What 128 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Buick Lacrosse Hybrid

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

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