2005 Buick Lacrosse Exterior Lighting Problems
Owners have filed 82 complaints with NHTSA about exterior lighting problems on the 2005 Buick Lacrosse, 26% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 90,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “low beam” (26% of reports).
- 82exterior lighting complaints
- 90,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 34%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Low beam: mentioned in 21 of 82 complaints (26%)
- High beams: mentioned in 13 of 82 complaints (16%)
- Headlamps failed: mentioned in 8 of 82 complaints (10%)
- Exterior lighting updated: mentioned in 6 of 82 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems happen?
Based on 55 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 82 complaints, 3 a fire.
Buick Lacrosse exterior lighting complaints by model year
| Model year | Exterior Lighting complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Lacrosse | 1 | 2% | 40,000 |
| 2015 Lacrosse | 3 | 7% | 5,000 |
| 2014 Lacrosse | 5 | 8% | 16,000 |
| 2013 Lacrosse | 1 | 1% | 65,000 |
| 2012 Lacrosse | 3 | 1% | 66,000 |
| 2011 Lacrosse | 1 | 1% | 60,000 |
| 2010 Lacrosse | 8 | 4% | 88,000 |
| 2009 Lacrosse | 47 | 44% | 55,000 |
| 2008 Lacrosse | 61 | 24% | 60,500 |
| 2007 Lacrosse | 125 | 50% | 79,856 |
| 2006 Lacrosse | 156 | 52% | 89,600 |
| 2005 Lacrosse | 82 | 26% | 90,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Exterior lighting:headlights
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Gas. Leaking car smoking and cutting off
My head lights won't come on and my air bag light comes on and off all day long while driving.
Had my daughter's 2005 buick lacrosse hdm replaced for the recall and 3 months later the low-beams went out again. I took the car back to the dealer and they said the recall was done and now i would have to pay. The hdm failed while my daughter was driving home at night.

Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Buick Lacrosses have exterior lighting problems?
No. NHTSA has 82 owner complaints about exterior lighting for the 2005 Buick Lacrosse (26% of the 315 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Buick Lacrosse exterior lighting?
Yes: 1 safety recall list exterior lighting. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems start?
The median reported mileage is 90,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about exterior lighting problems on the 2005 Buick Lacrosse?
The most frequent phrase is “low beam”, in 21 of 82 complaints, followed by “high beams” (13).
Other 2005 Buick Lacrosse problems
See all 2005 Buick Lacrosse problems or exterior lighting problems across all Lacrosse years.