What 125 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Buick Lacrosse Eassist

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK LACROSSE HYBRID. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR UNRELATED ISSUES, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED THE NEXT DAY AND THE "CHECK THE CHARGING SYSTEM" MESSAGE APPEARED. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF AND RESTART AUTOMATICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 89,000.

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MY MOTHER HAD STOPPED HER CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY . THE MOTOR WAS STILL RUNNING . SHE REACHED OVER INSIDE THE CAR AND PUSHED THE IGNITION BUTTON TO STOP THE MOTOR ( WHILE STANDING OUTSIDE THE CAR )THE CAR ROLLED BACK PULLING HER UNDER IT RUNNING HER OVER AND KILLED HER. I WAS KNOCKED DOWN BY THE DOOR AND DRUG INTO THE STREET

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AT 55 MPH THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE RPM INCREASES. LIGHT BREAKING APPLIED WITHOUT OPERATOR. GEARSHIFT LEVER AND GAS PEDAL BOTH UNRESPONSIVE. CONTINUE AT 10 MPH TO GET OFF FOUR LANE, TURN OFF ENGINE AND RESTART FOR NORMAL OPERATION. NO WARNING LIGHTS, DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE MALFUNCTION, STATED NO CODES WERE SET.

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65 YEAR OLD WIFE DRIVING 70MPH ON I75 IN MICHIGAN WHEN THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. SERVICE POWER STEERING MESSAGE CAME ON . I HAD TO HELP HER STEER CAR TO A STOP. I DID NOT KNOW IT HAD ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. IT WAS 9PM AT NIGHT. LOOKED FOR LOW FLUID LEVEL. DECIDED TO DRIVE HOME. WHEN CAR WAS RE STARTED THE POWER STEERING WORKED. WIFE DOES NOT TRUST CAR NOW.

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PURCHASED CAR A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO AND IN THAT TIME IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS NUMEROUS TIMES. THE PROBLEMS THAT CONTINUES TO OCCUR IS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR CANNOT STAY RUNNING. IT LOSES POWER AT STOP LIGHTS, BEEN PUSHED AT GAS STATIONS AND HAS EVEN STOPPED RUNNING PULLING ONTO THE INTERSTATE. TAKEN IT TO THE BUICK DEALERSHIP AND EACH TIME THEY CLAIM TO HAVE "FIXED" IT. THIS CAR WAS IN THE SHOP TWO WEEKS AGO EXACTLY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BACK ON AND THE CAR CONTINUES TO STOP RUNNING (FULL TANK OF GAS) FOR NO REASON. I DO NOT HAVE AN ADDITIONAL CAR TO DRIVE, SO WHEN IT IS IN THE SHOP I HAVE TO RENT ONE OR BORROW ONE, ALONG WITH THE COSTS TO GET THIS CAR "FIXED" I AM LOOKING AT ABOUT FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS SINCE NOVEMBER 2015. THE BUICK DEALERSHIP IN TWIN FALLS, IDAHO NEEDS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS CAR AND GET IT FIXED FOR GOOD. THIS IS NOT OK. WHO SPENDS THIS MUCH MONEY ON A 2013 CAR, ONLY TO HAVE REPAIR BILLS AND A CAR THAT IS STILL NOT FIXED! ON A SIDE NOTE, WEREN'T A LARGE MAJORITY OF 2013 BUICK LACROSSE'S RECALLED? IF SO, I HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED. SHAME ON YOU BUICK FOR SELLING SUCH A POOR RUNNING AND UNSAFE CARE AND SHAME ON ROB GREEN BUICK IN TWIN FALLS, IDAHO FOR NOT FIXING A PROBLEM AFTER OUR CAR HAS BEEN IN YOUR SHOP AT LEAST FOUR TIMES SINCE NOVEMBER 2015 FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE PARKING BLOCK, JUMPED THE CURB, TRAVELED THROUGH A FLOWER BED AND CRASHED INTO THE PORCH OF A BUSINESS. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED CHIN, NECK, AND KNEE INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. UPDATED 05/24/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED BEFORE THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED, ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE SITTING A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND THE VEHICLE JUMPED FORWARD SLIGHTLY. UPDATED 08/10/16.*JB UPDATED 08/18/16.*JB UPDATED 12/12/2017*JS

