Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 49 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Buick Lucerne. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 49 · page 1 of 2
Vehicle purchased used through Carvana. Battery installed at purchase was approximately 10 years old and later failed, causing starting issues and an instance of power loss while driving that left the vehicle stranded. Battery has been replaced and original battery retained.
The vehicle’s instrument cluster appears to be a non-original unit that may not be correct for the model year. The cluster is responsible for displaying the odometer and communicating with other vehicle systems. After purchase, I observed that diagnostic scan tools could not consistently access or communicate with multiple modules, and an experienced mechanic indicated the instrument cluster may be incompatible with the vehicle’s configuration. Because the odometer reading is displayed through this component, there is concern that the mileage may not be independently verifiable. The vehicle otherwise operates, but diagnostic communication inconsistencies raise questions about the reliability of system-level data. Additionally, there does not appear to be any service documentation indicating that the instrument cluster or odometer system was replaced, repaired, or recalibrated. This creates uncertainty regarding how the current mileage reading was established. The inability to fully verify mileage and system data may affect maintenance accuracy, resale valuation, and overall confidence in vehicle information.
Fuel pump relay is overheating to dangerously high temperatures. At least 211 F degrees. Causes the fuel pump fuse to melt leaving me stranded. Immediate replacement of the 20 AMP fuse is necessary to get the car running again. The fuel pump relay gets really hot even if the AC is not on. Waited for hour and a half in near 100 F degree heat for a tow truck to it home. I’m lucky the car did not catch on fire. I know quite a few of the Buick Lucerne’s have had recalls regarding this item. Picture of the actual car is included. No police report was necessary as this was a breakdown situation. This has utterly disrupted my life because I do not have access to a car with good air conditioning until this problem is repaired.
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lucerne. The contact stated that while using the front driver's side interior door handle to exit the vehicle, there was an abnormal cracking sound coming from the door. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the front driver's side door handle was replaced approximately 4-5 times. The vehicle was recently repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.
Passenger rear tire blew out the side wall all around the tire. The dealer that installed the tire has it for warranty. It was an large noise and I was able to pull to the side of the road immediately without loosing control. Yes the problem was reported to the dealer that put the new Falken tires on my car in September of 2025. The tires only had about 2,000 miles. My tire has tire pressure monitors on it, they did not alert me to a low tire pressure. I do have a few pictures of the tire showing the whole side wall blew out all around the tire. I am concerned for the safety of my family and anyone else that has this tire. I still have 4 of these tires on my car and I am worried that if another one blew out, it could end up in a serious crash.
Several malfunction indicator lights in dash appeared suddenly. Car would not start after shutting off. Finally started and drove to repair shop. Diagnosed as faulty ride height sensor. Shop searched for part at several dealers and online and found the part was discontinued in 2021. I contacted Buick and was offered $1500 off on a new GM car. I have not received any suggestions on how to repair the car or remove malfunction indicator lights which I specifically asked for. The repair shop is waiting for me to find the part and I have not been able to find one. Dealers have no answer and neither does Buick. The repair shop says it will start if sensor is unplugged but suspension will not work and dash will still have malfunction indicator lights. It is my opinion to operate under these conditions, it would definitely be hazardous.
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lucerne. The contact stated that after several attempts the vehicle failed to start-up without warning. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to the circuit board which was in the rear back seat. The contact stated that the rear seat latches had rubbed against the circuit box, causing the circuit to overheat. The circuit board was replaced. The contact then stated that upon entering his vehicle while in a parking lot, blueish colored smoke was coming from the vehicle. The contact removed the back seat and saw that the circuit board had started melting. The Police were first called to the scene and the Fire Department then arrived and was able to extinguish the smoke before the circuit board caught on fire. Neither a Police report nor a Fire report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it remained. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and a case was filed. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 198,000.
