Buick LaCrosse

Where it stands out against its peers

• Suspension: more complaints than 96% of 2012 cars — 15% of its 205 complaints, where an ordinary 2012 car has 4%.
• Electronic stability control (esc): more complaints than 96% of 2012 cars — 12% of its 205 complaints, where an ordinary 2012 car has 3%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 26 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash, 1 involving a fire
• SUSPENSION — 26 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• ENGINE — 21 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
• POWER TRAIN — 8 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) — 7 owners reported this
• SERVICE BRAKES — 6 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
• STEERING — 5 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• STRUCTURE — 5 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 4 owners reported this
• FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 4 owners reported this
• SEATS — 4 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
• AIR BAGS — 3 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE — 3 owners reported this
• SEAT BELTS — 3 owners reported this
• WHEELS — 3 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) — 2 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) — 2 owners reported this
• ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — 2 owners reported this
• EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 2 owners reported this
• LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES — 2 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 2 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 2 owners reported this
• STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 2 owners reported this
• STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 2 owners reported this
• STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES — 2 owners reported this
• STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 2 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

54% of 2019 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 11V404000

  THE IMPROPER DIAGNOSING MAY CAUSE THE ESC TO FALSELY ACTIVATE, RESULTING IN SUDDEN CHANGES IN VEHICLE HANDLING AND DECELERATION, PARTICULARLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS, WHICH MAY CAUSE THE DRIVER DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING THE VEHICLE'S DESIRED PATH OF TRAVEL AND DESIRED VEHICLE SPEED, AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

  GM DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080.

• 13V097000

  If engine braking is unexpectedly removed, it may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the transmission control module free of charge. The recall began on April 3, 2013. Cadillac owners may call 1-866-982-2339. Buick owners may call 1-866-694-6546.

• 13V173000

  If the vehicle is continued to be driven, the engine may stall and/or the vehicle may not start. In addition, there may be a burning or melting odor, smoke, and possibly a fire in the trunk.

  GM will notify owners and dealers will test the GCM and replace it, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 11, 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 13136.

• 14V092000

  If a vehicle's shift cable disengages from the transmission shift lever, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the driver may be able to shift the lever to the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.

  General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace any affected transmission shift cable adjusters, free of charge. The recall began on April 10, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Buick owners at 1-800-521-7300, and GMC owners at 1-800-462-8782. General Motors' number associated with this recall is 14048.

• 14V240000

  If a brake pad detaches from caliper, there may be a sudden reduction in braking, lengthening the distance required to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake rotors, and install the correct rotors with new brake pads, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 20, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick) or 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14128.

• 14V317000

  Without an audible indicator, the driver may not be aware that the driver's door is open while the key is in the ignition, increasing the risk of a vehicle rollaway. If the passenger windows, rear windows, and sunroof can function when the vehicle is turned off and the driver is not in the vehicle, there is an increased risk of injury if an unsupervised occupant operates the power closures.

  GM will notify owners and dealers will inspect the driver door window motor harness, and replace the electrical splice, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. General Motors number for this recall is 14235.

• 14V447000

  If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14271.

• 15V666000

  In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death. Additionally, if the air bag does not properly inflate, the driver or passenger is at an increased risk of injury.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 01320.

10 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Loss of Headlights

  Recall query, opened April 2017, closed March 2021.

• Sands Chevrolet/Hybrid System Fire/Stall

  Audit query, opened May 2014, closed May 2016.

• Generator Control Module Fires

  Recall query, opened July 2013, closed July 2014.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Buick filed 694 bulletins about the 2019 LaCrosse.

• Equipment: 178
• Electrical system: 101
• Engine and engine cooling: 101
• Power train: 49
• Engine: 38
• Equipment adaptive/mobility: 28
• Wheels: 22
• Structure: 14
• Fuel/propulsion system: 12
• Tires: 12
• Other: 139

• PI to help diagnose A/C concern · July 2026
• This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available. · April 2026
• This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect. · March 2026
• This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance. · March 2026
• This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC'ss · March 2026
• This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC's · January 2026
• This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance. · January 2026
• This service bulletin provides information on Tire Sidewall Irregularities. · December 2025

686 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.