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MY VEHICLE'S DRIVE BELT WAS REPLACED AT 4244 MILES AND AT 58,863 MILES ON 02/16/16/16. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE 102 MILES BEFORE THAT DRIVE BELT BROKE AGAIN CAUSING ME TO ABRUPTLY STOP. LUCKILY THOSE AROUND ME WERE ABLE TO AVOID HITTING ME. THIS IS THE 4TH DRIVE BELT THAT MY VEHICLE HAS NEEDED IN LESS THAN 59,000 MILES. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DRIVE BELTS ARE DEFECTIVE. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT HYBRID ENGINES ARE MUCH HARDER ON DRIVE BELTS AND THAT THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AT LEAST EVERY 50,000 MILES IF NOT SOONER. AFTER ONE WEEK MY VEHICLE IS STILL NOT REPAIRED AS THEY CANNOT FIND A DRIVE BELT FOR MY VEHICLE THAT EITHER IS NOT DEFECTIVE OR FEAR WILL NOT BREAK AGAIN. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME TYPE OF RECALL ON THE DRIVE BELT. ADDITIONALLY, I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR ON THE DRIVE BELT AT 58,863 MILES WHICH SEEMS UNREASONABLE AS THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH GM AND THEIR HYBRID/EASSIST ENGINE, NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.

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MY DRIVE BELT BROKE AT 4244 MILES AND WAS COVERED BY GM. IT BROKE AGAIN AT 58K MILES AND GM IS REFUSING TO COVER STATING NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. IT IS NOT NORMAL FOR A DRIVE BELT TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED TWICE BEFORE 60K MILES. WAS TOLD REGULAR MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDS IT BEING REPLACED AT 50K DUE TO HYBRID ENGINE, BUT OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT STATE THIS, JUST STATES TO INSPECT IT. WE JUST HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 57K MILES, SO DRIVE BELT WAS INSPECTED AT THAT TIME; NO ISSUES REPORTED.

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A 5 INCH PIECE OF METAL BROKE OFF THE WHEEL RESULTING IN DAMAGING THE TIRE AND CAUSING SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. THIS PIECE OF METAL BROKE OFF FROM THE INSIDE SECTION OF THE WHEEL, WHICH FACES THE ENGINE BAY, RULING OUT THE FACT THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY DEBRIS OR IMPACT FROM A CURB OR ROAD. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL, SUCH AS WARPED TIRES OR DENTS OR DINGS ON THE WHEEL, WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE IF THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED DUE TO ROAD HAZARD. AS CAN BE SEEN FROM THE PICTURES THE DAMAGE COULD ONLY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY STRUCTURAL ISSUES WITH THE WHEEL.

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THREE LANE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WITH TRAFFIC MOVING AT 65 MPH AND ENGINE STALLS OUT WITH NO POWER. MAKE IT TO SHOULDER OF ROAD AND AFTER ABOUT A HALF HOUR, CAR STARTS WITH ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON AND I CONTINUE TO DESTINATION. I HAVE SERVICE REPAIR SPECIALIST CHECK SOURCE OF PROBLEM AND IT IS FAILURE OF "CAM SHAFT SENSOR". UPON RETURNING HOME 285 MILES AWAY, AGAIN HAD PROBLEM DIAGNOSED WITH SAME RESULTS..."CAM SHAFT SENSOR" AS ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN AND CAR HAD NO POWER. ON 9/1/2015 CALL ELLIS AUTOMOTIVE INC. AND TOLD THEM ABOUT PROBLEM, PART NEEDED AND ASKED FOR A SERVICE DATE FOR REPAIR. THE SERVICE DATE WAS SET FOR 9/11/2015 AT 9:00 A.M. TRAVELED TO DEALER (51 MILES ONE WAY) AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS "CAM SHAFT SENSOR", BUT DIDN'T HAVE PART AVAILABLE. WHEN I ASKED WHY INEXPENSIVE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE AFTER MY PRIOR COMMUNICATIONS I WAS TOLD THEY ONLY RESPOND TO THEIR OWN DIAGNOSES. ON 9/14/2015 AT 3:50 PM , I GET THE MESSAGE THAT PART WAS IN BUT THAT THEY CLOSE AT 4:PM. I CALL AT 9:00 AM ON 9/15/2015 AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAVE SERVICE DATE FOR 9/30/2015 AND WILL MEET ME HALFWAY WITH "LOANER CAR" AND TAKE MY CAR FOR REPAIR. THE REASON FOR THIS COMMUNICATIONS IS PRETTY BASIC. THIS DEFECTIVE PART CAUSES THE ENGINE TO FAIL AND GM KNOWS THAT THE PROBLEM EXIST AND IS WELL DOCUMENTED. THE DEALERS HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY GM THAT PROBLEM IS KNOW BUT VEHICLE CAN BE RUN SO THERE IS NO PRIORITY TO FIX PROBLEM WHEN REPORTED BY CUSTOMER. WILL IT TAKE MORE PEOPLE KILLED BY THEIR VEHICLE STALLING IN TRAFFIC WITH NO POWER BRAKING OR STEERING BEFORE GM IS FORCED TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION ON A PART THEY KNOW IS PRONE TO FAILURE.? I WAS TOLD THAT THE GOVERNMENT USES WARRANTY INFORMATION TO DETERMINE WHEN A PROBLEM EXIST BUT WE ALL KNOW HOW THIS GAME WAS PLAYED WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH DISASTER.

