2008 Buick Lucerne Interior & seats Problems

I purchased the vehicle a week before the incident. There were no warning lights or messages and nothing to indicate there was a problem. I was driving in a crowded parking lot so I was going very slow. When I turned my car suddenly died. My husband was passenger and my daughter and 2 sons were in the back. Smoke started coming from the seat and we all rushed out of the car while the seat was on fire. my husband pulled the seat out and put the fire out. I was not aware the battery is located under the back seat. I had the car towed and inspected by a mechanic. I was told the battery does not have a cover so the metal from the seat was touching the battery causing the fire. The battery is a top post battery that is recommended for this vehicle. I can find no information about a battery cover. The vehicle is available for inspection. I have photos and the report from the mechanic but I'm having trouble uploading them

NHTSA ID

11668301

Incident

May 28, 2025

-The electrical system failed, causing the fuel pump to not work properly due to design flaw in the backseat putting pressure on the fuse box which is located under the backseat. The spot where contact is made to the fuse box, is where the fuel pump relay is. Pressure from the seat bracket (with or without a passenger in the seat) causes the pump replay to not make proper contact with the terminal, therefore causing the power to arc and get so hot that the relay starts smoking, melting the relay, fuse box and surrounding fuses and leaving black scorch marks on the inside of the lid to fuse box and making the car smell like burnt plastic. In addition to now having to purchase multiple replacement relays it has also caused additional electrical issues which resulted in having to replace multiple fuses as well as purchase another battery due to theses issues putting added strain on my battery which caused it to drain and not hold a charge any more. Yes the car and parts are available for inspection. -My safety and the safety of others is at risk due to major risk of catching on fire which could happen while driving and therefore cause an accident, could cause one of my passengers, including my child or myself to be severely hurt/burnt. -Yes the issue has been reproduced by many other owners of the same year/make/model as per the hundreds of previous complaints found about the same issue. -No there were no warning lights, signals or messages before the failure. No warning at all.

NHTSA ID

11426686

Incident

Jun 5, 2021

WITHIN THE LAST MONTH, MY CAR HAS BURNED THOUGH 3 FUEL PUMP RELAYS. ONE CONNECTION IS BUBBLING UP IN A CERTAIN SPOT. THE FUSE BOX IS HOT TO THE TOUCH, AND A GLOVE WAS NEEDED TO PULL THE FUEL RELAY OUT AND THE BUBBLING IS NOW APPARENT ON THE FUSE BOX ITSELF. I HAD JUST FINISHED A 260 MILE ROUND TRIP WITH MY SISTER AND WHEN WE STOPPED FOR FOOD, THE CAR WOULD CRANK BUT NOT START.

NHTSA ID

11257225

Incident

Sep 22, 2019

Mileage

104,242 mi

"TAKATA RECALL"RELAY TO FUEL PUMP IN FUSE BOX UNDER DRIVERS SIDE REAR SEAT. KEEPS MELTING (RELAY AND FUSE BOX) LEAVING AN ELECTRICAL FIRE SMELL IN CAR. THIS IS THE 2ND BOX AND FUEL PUMP TO BE REPLACEED IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS.

NHTSA ID

11156962

Incident

Nov 29, 2018

Mileage

88,500 mi

MY BATTERY IS LOCATED UNDER THE BACK SEAT AND CAUGHT FLAMES YESTERDAY WITH MY SMALL CHILDREN IN THE BACK. I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY U WOULD PUT A BATTERY UNDER A PASSENGER SEAT WHERE PEOPLE SIT ON TOP OF WITH FABRIC

NHTSA ID

11155874

Incident

Dec 2, 2018

Mileage

131,000 mi

CRANK NO START. BACK SEAT HOUSING WAS PUSHING AGAINST FUSE BOX IN BACKSEAT CHUSHION CAUSING FUEL RELAY TO NOT WORK. RELAY WAS DAMAGED AS A RESULT. FUEL PUMP WAS ALSO DAMAGE

NHTSA ID

11129082

Incident

Sep 5, 2018

Mileage

138,000 mi

THIS CONCERNS MY 2008 BUICK LUCERNE, IT HAS THE CASHMERE INTERIOR COLOR. SOMETHING I HAVE JUST FOUND OUT. GM DOES NOT MAKE AN IMPORTANT REPLACEMENT INTERIOR PART ANYMORE. PN: 20954443 IS NOT AVAILABLE FROM ANY DEALER IN THE U.S. THIS IS A SEAT TRIM PART FOR THE OUTSIDE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT. IT CRACKS FROM NORMAL USE BECAUSE IT IS FORCED TO FLEX WHEN A PERSON SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, OVER TIME THIS FLEXING CRACKS THE PART. THE CRACKED PART THEN HAS SHARP EDGES WHICH CATCHES CLOTHING, AND COULD CAUSE LEG CUTS. AS A SIDE NOTE, THE SHALE COLORED PART IS PN: 15273992, AND THE TITANIUM PN: IS 15273994 (THIS PART I WAS ABLE TO STILL FIND, AND I WILL HAVE TO PAINT IT CASHMERE TO MATCH MY CAR). THESE PARTS FIT ALL THE "NOT HEATED SEATS" LUCERNE MODELS FROM 2006 TO 2011, THOUSANDS OF CARS I SUSPECT. THE DRIVER'S SIDE TRIM PART (MIRROR OPPOSITE) IS STILL AVAILABLE FROM A FEW SOURCES. IT ALSO FALLS AND CRACKS FOR THE SAME REASON. HAS GM PULLED THIS PART FROM INVENTORY FOR A REDESIGN? IT HAS BEEN JUST FOUR YEARS SINCE THAT LAST BUICK LUCERNE WAS SOLD, THE 2011 MODEL; IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO FIND REPLACEMENT PARTS.

