2008 Buick Lacrosse Engine Problems

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF AND I'VE HAD CLOSE CALLS. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND SIDE STREET WHEN THIS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ID

11297251

Incident

Dec 28, 2019

Mileage

61,000 mi

I HAVE MORE THEN ONE ISSUE. FIRST IMPORTANT ISSUE. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STATE ROAD WITH A PEED LIMIT OF 50 AT 50 MPH. MY CAR LOST POWER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE WARNING LIGHT SAYS ENGINE REDUCED POWER ALL ACCELERATION WAS LOST WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AT ABOUT 30 AND WAS CLOSE TO A REPAIR SHOP SO GOT THER THEY DIAGNOSED A THROTTLE SEAL. FIXED AND REPAIRED DECEMBER 30, 2016. 6/14/2017 WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. I HAVE RETURNED TO THE SHOP AND DISCUSSED WITH GM SERVICE CENTER THEY SAY NO SPECIAL NOTICE ABOUT THIS ISSUE BUT I SEE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE IN FORUMS ON LINE. ISSUE 2. THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH SPEED, WARNING INFO, RADIO LIGHT DIM FOR NO REASON. ISSUE 3 DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK FROM KEY FOB OR INSIDE CAR HAVE TO WORK MANUALLY THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG TURNS OFF EVEN WHEN SOME ONE IN THE SEAT. I HAVE HAD THIS REPAIRED ONCE BUT CONTINUES TO TO THIS

NHTSA ID

10995303

Incident

Jun 14, 2017

Mileage

48,800 mi

IVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS SINCE I PURCHASED CAR. I HAVE A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. SHAKING ,NOISES, WHEELS, TURN CAR ON AND IT TUNS OFF., IVE HAD 3 ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON SINCE IVE HAD CAR. P0300 CODE. PAID 495 FOR THIS CODE.VERY UPSET TO FIND OUT ITS A RECALL ON WHAT THEY FITS. AND THE CALL IS MESSING UP AGAIN.IVE ONLY HAD CAR BACK 6 DAYS. ROTORS HAVE A RECALL ON THEM. NO ONE HAS SENT ANY NOTICE. THIS NEED TAKING CARE OF ASAP. TURNING STEERING WHEEL AND HERE ALL KINDS OF CRACKS. TURN HEATER ON AND IM FREEZING FOR 30 MINS. BEFORE GET ANY HEAT. IM SCARED I MIGHT HAVE A WRECK. I CANT ROAD AT NIGHT WITH LIGHTS.

NHTSA ID

10953736

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

Mileage

15,400 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE DEPRESSED WITH EXTREME FORCE IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE ECU NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10876760

Incident

May 20, 2016

WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, FOLLOWED SHORTLY THEREAFTER BY THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT.THEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DID NOT WORK. A NOTICE APPEARED ON THE DASH CONTROL: "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" AND "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL". IF I HELD THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DOWN ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, AFTER ABOUT 5 SECONDS THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE QUICKLY. I COULD THEN MAINTAIN SPEED BY ALTERNATELY STEPPING ON AND RELEASING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL QUICKLY. ACCELERATING FROM A STOPLIGHT IS A VERY SLOW AND DISRUPTIVE (TO TRAFFIC) PROCESS. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES AND HAS FAILED SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT REPAIR. ON SOME OCCASIONS, THE CAR HAS BEGUN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN DURING THIS PERIOD OF MALFUNCTION, SUCH THAT I HAVE HAD TO RIDE THE BRAKE PEDAL. ON SOME OCCASIONS THIS PROBLEM HAS REMEDIED ITSELF AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS, WITH TURNING THE ENGINE ON AND OFF TO REBOOT. THE PROBLEM CAN LAST FOR DAYS AT A TIME. I HAVE REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR TO NO AVAIL. INTERESTINGLY, I ALSO OWNED (UNTIL LAST WEEK) A 2007 LACROSSE WHICH DOES THE EXACT SAME THING, AND HAS ALSO HAD THE THROTTLE BODY SENSOR REPLACED WITH NO LUCK. I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE DESCRIPTIONS OF THIS BY PEOPLE ONLINE, DESCRIBING EXACTLY THE SAME CONDITIONS AND WARNINGS. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE WHEN IT HAPPENS, AS I CANNOT SAFELY ACCELERATE IN BUSY TRAFFIC, AND THE CAR SLOWS DOWN TO SPEEDS UNSAFE FOR THE CONDITIONS. I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE GM DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS, IN THAT I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH 2 LACROSSES. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10764032

