3.0

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
46,415 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2011 Buick LaCrosse electrical problems

electrical problem

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2011 Buick LaCrosse Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #25

Jan 222024

LaCrosse

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

#07-06-04-019F: Intermittent Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL} Illuminated, OTC Pl':1.~J with Reduced Engine Power (Repair Instrument Panel (IP) to Body Harness Connector). Lost power on I-84 and had to cross over the right lane because I had no power, barely missing a rear end collision.

- Naugatuck, CT, USA

problem #24

Apr 172019

LaCrosse

  • miles
The component is the brakes and the brake pedal while not engaging the brakes they remained on even after the vehicle was shut off.the vehicle brake lights remained on this was not duplicated when I took the car in by the dealer of how the brake remains engaged we even when not being used I would have to release the break by pulling it up with my foot while driving. This was duplicated and witnessed by two others the dealership where I bought the car and a trusted mechanic. which no avai there was no warning light indicating any type of concern prior to it doing this. the brake pedal being slightly stuck my transmission shifts not properly and hot feeling to the car now I have a warning saying that AC will not work due to the overheating of my engine which I believe to have repaired however the repair that was believed to be the problem obviously wasn't the problem because the light still remains on and the fan runs continuously the minute I start the car to the time I shut the car off I live in North Dakota and it is -1 today and the fan continues to run at all times and the warning light is on cooling fan the car lunges at times which is easy to lose control over when it does this it lunges to the point where it physically noticeable and and no warnings of this that a compensation is going to need to be made in my driving with this lunge issue. I do feel this break issue has affected many other parts of the vehicle and the safety associated with these components. Also at times the driver's seat will not move it goes up to the dash or back to the back seat leaving me in a position where I cannot drive the vehicle safely at all. Also the cruise control would not engage because of the brakes being slightly engaged. Took her to the dealership discussed this problem with them and they could not duplicate and it's been going on since I purchased the car It had 30,000 miles on it when I bought it and it continues to do this and I think it's a safety issue

- Minot, ND, USA

problem #23

Jul 012020

LaCrosse 4-cyl

  • 124,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that the sun roof shade button was defective and failed roll back as intended. The contact took the vehicle to jim hudson Buick GMC (4035 kaiser hill rd, columbia, SC 29203) where the vehicle was inspected and the contact was provided an estimate for the cost of the repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 124,000. Consumer stated throttle- position sensor failed as well.

- Hopkins, SC, USA

problem #22

Jun 122019

LaCrosse 6-cyl

  • 120,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 103 windshield defrosting and defogging system and I don't know if its effecting my A/C to I have taken it everywhere to get fix and no one fixes it completely stills blow cool not cold like it is supposed to.

- Lawton, OK, USA

problem #21

Jul 052019

LaCrosse

  • 107,000 miles
Every time I will drive for so long I'd lose all power radio dash lights headlights everything and start blinking and going out and finally the car was just die. Come to find out it is electrical issues and it's costing me more than the car is worth to even get it back from the shop.

- Kingsport, TN, USA

problem #20

Feb 192019

LaCrosse

  • 91,431 miles
Driving 60 mph on the highway. Suddenly the information panel flashed stabilitrak service required (or similar) then low power mode. Car went from 60 to 30 mph on the highway. Unable to speed up. Needed to pull over to the side of the road. Turned car off. Tried to restart and it wouldn't restart for several tries. Restarted and still said low power and was idling low. Tried again and was normal. This has happened several more times and always is similar. Sometimes it doesn't happen at all in a 30 mile trip, sometimes it happens 3 times. Very dangerous! could be rear ended! I have read many other accounts of this happening in the 2011 Buick Lacrosse. After this the check engine light stayed on. When I had the auto parts store run diagnostics it flagged multiple misfires, throttle position sensor 3 times, power control module indicator, traction control. It seems this is a flaw in this car. I attempted to get a picture of the satbilitrak sensor indicator light, but it flashes on and off pretty quickly and you never know when it will happen.

- Clara City, MN, USA

problem #19

Sep 122018

LaCrosse

  • 112,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. While driving the vehicle, the air conditioning, heating, and defroster failed to function. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 112,000.

