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2011 Buick Lacrosse Eassist

Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

169 owner complaints · 4 recalls · data verified July 27, 2026 · source: NHTSA

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Why buy?

Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.

Score breakdown, by factor

Full methodology →

#229 of 505Among the 2011 models with a matured record, the 2011 Buick Lacrosse Eassist ranks #229, scoring higher than 51% of them. See the 2011 ranking →

Complaint volume79
Severity64
Recall load77
Trend100

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20102026 YTD

How it crashes

NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.

5/5 overall

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2011 Buick Lacrosse 4 DR AWD

Front crash
Side crash
Rollover

Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 12%

Stability control: StandardForward collision warning: NoLane departure warning: No

No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.

NHTSA crash-test photo, 2011 Buick Lacrosse 4 DR AWD

Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2011 Buick Lacrosse Eassist, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miEngine~67k mi · 30 reportsTransmission & drivetrain~52k mi · 19 reports

Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (32) · Suspension (27) · Visibility & wipers (23) · Brakes (18)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint. Treat them as a rough guide.

Electrical system

19%

32 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years

#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 Connect…

Read the electrical system complaints →

Engine

18%

30 complaints · typically near 67k mi · 1 in the last 2 years

Car been smelling like gas for awhile engine light pop on and off. My car will not start I have replace the fuel pump car still won’t get gas . Replaced battery numero…

Read the engine complaints →

Suspension

16%

27 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years

The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made rattling noises and was shaking. The vehicle wa…

Read the suspension complaints →

Visibility & wipers

14%

23 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years

The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware of a failure with the defrost system. The contact sta…

Read the visibility & wipers complaints →

Check it against this car’s mileage

Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.

miles

We can place 2 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.

Read all 169 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 18 crash/fire/injury reports →

Recalls (4)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Suspension · 21V00F000

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse, 2012-2013 Buick Regal, and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. These vehicles may have rear toe links that received an improper amount of electrocoating (e-coat) corrosion protection, which could cause the e-coat to become brittle and break away when contacted by road debris. Over time, the e-coat may chip away, exposing the metal toe link and making it more susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion may eventually cause the toe link to thin and ultimately fracture.

Risk: A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212346640. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recalls 20V-764 and 21V-633.

Suspension · 20V764000

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Buick Regal, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. These vehicles may have rear toe links that received excessive electrocoating (e-coat) corrosion protection, which could cause the e-coat to become brittle and break away when contacted by road debris. Over time, the e-coat may chip away, exposing the metal toe link and making it more susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion may eventually cause the toe link to thin and ultimately to fracture.

Risk: A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners were mailed an interim notification on January 27, 2021, and April 15, 2021. A third notification was mailed on August 19, 201. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202308930.

Seats · 14V447000

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.

Risk: If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14271.

Visibility · 11V149000

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 BUICK LACROSSE AND CADILLAC SRX VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 103, "WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING SYSTEMS". ON THESE VEHICLES, THE SOFTWARE IN THE ELECTRONIC CLIMATE CONTROL (ECC) MODULE MAY DISABLE THE ABILITY TO ADJUST THE HEATING, VENTILATION, AND AIR CONDITIONING (HVAC) SYSTEM SETTINGS. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE DRIVER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE HEATING, COOLING, AND VENTILATION FOR THE VEHICLE.

Risk: IF THIS CONDITION AFFECTS THE DEFROST SYSTEM WHEN IT IS REQUIRED, IT MAY DECREASE THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY, AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ECC MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 11, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.

Questions to ask the seller

Questions worth asking the seller of this Buick before you buy, drawn from its public record:

  1. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2011 Buick Lacrosse Eassist. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
  2. Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
  3. Owners of this model report engine problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 67k miles). Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
  4. Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
  5. How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
  6. Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?

Before you hand over money

Check the VIN for open recalls

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2011 Buick LACROSSE EASSIST beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2011? See how every Lacrosse Eassist model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2011 Buick Lacrosse Eassist against another car →

What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

See what owners are saying about other cars →

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2011 Buick Lacrosse Eassist as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.