Incident

Jul 17, 2013

Mileage

60,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL AND MOTHER BOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 11/09/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST COIL REPLACEMENT, HE ASKED THE DEALER IF IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THE DEALER STATED IT WAS NOT. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT IN 2012, IN WHICH THE COIL AND MOTHER BOARD WERE REPLACED, THE EXACT FAILURE OCCURRED IN 2015. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE COIL AND MOTHER BOARD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $700. DURING BOTH INCIDENTS, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WHILE IN THE MIDST OF DRIVING. UPDATED 01/05/16. *JB

NHTSA ID

10762846

Incident

Sep 6, 2012

Mileage

136,000 mi

AFTER HAVING A GM DEALER (ROBERTS-ROBINSON BUICK GMC - EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, MO.) REPAIR THE FACTORY RECALL KEY ISSUE. THE CAR STILL STALLS AT HIWAY SPEEDS. WAS TOLD IT WAS THE "POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE", FINALLY, AFTER 3 VISITS TO THE DEALER. I'VE READ HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON-LINE WITH OWNERS OF BUICK PRODUCTS SIMILAR OR THE SAME HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THIS WOULD SEEM TO BE A VERY SERIOUS HEALTH HAZZARD. ALTHOUGH MY DEALER HAS DONE ALL THEY COULD AND HAVE BEEN VERY ACCOMODATING, IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO ALL THAT IS HAVING OR HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM TO GET HELP FROM GM SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY WIDE-SPREAD & COMMON PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10716048

Incident

May 11, 2015

I WAS TRAVELING AT 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED RUNNING. I HAD ALL I COULD DO TO GET THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE NEITHER THE BRAKES OR POWER STEERING WOULD WORK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10641598

Incident

Sep 5, 2012

Mileage

93,677 mi

THE ENGINE DIED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ON A QUIET STREET AND SO I COULD STOP CURBSIDE. LIGHTS ETC. WORKED BUT POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, ENGINE WERE ALL DEAD. THE CAUSE WAS A CRACKED IGNITION COIL THAT SHORTED AND "FRIED" THE IGNITION MODULE. THIS WAS AN ORIGINAL-EQUIPMENT PART, PROBABLY A DELPHI GN10123 (FROM MY INTERNET RESEARCH; I COULD BE WRONG). HAD THIS HAPPENED ON A HIGH-SPEED ROAD, THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10641380

Incident

Oct 2, 2014

Mileage

39,451 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,154.

NHTSA ID

10639220

Incident

Sep 25, 2014

Mileage

131,154 mi

ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND CAR GOES REAL SLOW, THEN IT WONT MOVE. DOORS WONT LOCK/UNLOCK WITH REMOTE AND THEY WONT AUTOMATICALLY LOCK/UNLOCK IN PARK OR WHEN YOU START DRIVING. AIR BAG LIGHT FOR PASSENGER SIDE COMES ON AND OFF, WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING THERE. BACK TIRES WORE OFF ON INSIDES HAD TO REPLACE THEM. I DON'T FEEL SAFE ANYMORE. DEALER SAID I SHOULD BE NOTIFIED OF RECALLS SO IT CAN GET MY BUICK REPAIRED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10619167

