year overview, yet it predates the recorded complaint history that runs from 1990 through 2006. That later record peaks at 698 complaints for the 2000 model year and falls to just 3 complaints by 2006, giving the LeSabre a measured span that begins nearly a decade after the 1981 edition. For researchers, that gap means the 1981 model cannot be benchmarked against later model years on this complaint metric; it simply falls outside the available dataset.
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the LeSabre of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Sport Coupe 5.7L V8 | 12.20 sec | 18.40 sec | 170 hp | RWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH A BRAKE PEDAL SUPPORT BRACKET WHICH WAS DESIGNED FOR USE IN DIESEL ENGINE VEHICLES. THE INCORRECT BRACKET MAY CAUSE THE SERVICE BRAKES TO REMAIN PARTIALLY APPLIED… Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT VEHICLES AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE PEDAL SUPPORT BRACKET AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER.
ACCELERATOR PUMP LEVER RETAINING PIN MAY LOOSEN AFTER REPEATED HEAVY ACCELERATOR PEDAL APPLICATIONS. THIS COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE TO BECOME STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL A SPECIAL COTTER PIN, TO RETAIN THE ACCELERATOR PUMP PIN, AND A SPRING CLIP THRUST WASHER ON THE ACCELERATOR PUMP LINK.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.