2005 Buick Lacrosse Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Aug 13, 2026 · 315 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Lacrosse years
Far more complaints than other years 1st of 15 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 315 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Buick Lacrosse. That is the most of any Lacrosse model year in the database (15 years). The most reported problem area is exterior lighting (82 complaints, 26%), typically at around 90,000 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 6 fires, 4 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.

Buick Lacrosse
BUICK LACROSSE FOURTH GENERATION China. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2005 Buick Lacrosse problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Exterior Lighting82 · ~90,000 mi
Electrical System80 · ~100,000 mi
Steering51 · ~35,322 mi
Air Bags34 · ~75,000 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic21 · ~5,000 mi
Power Train19 · ~72,500 mi
Structure16 · ~30,000 mi
Service Brakes13 · ~72,405 mi
Suspension13 · ~35,000 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling11 · ~33,600 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Exterior Lighting problems8226%90,000“low beam” (26%)—
Electrical System problems8025%100,000“ignition switch” (10%)—
Steering problems5116%35,322“steering column” (35%)—
Air Bags3411%75,000——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic217%5,000——
Power Train196%72,500——
Structure165%30,000——
Service Brakes134%72,405——
Suspension134%35,000——
Engine and Engine Cooling113%33,600——
Vehicle Speed Control113%6,000——
Unknown or Other72%111,000——
Engine62%107,159——
Latches/locks/linkages62%63,105——
Visibility62%38,825——
Fuel System, Gasoline52%35,650——
Interior Lighting41%7,603——
Seats41%86,203——
Tires41%11,000——
Visibility/wiper31%127,897——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)21%65,500——
Equipment21%28,000——
Service Brakes, Air21%28,000——
Wheels21%58,015——
Electronic Stability Control10%28,000——
Fuel/propulsion System10%———
Fuel System, Other10%———
Seat Belts10%182——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2014, with 61 complaints
2004: 120042005: 292006: 1620062007: 112008: 1020082009: 162010: 2120102011: 102012: 720122013: 112014: 612014612015: 462016: 4520162017: 112018: 720182019: 52020: 320202021: 12022: 120222023: 12026: 22026

n = 315 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2005 Buick Lacrosse recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Exterior lighting:headlightsAug 14, 2015 · NHTSA campaign 15V519000 · 429,170 vehicles

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2006-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, GMC Envoy XL, 2006-2008 Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7x vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the headlamp driver module (HDM) may overheat and fail, causing the headlamps and daytime running lights to not illuminate.

Risk: Headlamps that do not illuminate reduce the driver's ability to see the roadway and reduce the vehicle's visibility to oncoming vehicles, both of which increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HDM, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14291.

Electrical system:ignitionJun 23, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V355000 · 3,141,731 vehicles

Problem: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille, 2006-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 23, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), and 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14299.

Air bags:frontalOct 31, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V417000 · 794 vehicles

Problem: Certain vehicles originally built with cloth seats that were equipped with an automatic air bag passenger sensing system and later reupholstered with aftermarket leather seat cover kits are involved. Testing has indicated that the aftermarket leather seat covers can cause the passenger sensing system to malfunction.

Risk: If the passenger sensing system malfunctions, the front air bag on the passenger side may be disabled when it should be enabled, or enabled when it should be disabled. In either case, in the event of a crash that requires air bag deployment, a front passenger's level of injury may be increased.

Fix: Because a replacement leather seat cover that is compatible with the passenger sensing system is not available, general motors (gm) will repurchase these vehicles in accordance with the terms stated in gm's letter to owners. The recall began on november 6, 2006. Owners should contact gm at 1-877-477-1022 to begin the process of repurchasing their vehicle.

Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkagesApr 20, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V156000 · 61,594 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the clip that secures the brake pushrod to the brake pedal arm pin could have been bent when it was installed. A bent clip may come off, allowing the brake booster pushrod to separate from the brake pedal.

Risk: Pushing on the pedal will not apply the brakes and a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.

Fix: Dealers will install a new brake pedal push rod bushing and retaining clip and, if the clip was missing, a new brake pedal arm assembly free of charge. The recall began on april 26, 2005. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2005 Buick LaCrosse equipped with Venom Power Tires, Tire Line: Ragnarok GTS, Tire Size: 235/35/VR20, DOT Number:1WP2CTPWL. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear driver’s side tire became flat. The contact exited the vehicle and became aware…

Tires · received Aug 13, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11756701

Gas. Leaking car smoking and cutting off

Electrical System · received May 6, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11736191

The contact owns a 2005 Buick LaCrosse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V355000 (Electrical System) and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power and the contact was able to coast to the shoulder of…

Electrical System · received Aug 10, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11537698

The contact owns a 2005 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that the instrument panel was inoperable. The battery was replaced several times however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the mileage control circuit had malfunctioned. The…

Electrical System · received Jun 28, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11471401

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SMART CHEVROLET CADILLAC BUICK GMC (3 SMART DR, WHITE HALL, AR 71602, [redacted])…

Steering · received Feb 10, 2021 · NHTSA complaint 11395565

Other Buick Lacrosse years

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Buick Lacrosse?

Owners most often report exterior lighting, electrical system, steering problems. The top one, exterior lighting, accounts for 82 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2005 Buick Lacrosse?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2005 Buick Lacrosse a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Lacrosse model years, the 2005 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.