2008 Buick Lacrosse: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 250 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is air bags (28% of complaints); the 2009 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Aug 2015
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 250 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“On three occasions, when driving at night, both headlights suddenly went out. The next day the headlights were working normally. The dealer's service department could not find anything wrong. Later, we found out there was a "Safety Recall" (#14291),but it expired one year before our car developed the problem. We have contacted the dealership and Buick, neither one will help us. They expect us to pay for the replacement of the defective part (Headlamp Driver Module).”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Apr 2024
“The contact owns a 2008 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the headlights failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the headlamps had failed. The headlamps were replaced and the failure was remedied however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V519000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 41,000.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Dec 2021
“My vehicle has been parked for the better of about two years due to head lamp failure and engine shutting off without warning at any particular time. Steps were made to fix the issue but the problem continues still to this day.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Oct 2021
Show 7 more owner reports
“Door locks somtimes would lock or unlock and other times not work at all. Made it a issue when parking or entering the car. I had to replace the lock mechanism in the doors. The car has 99135 miles on it but should not have a problem especally the back doors since they are not used very often.”Owner report · Electrical System · Aug 2021
“The contact owns a 2008 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the airbag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.”Owner report · Air Bags · Jun 2021
“The vehicle only has 30196 miles on it.the passenger side airbag stays on all the time. I noticed there are a lot of complaints about this model buick lacrosse.why hasn't a recall been issued on these vehicles.”Owner report · Air Bags · Mar 2021
“Doors will not lock with either the fob or the interior lock button on either doors. I'm reading on line of similar issues with this model where doors will not unlock!”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Feb 2021
“The drivers side low beam headlight keeps going out. I did look up any recalls, which there was for this, but it shows that it was fixed. We didn't have an issues for the first 9 months and have now replaced the bulb several times. I am concerned that it is happening while my daughter is driving this at night in a rural area with a lot of deer and other animals running into the roads.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Dec 2020
“The front headlights and running lights just go off for no reason. When driving home on night the headlights went off for no reason. The nest day, they worked. They continue to work, but the night they went out was very disturbing. The vehicle was in motion, on state hgwy, getting ready to turn to the right.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Nov 2020
“The hdm failed leaving me with only high beams, have bee told they are not under recall. Shamrock service center, spent 1 and 1/2 hrs diagnosing and found no recall. Many other models have been recalled for this dangerous problem. I am retired and cannot afford this repair. What can you do for me. When I turned on the lights to go home last week, there were no lights but high beams. I thought it was just bulbs, so I took it to my local repair shop. They diagnosed the problem and I am waiting for the part to come in. I know this will be expensive as I think its around $100.00 per hr. It was in a parking lot where I discovered it. Had to drive home with the high beams.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Oct 2020
When filing, owners marked a crash in 12 of these complaints and injuries in 6 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 2 campaigns
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille, 2006-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 23, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), and 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14299.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2006-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, GMC Envoy XL, 2006-2008 Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7x vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the headlamp driver module (HDM) may overheat and fail, causing the headlamps and daytime running lights to not illuminate.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HDM, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14291.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
How other years compare
Check your exact Lacrosse by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Buick Lacrosse reliable?
NHTSA has 250 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 2008 Buick Lacrosse. The most complained-about area is air bags (28% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2008 Buick Lacrosse problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 55,000 miles or less.
Does the 2008 Buick Lacrosse have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning electrical system:ignition. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.