NHTSA ID

10788295

Incident

Nov 2, 2015

Mileage

50,000 mi

SOMETIME BETWEEN 1998 AND 2008 THE BUICK LINE, AND ALMOST ALL OTHER LINES, ENLARGED THE SIZE OF THE COLUMNS SUPPORTING THE ROOF, MODIFIED THE FRONT SIDE WINDOWS TO ADD A SMALL TRIANGLE OF MATERIAL AT THE FRONT OF THE WINDOWS, AND RAISED THE HEIGHT OF THE SIDE MIRRORS AND RAISED THE HEIGHT OF THE "DASH" ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I AM IN EXCESS OF 6 FT TALL AND THIS HAD LITTLE IMPACT ON MY FIELD OF VISION. MY WIFE IS LESS THAN 5 FT AND AGE IS TAKING A TOLL ON BOTH OF US AND THIS HAS A SEVERE IMPACT ON HER FIELD OF VISION, EVEN WITH THE USE OF BOOSTER PILLOWS. THE CURRENT MODELS HAVE THE SAME DESIGN FLAW, EXCEPT FOR THE HONDA CIVIC AND THE FORD FUSION. I HAVE PERSONALLY "TESTED" THIS CONDITION BY LOCATING MYSELF AT AN INTERSECTION WHERE SEVERAL CRASHES, SOME FATAL, AND "SCROOCHING" DOWN AS BEST I COULD TO SIMULATE A 5 FT PERSON WITH THE SEAT AT ITS MAX HEIGHT, AND THERE IS A CRITICAL LOSS OF VISIBILITY, PARTICULARLY TO THE RIGHT. THERE WERE THREE CRASHES, ALL INVOLVED SENIORS, THAT WERE IN A COLLISION BECAUSE THEY PROCEEDING, AFTER STOPPING, TO CROSS THE INTERSECTION IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HEARTILY SUPPORT YOUR PROPOSAL TO DEVELOP SOME TYPE OF RECOMMENDATIONS, OR "RATING", FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE THE MOST APPROPRIATE FOR SENIORS. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10555863

Incident

Jan 4, 2010

Mileage

20,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LUCERNE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE, SHE MANUALLY LOCKED THE PASSENGER AND THE REAR DOORS. WHEN THE CONTACT RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE, THE DOORS WERE UNLOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE LATCH LOCK ASSEMBLIES WERE FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56000.

NHTSA ID

10549325

Incident

Oct 10, 2013

Mileage

56,000 mi

WHEN OPENING DRIVER'S DOOR THE HANDLE CAME APART IN MY HAND. I HAD MY MECHANIC PUT IT BACK TOGETHER. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE SO I AM REALLY AFRAID TO OPEN THIS DOOR. WILL BUICK REPLACE THIS DOOR HANDLE? UPDATED IVOQ 02/24/11 *LN

NHTSA ID

10383217

Incident

Jan 28, 2011

Mileage

49,800 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LUCERNE. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN REFUELING THE VEHICLE, GASOLINE WOULD SPEW BACK OUT FROM THE FILLER TUBE AND ONTO THE CONTACT. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT DRIVER WINDOW WAS ABNORMALLY SLOW IN OPENING AND WOULD SQUEAK. THE DRIVER SEAT HAS NO PADDING AND WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE, SHE WOULD HAVE TO TILT THE STEERING WHEEL UPWARD IN ORDER TO EXIT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,950. UPDATED 12/7/10 *CN THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE TRACTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE DOOR LOCKS HAD TO REPAIRED. UPDATED EVOQ 03/01/11

NHTSA ID

10350122

Incident

Aug 13, 2008

Mileage

19,950 mi

DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL LIGHTS WILL BE DIM OR GO DIM WHILE DRIVING. YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO READ ANY INFORMATION ON THE DASH WHEN SUN SHINES ON OR NEAR THE PANEL. DEALER REPLACED PANEL BUT IT DID NO GOOD. WENT BACK TO DEALER BUT HE SAID THEY COULD NOT FIX IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10324646

Incident

Feb 15, 2009

Mileage

3,000 mi

I HAVE AN 08 BUICK LUCERNE CXL UNDER WARRANTY. AT TIMES THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ARE SO DIM YOU CANNOT READ THE PANEL WHEN THE SUN SHINES ON THEM A BIT. I TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED PANEL LIGHT. NO HELP. THEY SAID BUICK WILL NOT HELP THEM. TOOK IT BACK AND EXPLAINED PROBLEM AND THEY SAID YES, YOU AND A THOUSAND OTHERS. I CONTACTED BUICK DIVISION AND THEY FILE MY EMAIL AND GIVE ME A LONG NUMBER. DEALER AGREES IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM. WHEN DRIVING IN MOUNTAINS I WANT TO KNOW MY SPEED, GEAR I'M IN ETC. IT DON'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME SO I AM SURE THERE IS A SIMPLE FIX. A SWITCH OR COMPUTER OR SOMETHING SIMILIAR. THANKYOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10317499

Incident

Feb 10, 2009

Mileage

600 mi