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A FOUR TO SIX INCH PIECE IF METAL BROKE OFF FROM THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL (RIM) OF THE CAR, WITHOUT ANY EXTERNAL IMPACT (POT HOLE OR CURB). THIS RESULTED IN THE RIM PIERCING THE TIRE AND BLOWING ITS SIDE WALLS. THIS COLLAPSE (DAMAGE) OCCURRED FROM THE INSIDE SECTION OF THE WHEEL (THE SIDE FACING THE ENGINE BAY) FURTHER INDICATING THAT IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN CAUSED DUE TO THE CAR HITTING A CURB. FURTHER THERE WAS NO DAMAGE (BENT RIM OR SOMETHING SIMILAR) TO THE REST OF WHEEL AND RIM WHICH WOULD HAVE INDICATED A COLLAPSE DUE TO THE WHEEL HITTING AN OBJECT ON THE PAVEMENT. THE LARGE PIECE OF METAL BROKE OFF FROM THE RIM DUE TO STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCY IN THE RIM, WHICH THEN RESULTED IN THE TIRE BLOWING UP AND CAUSING A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN.

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CAR WAS PARKED ON DRIVEWAY, DRIVER DOOR WAS OPEN, DRIVER LEANED INTO CAR AND SHUT OFF CAR ENGINE WITH PUSH BUTTON IGNITION SWITCH, VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY ROLLED BACK, OPEN DOOR KNOCKED DRIVER DOWN, AND WAS RUN OVER AND DIED AT HOSPITAL. BYSTANDER TRIED TO ASSIST AND WAS KNOCKED DOWN BY OPEN DOOR AND DRUG A SHORT DISTANCE BY THE DOOR.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL FLICKERED. IN ADDITION, THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000.

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2013 BUICK LACROSSE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PARTIAL/COMPLETE BLACKOUT OF MONITOR (NAV SCREEN) INCLUDING REAR VIEW CAMERA WHEN BACKING UP. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE, THE NAVIGATION SCREEN AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS WOULD GO DARK, FOR 25 SECONDS. WHICH INCLUDED THE REAR VIEW CAMERA WHICH BECAME TOTALLY USELESS FOR THE INITIAL 25 SECONDS OF BACKING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. THE SAME BLACKOUT OF THE MONITOR/DASHBOARD HAPPENED WHEN HE DROVE FORWARD OUT OF A COVERED PARKING GARAGE. THE DEALER EVERYTHING WAS PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. JB ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, WHEN THE CONSUMER SHIFTED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR AS THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION WAS DISCONNECTED. ALL THE GEAR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. AFTER THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS WHILE IN DRIVE. THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES, BEFORE THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO REMOVE IT. UPDATED 12/14/16.*JB

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THE OIL FILTER WILL NOT STAY TIGHT. WE HAVE IT SERVICED AT A G M SERVICE CENTER.BUT EVERY TIME THEY CHANGE THE OIL IN ABOUT 1000 MILES THE FILTER COMES LOSE AND LEAKS. *TR

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NEAR THE FLORIDA-GEORGIA ON NORTH INTERSTATE 75 I STOPPED AT A REST AREA.WHEN I STARTED THE AUTO AGAIN,I FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO BACK OUT OF THE PARKING LANE AND TO STRAIGHTEN THE CARS WHEELS TO EXIT THE AREA.I REALIZED THEN I LOST POWER STEERING.SLOWLY AND ON THE RIGHT LANE I DROVE THE AUTO TO VALDOSTA,GA .I STOPPED AT A MOTEL AND CALLED THE LOCAL BUICK DEALER.THE NEXT DAY (APRIL 2) I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE AUTO TO THE LOCAL BUICK DEALER.FORTUNATELY,THE DEALER WAS JUST A FEW MILES FROM MY MOTEL. I STAYED OVERNIGHT AT A LOCAL MOTEL.THE DEALER ARRANGED FOR ME TO RENT A AUTO. THE NEXT DAY, THE MECHANICS AT THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE PARTS BUT DID NOT KNOW HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO RECEIVE THE PARTS AND HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO FIX THE AUTO.THUS ,THEY REMOVED MY LUGGAGE AND BOOKS FROM MY AUTO AND PLACED THEM IN MY RENTAL CAR. THEN I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE TO MY HOME IN ILLINOIS. ON APRIL 27,MY REPAIRED BUICK LA CROSSE WAS DELIVERED TO MY HOME IN ILLINOIS. *JS