ABS LIGHT AND STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT ON. SO I HAVE NO ABS FUNCTION OF THE BRAKES. HAD FRONT WHEEL BEARING REPLACED BUT DIDN'T FIX THE ISSUE. ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL MODULE LIGHT STILL ON.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LUCERNE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE BRAKE LINE WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FAILURE WHILE HIS WIFE WAS REVERSING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT ADDED BRAKE FLUID TO THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO HIS DESTINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN SAW BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM THE BRAKE LINE. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE CONTACT MENTION THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE HOSE SHOWED EVIDENCE OF A FRACTURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 102,465.
BRAKE LINE EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE RESULTING IN A RAPID LOSS OF ALL BRAKE FLUID AND COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES WHILE ON A CITY STREET. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ALL BRAKE LINES WERE SEVERELY RUSTED FROM THE OUTSIDE AND ONE HAD FAILED. THIS CAR WAS ALWAYS GARAGE KEPT AND VERY INFREQUENTLY DRIVEN ON SALTED STREETS. ALL BRAKE HAD TO BE REPLACED. I THINK IT IS UNREASONABLE THAT BRAKE LINES SHOULD RUST OUT AND CAUSE SUCH A FAILURE. SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. A PERSON DOES NOT THINK OF THEIR BRAKE LINES AS REQUIRING CONSTANT INSPECTION, LIKE ONE MIGHT KEEP AN EYE ON THE TREAD ON THEIR TIRES.
ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING WITH NO WARNING. IT WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER AT NO COST UNDER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) 15-NA-051. IN ADDITION TO THE REPAIRS SPECIFIED IN THE TSB, THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR FUSE BOX AND REPAIR THE WIRE TO THE FUEL PUMP BECAUSE THEY WERE BOTH DAMAGED DUE TO OVERHEATING. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE A RECALL INSTEAD OF AN EXTENDED WARRANTY.
THE CAR WOULD NOT START WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START IT TO GO TO WORK AND HAD TO BE TOWED IN FOR REPAIRS. THE FUEL PUMP WAS FOUND TO NEED TO BE REPLACED. ONE WEEK LATER THE CAR AGAIN WOULD NOT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED FOR REPAIRS. THE PROBLEM THIS TIME WAS THE REAR FUSE BOX THAT WAS SHORTED OUT DUE TO THE BRACKET RUBBING AGAINST IT, WHICH SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL. A RECALL SEEMS TO BE INDICATED BECAUSE OF THIS.
THE FUSE BOX THAT IS UNDER THE BACK SEAT KEEPS SHORTING OUT THE RELAY FOR MY FUEL PUMP. SOMETIMES MY CAR STARTS SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LUCERNE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THE KEY FOB DID NOT WORK. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY FOB, SHE BECAME LOCKED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DID NOT WORK AND THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. ALSO, THE VEHICLE MADE GRINDING AND CLICKING SOUNDS EVEN WITH IT BEING OFF. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER THAT DESCRIBED THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT CALLED COGGIN BUICK GMC IN JACKSONVILLE (7245 BLANDING BLVD, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32244, (904) 638-1115) AND WAS INFORMED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LUCERNE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BUICK GMC OF BEAVERTON (503-298-4062, LOCATED AT 9155 SW CANYON RD, PORTLAND, OR 97225) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR FUSE BLOCK IN THE FUEL PUMP RELAY MELTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 109,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LUCERNE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL PUMP RELAY HIMSELF. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE HEAT NEAR THE LOWER PART OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT BY THE SEAT BRACKET AND FUSE BOX. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THERE MAY BE A POTENTIAL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DEFECT OR A DEFECT CONCERNING THE FUEL PUMP OR FUEL PUMP RELAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
ON 9/1/18 I DROVE MY CAR ALL MORNING LATE THAT NIGHT WHEN I WENT TO DRIVE AGAIN IT WOULDN'T START AND I COULD SMELL A LITTLE BURNING. CHECKED THE FUSE BOX AND IT HAD BLEW OUT A COUPLE OF FUSES SO WE CHANGED THEM. 3DAYS LATER IT DID THE SAME THING WE CHANGED THE FUSES AGAIN AND ONCE AGAIN THE BLEW NOW WHEN WE CHANGED THEM IT WON'T START AT ALL. I HAD TO KEEP CHANGING THE FUEL PUMP FUSE AND A DEALER SAID IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE METAL OF THE SEAT TOUCHING THE BOX .