Incident

Jul 9, 2014

WHILE DRIVING NORTH ON ALTERNATE 69 HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AT 5:00 P.M., MY VEHICLE ABRUPTLY LOSS POWER EVEN THOUGH I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE SLOWED TO A COMPLETE STOP. I WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND WAS UNABLE TO GET IN THE SHOULDER LANE BECAUSE I HAD NO PICKUP (UNABLE TO GIVE GAS TO ACCELERATE) SO MY HUSBAND AND I WERE CAUGHT IN FIVE 5:00 TRAFFIC WITH CARS WHIPPING AROUND US ON BOTH SIDES AND MANY EXCEEDING 65 MPH. I PUT ON MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED ON-STAR. I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THANK GOD FOR ON-STAR BECAUSE FROM THAT POINT ON, I WAS IN TERROR WITNESSING CARS COMING UPON US NOT SLOWING UNTIL THEY REALIZED I WAS AT A STAND STILL WITH LIGHTS FLASHING. THE CARS WOULD SWERVE TO KEEP FROM HITTING US. IT TOOK THE HIGHWAY PATROL AND POLICE 15 MINUTES TO GET TO US BUT DURING THAT TIME, I RELIVED VISIONS OF US BEING KILLED ON THE HIGHWAY. I CAN'T DESCRIBE THE HORROR, LOOKING OUT MY REAR VIEW MIRROR, WITNESSING OUR DEMISE TIME AFTER TIME. THOSE 15 MINUTES SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY. WHEN THE HIGHWAY PATROL ARRIVED THEY CLOSED LANES AND ASSISTED IN PUSHING CAR OUT OF THE HIGHLY TRAFFIC LANES. IT TOOK MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH TO TURN THE STEERING WHILE IN NEUTRAL. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO CONKLIN FANGMAN KC DEALERSHIP AND I HAD TO REPLACE IGNITION COIL AND MODULE THAT COST ME $933.16. THEY SAID THESE PARTS WERE NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, WHICH I HAVE FOUND OUT SINCE THEN GM HAS PUT DEALERSHIPS ON NOTICE OF THIS PROBLEM. IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH SUPPLYING ENOUGH MANUFACTURED PARTS TO TAKE CARE OF RECALL. IF I COULD AFFORD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR I WOULD BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL SAFE ANY LONGER IN THIS CAR. EMOTIONALLY I AM STILL SUFFERING FROM THE TRAUMA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10616120

Incident

Jul 15, 2014

Mileage

72,851 mi

WHILE TRAVELING UP A GRADUAL HILL ON A LOCAL STREET MY CAR STOPPED RUNNING. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME AND I WAS ABLE TO ROLL OVER TO THE SIDE. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. HE FOUND THE IGNITION COIL BURNT AND A FUSE BLOWN. HE REPLACED THE COIL AND FOUND THAT THE IGNITION MODULE WAS ALSO FAULTY. IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT IGNITION RECALLS, CAN FAULTY MODULES OR COILS ALSO BE A PROBLEM? *TR

NHTSA ID

10608230

Incident

Jun 30, 2014

Mileage

48,876 mi

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH THE ENGINE DIED, STEERING FAILED; I WAS ABLE TO COME TO A SAFE STOP. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. IT HAD TO BE TOWED. LATER FOUND OUT THE IGNITION COIL WAS CRACKED (PART # 10472401) , IGNITION CONTROL MODULE REPLACED (PART # 19245558) & 15A FUSE WERE REPLACED. I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING A GASOLINE SMELL IN THE VEHICLE FOR MONTHS. I HAD IT INTO A GM DEALER 3 TIMES FOR THE ISSUE WITHOUT RESOLUTION. I WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR STATION THAT THEY WERE AMAZED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD NOT COME ON BEFORE THE FAILURE. APPARENTLY THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY FIRING ON 4 CYLINDERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10605134