- Meridian, MS, USA

problem #18

Jan 262018

LaCrosse 6-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
While driving uphill in the winter, went to turn into neighborhood at top of hill, just as turning the vehicle, vehicle died. Everything stopped working. Engine shut off, brakes wouldn't work, steering wheel locked, lights went off, then wouldn't start. Then the vehicle instructed to roll driver window down then up, roll right window down then up. Almost like it was trying to reboot. But this happened in the middle of driving. After trying a third time to start, it started. All information was gone, no mileage, oil life gone, tripometer gone. Drove vehicle home, just a block away and been too scared to drive the vehicle since.

- Saint Charles, MO, USA

problem #17

Jul 132017

LaCrosse

  • 54,000 miles
Potential fatal safety hazard with door lock pull toggles when an accident disables the battery. In normal operation, the electrical system always retracts the door pull toggles completely into the top of the door during any shift of the vehicle out of park. The pull toggle disappears completely into the door with no portion exposed. If the vehicle battery is disabled, as in minor crash, the electric windows cannot be operated and the door cannot be open manually. The occurpant is locked within the vehicle until a window is broken out. There is simply no way to override the electric system to exit the vechile. Pulling the door handle does not override the electric door locks. A simple fix would merely be to make the plastic pull toggles 3/4 in. Longer so that somone can grab the toggle and pull it to the unlocked position even though the vehicle had been electrically locked.

- Wichita, KS, USA

problem #16

Aug 312015

LaCrosse

  • 100,000 miles
This vehicle stalls/cuts off while driving. It can occur while driving or taking off from a stand still. It maintains a stored history code P0014 and after service will reappear. Especially dangerous while driving in the national capital area. Buick has a notice about the engine control module and that has to be reprogramed for that vehicle model and my VIN number falls within that bulletin. The problem is that it doesn't work and the vehicle shuts off at a moments notice. Right now I'm afraid that my life or someone else is ir real danger. Unfortunately I'm not the only one. While searching for a solution I found numerous owners with the same problem/ same complaint. I hope it doesn't take the loss of life to address this issue.

- Stafford, VA, USA

problem #15

Feb 032016

LaCrosse

  • 51,542 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle completely dead after all types of electrical messages displayed when trying to start. Car was stationary both times. This first happened early Feb 2016; then repeated similar scenario 20 days later. Car was towed both times. Low mileage 52,278 miles. Messages generic, dealer could not determine problem and contacted the GM customer center also. Nothing done first time. Second time dealer started updating all the electronic modules-although again no specific cause and effect could be identified. Modules updated (ebcm, BCM ECM, etc. About 27 modules. Thus far car has not been dead again with exception of battery issue (already another warranty replacement for original). My concern: If these electronic modules (couple thousand of dollars) are the problem, how come it was not a recall vs repair. Owner should not be a hostage to a software update for a repair to make the car start? of note; my car has had 21 warranty fixes with my low mileage. GM prior to this electronic failure extended my warranty out due to the many issues after I was forceful. Basically, GM engineers are producing a car where they cannot definitively state the problem, but start trying everything. These module updates would cost couple thousand dollars and lots of time in shop. Note: My auto is a 4 wd larger engine Buick; fob vs key so somewhat fewer on the road. My auto was one of the first 2011 that rolled off assembly line probably but very similar to the 2010 (first year out with the current body style). The other 21 warranty jobs (driver seat, passenger side traffic warning message, oil leaks, transmission leak at same time as engine oil leak, problems with doors opening, radio nav system, right rear hub bearing pad, and a couple driven by the actual repair visit.

- Germantown, TN, USA

problem #14

Jan 122016

LaCrosse

  • 111,200 miles
Defroster, heat, A/C, fan speed, recirc, heat/cool seats functions failed (stopped working completly) while driving in a snow storm on January 12, 2016 on highway us 131 to traverse city, mi. Found recall information NHTSA # 11V149000. Brought to dealer. Dealer said not coverred under recal due to VIN #, and owner cost of $400 + to repair. Contacted Buick customer care. Spoke with asia and leslie on 1/15/16, who said GM could not help. I described language of the recall as being identical to the safety hazard described in the NHTSA language: "windshield defrosting and defogging systems" on these vehicles, the software in the electronic climate control module may disable the ability to adjust the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system settings. If this happens, the driver will not be able to control the cooling and ventilation for the vehicle. Consequence: If this condition affects the defrost system when it is required, it may decrease the driver's visibility and could result in a crash."