CAR WAS STATIONARY, AND ATTEMPTED TO START. ENGINE WAS NOT GETTING GAS. DEALER IDENTIFIED REAR FUSE BOX/FUEL PUMP RELAY WAS SHORTED OUT. HE STATED THIS COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME- STATIONARY OR GOING HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SHORT IN FUSE BOX COULD RESULT IN FIRE. SHORT WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY REAR SEAT BRACKET RUBBING ON FUSE BOX, AS EVIDENCED BY MARKINGS ON FUSE BOX. THERE ARE MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THIS SAME ISSUE ON INTERNET SITES. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN INVESTIGATED?
A MANUFACTURER DEFECT EXISTS IN THE AREA OF THE REAR FUSE BOX LOCATED UNDER THE REAR SEAT ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE SEAT BRACKET APPLIES PRESSURE TO THE FUSE BOX COVER DEFLECTING IT FROM ITS STANDARD POSITION. THIS DEFLECTION PUTS LATERAL PRESSURE ON THE FUEL PUMP RELAY. THIS LATERAL FORCE CAUSE AN WEAKED CONTACT BETWEEN THE RELAY AND THE FUSE BOX CONNECTORS. INCREASED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE CAUSES THE RELAY TO OVERHEAT AND MELT ITS BASE AND FUSE BOX. THE HEAT IS INTENSE ENOUGH TO CASE THE CONTACT PINS OF THE RELAY, AND SOCKET OF THE FUSE BOX AND SOFTENS THE METAL FURTHER DEGRADING THE CONTINUITY AND INCREASING RESISTANCE. THIS MANDATES A REPLACEMENT OF THE FUSE BOX SINCE SIMPLY REPLACING THE RELAY AFTER THE HEAT DAMAGE MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO REMEDY THE DEFECT. A MANUFACTURER TSB EXHISTS HOWEVER, THIS COMPONENT IS MORE LIKELY TO FAIL ON A LONGER HIGH SPEED DRIVE. IF IT FAILS AT SPEED, VEHICLE CONTROL ISSUES MAY ARISE AMONG WITH DRIVER PANIC WHEN THE ENGINE STALLS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.
ON MARCH 28TH, 2018 MY VEHICLE A 2011 BUICK LUCERNE WITH 162,554 MILES ON IT, WOULD NOT RESTART AFTER MAKING A TWENTY-MILE TRIP TO TAKE MY GRANDCHILDREN TO SCHOOL. I PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN FRONT OF MY MOTHER'S HOUSE TO VISIT, AND UPON MY ATTEMPT TO LEAVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS, STRANGE NOISES, OR SMELLS THAT WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THE FUSE BOX FAILURE, LEADING TO THE BOX MELTING. WHEN A BATTERY GOES BAD, IT SMELLS LIKE SPOILED EGGS, HOWEVER IN THE CASE OF MY VEHICLES FUSE BOX MELTING THERE WAS NO TOXIC SMELL(S), THAT IS A GOOD THING SINCE NO PASSENGERS SUFFERED FROM MELTING PLASTIC FUMES, I GUESS. I TOOK MY 2011 BUICK LUCERNE TO THE DEALER'S SHIP BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. UPON THE TECH DIAGNOSES THE FUSE RELAY HAD MELTED, AND THIS WAS ONE REASON THE FUEL PUMP WAS NOT RECEIVING POWER TO SEND FUEL TO THE ENGINE. MY NEXT CONCERN IS THE PLACEMENT OF THESE COMPONENTS IN THE VEHICLE, THEY ARE LOCATED UNDER THE REAR PASSENGER SEATS. IF THE VOLTAGE, FUSE BOX MELTS AGAIN SOON, THE POSSIBILITY OF AN INTERNAL FIRE IS HIGHLY POSSIBLE AND THUS THE LOSS OF LIVES IS LIKELY. AFTER CONDUCTING MY OWN ONLINE SEARCH, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED IN THE PAST OR MINIMIZED IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE FOR THE CONSUMERS SAFETY CONCERNS REPORTED AT VARIOUS DEALERSHIPS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM
