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2004 Buick LeSabre

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2004 LeSabre.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2004 Buick LeSabre is a passenger car built around a 4-speed automatic transmission, returning EPA ratings of 18 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined while running on 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API engine oil. The model year has drawn 162 owner complaints to date with the electrical system as the most frequently reported problem area, and it carries no open recalls. Across the LeSabre's 1990–2006 complaint history, 2004 sits well below the worst year on record (2000, with 698 complaints) and clearly above the cleanest (2006, with just 3 complaints), placing it squarely in the middle of the model's reliability arc.

Model year2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy18/27/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 100 · 770 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 100 · 770 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP215-70R15OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6;6.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731175
Engine air filter	19259030
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued
Spark plug	12681664
Battery	88866305 alt 88864064
Front wiper blades	15214346
Serpentine belt	19355282
Thermostat	24505924 alt 24506985
Cabin air filter	15811562

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	200 in
Overall width	73.6 in
Overall height	57.1 in
Wheelbase	112.2 in
Curb weight	3567 lb
Track (front / rear)	62.6 / 62.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	18 / 27 / 21 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	107 cu ft
Cargo volume	18 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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.

7.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.40 sec — 2000 Limited Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2000	Limited Sedan 3.8L V6	7.40 sec	15.60 sec	205 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-6-5-4-3-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	7.4
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Lower: 11; Upper: 7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	22 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Lower: 11 ft-lbs; Upper: 7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	22 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts	7.5 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	118 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-6-5-4-3-2
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	5,000-8,000 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Type	AC 41-921
Spark Plug Gap	0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	2.20 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	9.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	100
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	770 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	48-55
RPM	38-52 @ Idle rpm
Injector Primary Resistance	11-14 @ 70 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression	100
Engine Oil Pressure	60 psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	133 ft-lbs / 32 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	100 ft-lbs / 8 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.27 in / 0.43 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.27 in / 0.43 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1.224 in / 0.39 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

111 ft. lbs., step 2: 76

111 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

1	37 ft. lbs.	37 ft. lbs
2	120

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2004 Buick LeSabre sits near the end of a clear downward trend in owner complaints, which peaked at 698 for the 2000 model year and then declined steadily to 162 for 2004. This target year records zero recalls and zero federal investigations, a marked improvement over the five recalls issued for the 2000 model and the two recalls for 2002. While Technical Service Bulletins remain high at 460, the complaint volume is less than a quarter of the generation’s peak, and the top category—Electrical System with 50 complaints—is not accompanied by any recall or investigation activity in the federal record. The data shows a generation that matured significantly after 2000, with 2004 representing a low-complaint, recall-free point in the lifecycle. Based solely on the federal record, the 2004 LeSabre stands out as a relatively reliable choice within this generation.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

460

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

162

Owner complaints

4 involved a crash · 5 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03’04’05 ’06

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 162 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System50

Structure16

Air Bags7

Unknown Or Other6

Tires6

Engine & Engine Cooling6

Exterior Lighting5

Fuel/Propulsion System4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 460 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIP5601C	2025-07-18	Unknown Or Other	This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
23-NA-001	2025-03-28	Electrical System	This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on OnStar Module 2G…
PIP5358D	2025-02-19	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP4723J	2024-10-25	Electrical System	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIT5099H	2024-09-12	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific LeSabre. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 100 battery Vehicles taking 4.5 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 19259030 Fuel filter 25121293 Spark plug 12681664

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2004 LeSabre take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2004 LeSabre have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the LeSabre get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 27 highway / 21 combined mpg.