Incident

May 23, 2014

Mileage

70,308 mi

THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE (NOT THE IGNITION SWITCH) FAILED SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAR WAS TRAVELING DOWNHILL, SO THE INITIAL INDICATION WAS LOSS OF POWER STEERING. I WAS ABLE TO PULL ONTO THE SHOULDER AND THEN REALIZED THAT THE ENGINE HAD DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. WHILE NO CRASH OR INJURY OCCURRED, THE POTENTIAL FOR A SERIOUS CRASH WAS QUITE HIGH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10604820

Incident

Aug 30, 2013

Mileage

73,438 mi

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH COLUMBUS,OHIO ON NOVEMBER 13, 2013, THE CAR SLOWED DOWN WHEN I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 30 MPH TO STOP. THE MOTOR STOPPED AND WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A MUFFLER REPAIR AND THE TOLD ME ABOUT A DEALERSHIP A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY AND WAS ABLE TO LIMP TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP IS LOCATED IN WORTHINGTON, OHIO. AFTER A MULTI-POINT INSPECTION, I WAS TOLD THAT A FAULTY ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $102..61 PLUS LABOR OF $384.00 AND SHOP CHARGES OF $15.00 AND TAX OF $35.11 FOR A TOTAL OF $536.72. THERE IS ANOTHER PROBLEM OF THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOING ON AND OFF WHILE NO ONE IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND WHEN A PERSON IS SEATED AND BUCKLED UP ACCORDING TO THE LAW.... *TR

NHTSA ID

10598509

Incident

Nov 13, 2013

Mileage

41,796 mi

I TURNED RIGHT ONTO A VERY STEEPLY GRADED RURAL ROAD. THE ROAD HAS 3 SERVICE RAMPS TO A MAJOR HIGHWAY, RT 28N. IT ALSO HAS 1 ROAD THAT ALLOWS A R/L ACCESS TO BURTON AND A CROSS TRAFFIC ACCESS TO 28N. I HAD JUST STARTED THE DESCENT DOWN BURTON WHEN I NOTICED THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. I APPLIED THE BRAKE TWICE TO REDUCE SPEED; IT WAS NON-RESPONSIVE. THE CAR CONTINUE TO SPEED DOWN THE HILL FOR APPROXIMATELY 3/4 MILE. THE CAR BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN ABOUT 1/2 MILE BEYOND THE ACCESS ROAD TO 28 N. WHEN I TRIED TO PULL OVER TO A GRAVEL/WEED "SHOULDER" I FOUND THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS ALSO OUT. I COULD NOT PULL COMPLETELY OFF THE ROAD, THUS CREATING A DANGER TO ANY CAR ON BURTON ROAD. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE CAR WAS TOTALLY INOPERABLE. IT HAD TO BE TOWED 20 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP LATE AT NIGHT. THE CAR HAD JUST PASSED THE 50K MILE BUICK INSPECTION. ON THREE PRIOR OCCASIONS, THOUGH, THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH A WINDOW MALFUNCTION, AND TWO DOORS LATCHES ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE SERVICE REPORT STATES THAT THE ENTIRE IGNITION COIL AND MODULE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE IGNITION MODULE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SAME ASSEMBLY DESIGN WAS USED IN THE BUICK LESABRE, THE CHEVY IMPALA, AND ONE OTHER BUICK MODEL. BUICK APOLOGIZED FOR THE FAILURE OF THESE COMPONENTS AND FOR PUTTING ME AND MY PASSENGERS INTO WHAT WAS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF BAIERL CHEVROLET (A QUALITY DEALERSHIP AND SERVICE ORGANIZATION) THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WITH OTHER OWNERS, BUT NONE HAD BEEN IN THE SITUATION I WAS IN. I WANTED TO REPORT THIS BECAUSE I FOUND NO INDICATIONS ON THE BUICK WEBSITE THAT SUCH FAILURES WERE POSSIBLE. HAVING LOST TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN THE CAR AND ITS DESIGN, THAT I TRADED IT IN FOR ANOTHER CAR AND TOOK ON EXPENSES THAT I HAD NOT BUDGETED FOR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10542083

Incident

May 26, 2013

Mileage

53,718 mi