What 128 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Buick Lacrosse Hybrid

I lost all steering control and lost control

NHTSA ODI 11676991

I WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION ON THE FRWY GOING 63MILS PER HR. MY CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. THIS CAR HAS 6 AIRBAGS "STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES"WHICH NONE OF THE 6 AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I THINK THEY ALL ARE DEFECT AIRBAGS.

NHTSA ODI 11435477

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AS THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT WOULD FLASH ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. DUE TO THE FAILURES, THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO ROSS DOWNING BUICK GMC (1301 S MORRISON BLVD, HAMMOND, LA 70403) AND RAINBOW NORTHSHORE BUICK GMC, LLC (2925 N HWY 190, COVINGTON, LA 70433). BOTH DEALERS INFORMED HER THAT THERE WERE NO FAULTS WITH THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY BOTH DEALERS. DESPITE THE BATTERY REPLACEMENT, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT CALLED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO HER HOME, WHO INFORMED HER THAT THERE WAS BURNT WIRING CONNECTED TO THE BATTERY WHICH HE RELATED TO THE FAILURE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT LINKED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V173000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.*JB

NHTSA ODI 11395761

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE IDLING, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE BATTERY WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT, BUT THE FAILURE ALSO RECURRED AT VARIOUS TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V173000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED A BURNING ODOR AND THAT THE TRUNK TEMPERATURE WAS VERY HOT. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NO OPEN RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11024010

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

NHTSA ODI 10893734

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

NHTSA ODI 10852182

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.

NHTSA ODI 10785743

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

NHTSA ODI 10510864

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

NHTSA ODI 10505647