Buick Lacrosse Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 140 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the Buick Lacrosse across 14 model years. The 2012 model year has the most (24).
- 140power train complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 8mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 3related recalls
- 40%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 111 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 140 complaints, 8 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury.
Buick Lacrosse power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Lacrosse | 3 | 25% | 161,188 |
| 2017 Lacrosse | 9 | 25% | 17,600 |
| 2016 Lacrosse | 7 | 15% | 95,984 |
| 2015 Lacrosse | 2 | 5% | 100,000 |
| 2014 Lacrosse | 4 | 6% | 53,489 |
| 2013 Lacrosse | 11 | 9% | 30,000 |
| 2012 Lacrosse | 24 | 12% | 25,000 |
| 2011 Lacrosse | 19 | 11% | 44,450 |
| 2010 Lacrosse | 17 | 9% | 60,000 |
| 2009 Lacrosse | 3 | 3% | 39,739 |
| 2008 Lacrosse | 5 | 2% | 60,000 |
| 2007 Lacrosse | 10 | 4% | 51,000 |
| 2006 Lacrosse | 7 | 2% | 78,500 |
| 2005 Lacrosse | 19 | 6% | 72,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
Power train:automatic transmission
Model years: 2018, 2019
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
Power train:automatic transmission
Model years: 2014
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Regal, LaCrosse, Verano, and Enclave, and Chevrolet Impala, Malibu, Cruze, and Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable adjuster may disengage from the transmission shift lever. As such, these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect." They also fail to conform to FMVSS number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Electrical system:software; power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Model years: 2013
Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick LaCrosse vehicles, manufactured between April 25, 2012, through March 6, 2013, and model year 2013 Cadillac SRX vehicles, manufactured between May 29, 2012, through February 18, 2013 for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect." A software problem may cause the transmission to inadvertently shift to Sport mode removing any transmission-related engine braking effect.
Risk: If engine braking is unexpectedly removed, it may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
My 2017 Buick LaCrosse Premium AWD (116,220 miles) experienced a severe all-wheel-drive failure causing significant binding and a loud rumbling/clunking noise during sharp, low-speed cornering and acceleration. The vehicle has been officially inspected by two separate authorized manufacturer…
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that the fuel pump was previously replaced due to the vehicle stalling while driving. The contact stated that the tailgate unintendedly opened while the vehicle was parked and turned off. Additionally, the vehicle jerked while driving from…
When I get to a stop sign, and a stop light, when trying to accelerate after a complete stop, the car would struggle to accelerate to go forward. Where the shifting gears would start blinking, and the warning lights (engine power reduced, engine light, and the traction safety collision light) would…
I had first seen a check engine light for a month and it would come on and off and sometimes it would stay off for about a week before it comes back on and do the same thing. I had noticed some slippage within the transmission a week prior to this incident and was looking to take it in for an…
I was driving and my car stopped then I started it back up then hesitated to go. I parked the car then tried to reverse an it kept jumping and wonât accelerate. I could have got into a major accident on the freeway. The code is giving a Transmission Control Module
Frequently asked questions
Do all Buick Lacrosses have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 140 owner complaints about power train for the Buick Lacrosse. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Buick Lacrosse power train?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
Other Buick Lacrosse problems
- Electrical System problems (590)
- Exterior Lighting problems (493)
- Air Bags problems (253)
- Steering problems (228)
- Engine problems (215)
- Suspension problems (143)
- Service Brakes problems (107)
See all Buick Lacrosse problems.