What 204 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Buick Lacrosse Hybrid

I PARKED THE VEHICLE IN PARKING BAY AT A GAS STATION AND WENT INSIDE. I WAS IN THERE APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES AND A GENTLEMAN GAME INTO THE BUILDING AND ASKED DID ANYONE IN THERE OWN A BUICK LACROSSE. I SAID IT WAS MINE, HE TOLD ME IT HAD ROLLED OUT OF THE PARKING BAY TOWARDS HIS MERCEDES, HE HAD STOPPED MY VEHICLE. I SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND I HAD TURNED THE ENGINE OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE SO THERE WAS NO BRAKING EFFECT. WHERE I HAD PARKED THE PAVEMENT WAS A VERY GENTLE SLOPE SO I DID NOT NOTICE ANY MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN I ALIGHTED FROM IT. THIS MODEL HAS REMOTE WIRELESS KEY SO YOU DO NOT INSERT ANY KEY TO EITHER START OR STOP THE ENGINE. TO START YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE KEY WITHIN THE VEHICLE BE IN EITHER PARK OR NEUTRAL AND DEPRESS THE FOOT BRAKE AND THEN PRESS THE START BUTTON. WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS WHEN TURNING OFF THE ENGINE THE VEHICLE CAN BE IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING, DRIVE, REVERSE, NEUTRAL OR PARK. SO IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE IN ANYTHING BUT PARK AND THEN TURN OFF THE MOTOR THEN THE VEHICLE IS FREE TO ROLL AWAY WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF IT HITTING SOMETHING OR WORSE STILL HITTING A PERSON. WITH ALL AUTOMATIC VEHICLES I HAVE PREVIOUSLY OWNED YOU NEEDED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK BEFORE YOU COULD REMOVE YOUR KEY AND AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE YOU KNEW IT WAS EFFECTIVELY BRAKED AND WAS NOT GOING TO ROLL AWAY. I BELIEVE THIS MATTER NEEDS ADDRESSING BEFORE IT DOES RESULT IN A POSSIBLE FATALITY. TO ALLEVIATE THE POSSIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE MOVING EITHER THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE ALTERED SO THAT YOU MUST PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK BEFORE TURNING OFF THE ENGINE OR AT THE VERY LEAST THERE SHOULD BE EITHER AN AUDIBLE ALARM OR VISUAL ALARM TO ALERT THE DRIVER THAT THE DRIVER HAS NOT LEFT THE VEHICLE IN A SAFE CONDITION. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER IT WAS DETERMINED THIS ANOMALY APPLIED TO ALL OF THESE VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10465699

2012 BUICK LACROSSE. CONSUMER STATES MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, HE COULD SMELL A BURNING ODOR AND A VERY LOW KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS NO OIL ON THE DIP STICK, THE REAR MAIN SEAL WAS LEAKING AND THERE WAS OIL LEAKING BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED A WARNING LIGHT NEVER APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD TO WARN HIM OF A PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ODI 10459447

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2012 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO ATTEMPTED TO INSPECT THE FAILURE FOR OVER TEN DAYS, AS WELL AS PERFORM SEVERAL TEST DRIVES BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD SEND A REPRESENTATIVE TO FURTHER INSPECT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,300 THE CONSUMER SOLD THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 06/01/12

NHTSA ODI 10455480

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2012 BUICK LACROSSE WITH EASIEST. I HAD IT LESS THAN 48 HOURS AND HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER DUE TO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. THEY STATED THE GENERATOR WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED REPLACED AND THERE WERE 7 CODES THAT SHOWED UP. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK THEY WERE FINALLY ABLE TO HAVE ONE SHIPPED FROM THE ASSEMBLY PLANT. IT WAS INSTALLED ON 10/21/11 AT WHICH TIME I WENT TO PICK IT UP. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AGAIN. THEY TESTED IT AND 5 CODES CAME UP WHICH THEY SAID ARE RELATED TO THE GENERATOR OR EASIEST SYSTEM. THE CAR IS STILL THERE SO THEY WILL BE TRYING AGAIN TO FIND OUT THE ISSUE. THERE ARE SEVERAL TSB'S OUT THERE FOR THIS ISSUE. HOPEFULLY THIS CAN BE RESOLVED BEFORE I GO THE LEMON LAW ROUTE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10432428