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What 169 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Buick Lacrosse Hybrid

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (169)Crash / fire / injury (18)Electrical system (32)Engine (30)Suspension (27)Visibility & wipers (23)Transmission & drivetrain (19)Brakes (18)Steering (12)Airbags (11)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (9)Seats (9)

4 of 169 complaints match · Steering · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Mar 9, 2015SteeringSuspensionBrakesCrash

I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND THE CAR ACCELERATED TOWARDS THE RIGHT TOWARDS A CURB ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET AND STEERING WHEEL AND CAR WHEELS LOCKED UP. I COULD NOT TURN THE WHEELS AND THE STEERING LOST ITS POWER BRINGING THE CAR TO SLAM INTO THE CURB. I HAD NO CONTROL OF STEERING OR TURNING THE WHEEL OF THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10693044

May 12, 2014SteeringElectronic Stability Control (esc)BrakesCrash

ATTEMPTED TO STOP FOR RED TRAFFIC LIGHT; APPLIED BRAKES BUT THEY FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE. CAR THEN ACCELERATED -- USED BOTH FEET ON BRAKE PEDAL UNSUCCESSFULLY. STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP LAUNCHING CAR INTO VEHICLES PARKED IN A USED CAR DEALERSHIP LOT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10587767

Apr 9, 2014SteeringBody & structureSpeed controlCrash1 injury

WHILE TURNING LEFT AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION, CAR LURCHED FORWARD AND GAINED SPEED/MOMENTUM WHILE AT SAME TIME STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF AND VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN & DRIVER COULD NOT CONTROL THE CAR. CAR DID NOT COMPLETE THE LEFT TURN BUT RATHER CONTINUED DRIVING AS IF ALL ON ITS OWN AND CRASHED INTO A HIGH CURB ON RIGHT SIDE OF CAR. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY; FRONT CAR PARTS SIMPLY CRUMBLED AND FELL OFF; SUSPENSION WAS RUINED; CAR TIRE WAS PUNCTURED ALONG WITH THE TIRE RIM BEING CRACKED CLEAR THROUGH IN A COUPLE OF AREAS. DRIVER WAS INJURED WITH HEAD INJURY, CRACKED RIB, AND BROKEN RT. FOREARM. CAR WAS TOTALED OUT BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10578613

Nov 23, 2011SteeringCrash

HAVE HAD CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH ADJUSTABLE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING MECHANISM THE DEALER HAS ADVISED THAT IT "IS THE WAY IT IS" RETURNED MULTIPLE TIMES . I WAS TO FIND A MAJOR SERVICE REPAIR ON LINE ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP. IT WAS THEN SUPPOSED TO BE REPAIRED...BUT WITHIN 5 MILES OF OUR HOME ON A TWISTING ROAD THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DISCONNECTED FROM THE LOCKING DEVISE!!!! I WAS TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR DUE TO THE WAY IT HAPPENED...WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND LOST CONTROL WENT OFF THE ROAD. I WILL NOT DRIVE THE CAR..($40,000 +) DUE TO THE WAY IT IS NOW. THE DEALERSHIP..GM..WILL BE SENDING A TOW TRUCK TO RE SERVICE THE PROBLEM TODAY...(IF THE SAFETY PROBLEM IS CORRECTABLE ) THIS HAS BEEN A ON GOING PROBLEM AND DEALERSHIP SAYS 'THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE SEEN SUCH A PROBLEM" (IF SO..WHY A SERVICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN ISSUED ..NHTSA 10038705..REFF PI-0462..? THE DEALERSHIP AND OR GM DID NOT STRESS THE SAFETY CONCERNS OF THIS PROBLEM. EVERYTHING ELSE ON THIS CAR HAS WORKED 100%...WITH EXCEPTION OF THE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AFTER SERVICING AFTER THE SERVICE WAS PERFORMED FOR THIS CONDITION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10436826

Working with the data? Download all 169 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 24, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Buick Lacrosse Hybrid verdict →