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2013 BUICK LACROSSE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE REAR VIEW CAMERA PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN REVERSE, THE IMAGE ON THE NAVIGATOR SCREEN WAS SUPPOSED TO SHOW A YELLOW GUIDELINE TO ASSIST IN ORIENTING THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS BEING BACKED UP. THE GUIDELINES WERE A CRITICAL FEATURE OF THE REAR VIEW CAMERA. THE VEHICLE WAS MISSING THOSE GUIDELINES. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL GM REPRESENTATIVES AND THEY REFUSED TO CORRECT THE SAFETY PROBLEM. A FULLY FUNCTIONAL REAR VIEW CAMERA IS A SAFETY NECESSITY WITH THE VEHICLE, SINCE IT HAS A VERY SMALL NARROW BACK WINDOW. COMPOUNDING THE PROBLEM WAS THE UNRELIABILITY OF THE NAVIGATION SCREEN. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FIXED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. WHEN THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WENT BLANK, THE REAR VIEW CAMERA DID NOT WORK.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,000. ..UPDATE 04-10-14 *BF

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THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 45 TO 50 MPH THE CAR SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTS CAUSING THE MOTOR TO ACCELERATE WHILE THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN AND WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS COMPLETELY RELEASED THE SPEED IS QUICKLY REDUCED LIKE THE BRAKE IS BEING APPLIED...TO MAINTAIN A SPEED OF 25 TO 30 MPH THE MOTOR RPM HAS TO BE IN THE 3500 RANGE. THIS CONDITION REMAINS UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED AND THEN IT RETURNS BACK TO NORMAL OPERATIONS. THIS VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR CORRECTION BUT THEY SPENT TWO DAYS AND NEVER DID FIND THE PROBLEM. THAT'S WHY I'M SENDING THIS TO YOU. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BACK UP CAMERA WAS EXTREMELY DIM AND IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO SEE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000. *TR

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PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM APPEARS TO BE TOO SENSITIVE. OWNERS MANUAL STATES THAT THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO DETECT ADULT SIZED PASSENGERS. HOWEVER A SMALL PURSE (6LBS) IS SUFFICIENT TO ACTIVATE THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE CONSOLE AND RING THE CHIMES ALERTING THE DRIVER THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER IS NOT BELTED IN. TESTED WITH 8 Y/O DAUGHTER (43LBS) WITH SAME RESULT. DEALER HAS EXAMINED THE SYSTEM AND FOUND IT TO BE PERFORMING AS DESIGNED. BUICK CUSTOMER SERVICE RETURNED MY PHONE CALL AND STATED THAT BASED ON THE MALFUNCTION AND THE VERBIAGE IN BULLETIN 12-09-41-002A THIS MALFUNCTION IS OKAY AND NO FURTHER SERVICE IS REQUIRED. IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MY 2007 YUKON XL DENALI REQUIRES A WEIGHT OF APPROXIMATELY 40 LBS TO ACTIVATE THE SEATBELT INDICATOR AND ABOUT 80LBS TO TURN ON THE AIRBAG. BUICK NEEDS TO BE RECALIBRATED. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOWS WOULD CONTINUE TO CLOSE AFTER THE POWER SWITCH WAS NO LONGER BEING ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,800. ..UPDATED 07-05-13 *BF UPDATED 07/12/2013 *JS