- Grand Rapids, MI, USA

problem #13

Feb 112011

LaCrosse

  • miles
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. While driving at various speeds, the check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure could not be diagnosed. The contact stated that the error codes were removed from the vehicle; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to dealer where it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact also stated that the battery of the vehicle had to be replaced on several occasions, but the dealer could not diagnose why the batteries were failing. While driving to have routine maintenance performed on the vehicle, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to move. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission failed and needed to be repaired. The failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was unknown.

- St. Louis, MO, USA

problem #12

Oct 272015

LaCrosse

  • 38,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that the anti-skid device activated independently causing the vehicle to brake without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 38,000. The VIN was not available.

- Fresno, CA, USA

problem #11

Sep 182011

LaCrosse 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 9,400 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. While driving 35 mph, the trunk opened independently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the body control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure continuously recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 9,400. Updated 08/17/16 the consumer stated the truck popped open while the vehicle was sitting in the driveway and in the parking lot, at his job. Updated 10/25/16.

- Pigeon, MI, USA

problem #10

Oct 012015

LaCrosse

  • 49,500 miles
Vehicle has been operating normally. It just came off warranty a few weeks back. Wife came home and parked the vehicle in the driveway. Went out several hours later to go somewhere and it would not start. There were no warnings of a problem. When we turned the ignition key we heard a few clicks and then nothing. Lights we noticeably dim. We were able to get it started with a jumper and let it run for a while. It will be serviced in the morning. It appears the problem is with the battery or there is an electrical problem in the system. While we were running, we checked to see if there were any codes and could not find any. The car was parked on about a 5% incline facing down. We used the incline to move the car to a flat area where we were able to jump start.

- Old Orchard Beach, ME, USA

problem #9

Jul 092015

LaCrosse 6-cyl

  • 55,355 miles
Car was parked in our garage at 2:30 pm. I went into the garage at 7:45 pm and found it extremely hot (115F), opened the garage doors and tried to start the car to get it out of the garage. Would not start and called aaa for a tow. Aaa suggested calling police & fire. Police came and they called fire dept. Temp under hood registered 150F and co alarm in basement started to go off. Firefighters put on protective gear, entered house and their co monitors went off immediately. Gas line shut off, house vented. Car eventually towed to dealership nearby. Gas company came that evening to restart and inspect dryer, water heater, stove and found no co problem. Have yet to hear from the dealer (flemington Buick) as to cause, issues, resolution. Update 9/15/15 the consumer has since traded the vehicle. Updated 10/15/15

- Flemington, NJ, USA

problem #8

Apr 202015

LaCrosse

  • 13,000 miles
While driving, using the navigation system for directions, the display changed from day mode to night mode rendering it unreadable. The time of day was at least two hours after dawn and was was overcast. The display remained dark for nearly an hour. This also affected the backup display as well, rendering it useless. The radio was also useless as stations could not be selected.

- Melbourne Beach, FL, USA

problem #7

Sep 282014

LaCrosse 6-cyl

  • 29,988 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. In addition, the contact heard a clicking noise coming from the dashboard as the electronic suspension warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the electrical suspension module needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 29,988. Updated 02/18/15 updated 9/11/17

- Paulsboro, NJ, USA

problem #6

Apr 052014

LaCrosse

  • miles
On more than 10-15 occasions I've experienced intermittent failure of the keyless ignition, whereby there is only one click and then no ability to start my vehicle unless I continue to press the button while turning off any and all ac, radio, power etc. I purchased the car used 1 year ago in excellent condition but noticed that it already had a new battery that was installed earlier in 2013.the vehicle is a 2011 and that seemed very odd. What I've noticed is that the battery terminals continually corrode mostly on the "positive" terminal and I've removed and brushed them several times and tighten, and that seems to work when it just absolutely won't start. Big inconvenience when I'm usually dressed in a suit... unfortunately, I've taken it to three different GM Buick dealerships over the past month and a half and it never will reproduce the defect when I'm there, so they've not been able to evaluate and remedy. Noticed service bulletin pi-0412 for parasitic drain/discharge so now I'll take it to another dealership to see if they can determine the cause based on this. Very frustrating to not be able to have this diagnosed and corrected before I potentially find myself totally stranded away from home.

- Buford, GA, USA

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