What 128 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Buick Lacrosse Hybrid

The "auto stop" on my car, when I was at stoplights or stop signs, would not automatically restart. The engine failed to start again when stopped in "idle"..

NHTSA ODI 11580275

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO HIS DESTINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE GAS CAP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED HE HAD THE REPAIRS COMPLETED BUT SHORTLY AFTER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE STATIONARY AT A GAS STATION, HE BECAME AWARE OF A FUEL STAIN UNDER THE GAS CAP. THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER CAPITOL BUICK GMC (909 CAPITOL EXPRESSWAY AUTO MALL, SAN JOSE, CA 95136, (408) 445-2500) AND THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 83,000.

NHTSA ODI 11387226

MY CAR CUTS OFF AND GIVES WARNING OF BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM FAILURE WHEN I SLOW TO STOP AT RED LIGHTS OR TURN IN MY DRIVEWAY.. I'VE CHANGED THE BELT AND IT'S STILL DOING IT. I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN 2017 AND I AM CONCERNED THAT MAYBE THE RECALL WASNT CHANGED FOR EASSIST COMPONENTS. I HAVE A 2 YEAR OLD. I CANT STEARNS MY CAR BECAUSE IT'S TOO HARD WHEN ENGINE KILLS. IT ITS VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMETHING MAJOR IS WRONG.

NHTSA ODI 11350734

WHEN THE CAR HAD MILEAGE IN THE MID-UPPER 30,000 IN 2018, WE NOTICED THAT AS THE SPEED COASTED DOWN TO 30MPH, THERE WAS A HARD DOWNSHIFT. SO HARD, YOU THOUGHT THE ENGINE FELL OUT OF THE CAR. AT THE TIME WE HAD NOT REALIZED IT ONLY DID THIS WHEN THE ENGINE WAS COLD. SO, WHEN WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE. IN 12/2019, WE LEFT IT OVERNITE AND THEY "DID" REPLICATE THE ISSUE THE NEXT MORNING. THIS IS STATED ON OUR SERVICE BILL. THEY SUGGESTED A DEEP ATM FLUSH, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD A NORMAL FLUSH 18 MONTHS EARLIER WITH THEM. WE PAID THEM TO DO IT AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. SINCE WE SLOW DOWN EVERY TIME WE APPROACH A STOP SIGN OR STOPLIGHT, THIS OCCURS AS WE GET DOWN TO 30MPH. EXACTLY AT 30MPH!!! ONCE THE ENGINE IS WARM IT, WE DO NOT NOTICE THE ISSUE. BUT WE LIVE IN NORTHERN OHIO & THE NITES ARE COLD OCT-APRIL. WE DROVE THE CAR TO WARM MIAMI FL IN 1/2020. IT STILL DID IT, BUT ONLY A MILD DOWNSHIFT THEN QUICKLY DID NOT REPEAT AS THE TEMP WAS WARMER THERE. TO REDUCE THE HARDNESS OF THE DOWNSHIFT, WE HAVE REVERTED TO TRYING TO LET THE CAR WARM UP AFTER STARTING IT AND APPLYING THE BRAKES AS WE SLOW DOWN TO 30MPH! IT IS SAD THAT THIS HAS TO BE DONE, AS WE HAVE BEEN TAKING GREAT CARE OF THE CAR & IT ONLY HAS 48,000 MILES. AND WE ARE NOT MOVING TO FL!!! WE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW FROM THIS DEALER.

NHTSA ODI 11310507

THE CODE INDICATES AN EVAPORATION LEAK FROM THE FUEL TANK.. EVERY TIME I PUT GAS IN THE CAR IT SPUTTERS OR STALLS BEFORE CRANKING.

NHTSA ODI 11124674

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.

NHTSA ODI 10852847

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.

NHTSA ODI 10767337

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

NHTSA ODI 10587524

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

NHTSA ODI 10500074