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4/6/2013 MY 2013 BUICK LACROSSE 4 CYLINDER MODEL WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. AT 9PM MY HUSBAND WENT OUTSIDE TO GET SOMETHING FROM THE CAR AND SAW THE CAR ON FIRE WITH FLAMES COMING FROM THE BACK END REAR BUMPER. BY THE TIME HE COULD GET A HOSE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, THE BACK BUMPER, THE REAR SIDE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS HAD ALL MELTED FROM THE HEAT. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE BODY SHOP SINCE 4/8/2013 AND NO WORK CAN BE DONE BECAUSE THE SHOP CAN NOT GET A CRITICAL PART FROM GM. THE PART IS THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE EASSIST AND GM DOES NOT HAVE THIS PART IN THEIR PARTS INVENTORY. ON 5/6/2012, I CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER CAN ORDER THE PART ONLY NO ONE CAN GIVE A DATE WHEN THE PART WILL BE AVAILABLE. I WAS TOLD IT COULD BE TWO WEEKS OR 6 MONTHS. THE WIRING HARNESS IS WIRED BY HAND AND GM ONLY HAS THE STOCK ON HAND FOR THEIR ASSEMBLY LINE. UNTIL I SAW THE 5/6/2013 ARTICLE ON THE FIRE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THIS MODEL CAR, I HAD THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS ARSON. I NOW BELIEVE THAT I AM DEALING WITH A DEFECTIVE CAR AND NO ONE FROM GM TOLD ME OF A RECALL. I FOUND THE ARTICLE AS A RESULT OF A WEB SEARCH. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT MY CAR FOR ONE MONTH AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS TRIED TO WORK WITH THE DEALER TO GET DEFINITIVE INFORMATION ON WHEN PART CAN BE AVAILABLE. THE DEALER HAS TO INSTALL THE WIRING HARNESS PRIOR TO THE BODY SHOP DOING ANY WORK. NOW BASED ON ITS RECALL, I SUSPECT THAT THIS IS THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE. TOO COINCIDENTAL!..UPDATED 05/08/13 *BF UPDATED 05/15/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY ARSON. UPDATED 05/29/2013*JS *TR

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ON SATURDAY, APRIL 7,2013 MY WIFE PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A CONDO IN MARCO IS.FL. SHE WAS DRIVING OUR 2013 BUICK LACROSSE. KNOWING THAT THE LACROSSE HAS A LOW FRONT END,SHE SLOWS DOWN TO A CRAWL TO AVOID DRAGGING THE FRONT END ON THE PARKING LOT BLOCKS. SHE IS FAMILIAR WITH THIS PARKING LOT AS MY DAUGHTER LIVES THERE AND SHE HAS PARKED THERE OFTEN. THIS TIME UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES THE CAR DID NOT STOP,WENT OVER THE PARKING BLOCKS AND SEVERELY DAMAGED THE CAR.THE LACROSSE HAS BEEN CITED FOR A BRAKING PROBLEM BY THE NHTSA AND ISSUED A RECALL NOTICE #13053.THE RECALL SPECIFICALLY NOTES THAT,"A SOFTWARE PROBLEM MAY CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO INADVERTENTLY SHIFT TO SPORTS MODE REMOVING ANY TRANSMISSION- RELATED ENGINE BRAKING EFFECT." CONSEQUENTLY,"IF ENGINE BRAKING IS UNEXPECTEDLY REMOVED, IT MAY INCREASE THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH." UPON CONTACTING G.M. BUICK DIVISION, I WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN# WAS NOT CITED IN THE RECALL. FURTHER, THEY WANTED THAT I BRING THE CAR TO A BUICK DEALERSHIP FOR BRAKE ANALYSIS.THIS DEALERSHIP IS 40 MILES AWAY IN NAPLES,FL. I SUGGESTED THAT THEY(BUICK) INSPECT THE CAR AT THE REPAIR SHOP WHERE MY WIFE HAD IT TOWED TO AFTER THE ACCIDENT. AUTOCRAFT, THE REPAIR SHOP, ON MARCO IS.WOULD ALLOW THEM TO DO THEIR ANALYSIS THERE. AN ACCOMMODATION NOT UNIQUE TO THEM. BUICK HAS BALKED AT THIS ARRANGEMENT. WHILE BUICK SUGGESTS THAT THIS RECALL DID NOT COVER MY VIN#. I CAN ONLY WONDER IF THE RECALL SHOULD BE BROADEN IN SCOPE AS MY WIFE'S EXPERIENCE WOULD SUGGEST.IN RETROSPECT, I'M HAPPY THAT THIS HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT AND NOT UNDER TRAFFIC RELATED CONDITIONS. *TR

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VEHICLE ENGINE LIGHT (MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP) CAME ON; 5 MINUTES LATER CHARGING SYSTEM LIGHT CAME ON WITH WARNING THAT "CHARGING SYSTEM NOT WORKING". SHORTLY THEREAFTER, POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND THEN ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN CAR SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. AFTER READING COMPLAINTS ABOUT 2012 BUICK LACROSSE LOOKED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FOUND THAT THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS SHREDDED. VEHICLE BEING TOWED TO DEALER IN MORNING. *TR

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