THE BUICK LUCERNE 2011 WE OWN HAD THE BATTERY EXPLODE UPON TURNING THE KEY. I AM WIFE/CAREGIVER TO 100% DISABLED VETERAN AND HIS SERVICE DOG. NORMALLY I WOULD HAVE PUT THEM BOTH IN THE CAR BEFORE TURNING THE KEY BUT LUCKILY ON THIS DAY I DID NOT OR WE ALL WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE CAR WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WE IMMEDIATELY HAD CAR TOWED TO MECHANIC AFTER THE ACID AND SMOKE IN CAR HAD CLEARED. IT WAS DEEMED THAT BATTERY EXPLODED AS IT IS UNDER THE REAR SEAT AND WE COULD NOT SEE IT UNTIL THE SEAT WAS OUT. A NEW BATTERY WAS PUT IN BUT THE RESIDUAL ACID BURNING AND MELTING SEAT HAD ME TAKE IT BACK FOR FURTHER REPAIR. THE INSURANCE COMPANY FINALLY CONCEDED TO REPLACE THE 2ND BATTERY AND PUT NEW FOAM IN BACK SEAT AS THE 1ST NEW ONE WAS ALREADY CORRODING AFTER 2 WEEKS. IT WAS TOLD TO ME THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS GOING TO TOTAL THE CAR AS IT IS A LIFE THREATENING FIRE HAZARD BUT THEY CHANGED THEIR MIND AND HAD US PAY ABOUT $1000 OUT OF POCKET FOR NEW ALTERNATOR AS THEY CLAIM IT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION. WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN OR CAUSE A FIRE AS THE ENTIRE WIRING UNDER THE SEATS FROM THE ALTERNATOR IS DEFECTIVE. IT IS TERRIFYING TO BE IN THIS (OUR ONLY VECHICLE FOR TRANSPORT TO VA HOSPITAL TREATMENTS) CAR DAILY. WE WAIT ANOTHER EXPLOSION OR FIRE ANY MINUTE. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO EXAMINE THE CAR FOR SAFETY AS THEY MUST BE EQUALLY AFRAID OR UNABLE TO ASSURE IT IS SAFE. PLEASE ADVISE OTHERS OF THIS LIFE THREATENING FIRE HAZARD BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. I PRAY IT WONT BE US, OR CAUSE AN ACCIDENT TO HARM OTHERS. WE STILL OWE $$ ON THIS CAR AS WE BOUGHT IT USED 2 YEARS AGO AND THE DEALER WILL NOT ASSIST IN HELPING US GET ENOUGH TO PAY THE LOAN BUT GLADLY TOOK MANY THOUSANDS OVER VALUE FROM US. PLEASE MAKE THIS PUBLIC TO SAVE LIVES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LUCERNE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND AN ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE CABIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP RELAY HAD OVERHEATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
THE SEAT BELT WARNING BELL SOMETIMES DOES NOT BEEP UNTIL YOU ARE ABOUT A MILE DOWN THE ROAD, THIS HAPPENS ON BOTH DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SIDE AND IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, THAT BELL SHOULD RING IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE CAR IS PUT INTO GEAR!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LUCERNE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. IT TOOK THE CONTACT SEVERAL MINUTES TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND, EACH TIME THE VEHICLE STALLED, THE CONTACT WAS LOCKED INSIDE THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC LOCK SYSTEM WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SERVICED THE VEHICLE HIMSELF AND FOUND THAT THE WIRING HARNESS HAD MELTED AND THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LUCERNE. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT IN SYNC WITH THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO EXCESSIVE TRAVEL IN THE THIRD CLUTCH PISTON. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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