- The problem
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse, 2012-2013 Buick Regal, and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. These vehicles may have rear toe links that received an improper amount of electrocoating (e-coat) corrosion protection, which could cause the e-coat to become brittle and break away when contacted by road debris. Over time, the e-coat may chip away, exposing the metal toe link and making it more susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion may eventually cause the toe link to thin and ultimately fracture.
- The risk
- A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212346640. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recalls 20V-764 and 21V-633.
Vehicle safety record
2011 Buick Lacrosse Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 169 complaints about the 2011 Buick Lacrosse with NHTSA, most often about the engine & cooling (35) and the electrical system (32). Those complaints describe 15 crashes, 1 fire and 12 injuries. It is covered by 4 recalls, the latest in December 2021 for the rear. For comparison, the 2010 has 189 and the 2012 has 207.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical Lacrosse year, for its age
#64 most complained-about 2011 vehicle
- Complaints
- 169
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes
- 15
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 12
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2011 Buick Lacrosse problems
Share of all 169 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2011 Buick Lacrosse recalls 4
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Buick Regal, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. These vehicles may have rear toe links that received excessive electrocoating (e-coat) corrosion protection, which could cause the e-coat to become brittle and break away when contacted by road debris. Over time, the e-coat may chip away, exposing the metal toe link and making it more susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion may eventually cause the toe link to thin and ultimately to fracture.
- The risk
- A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners were mailed an interim notification on January 27, 2021, and April 15, 2021. A third notification was mailed on August 19, 201. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202308930.
- The problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.
- The risk
- If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14271.
- The problem
- General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 buick lacrosse and cadillac srx vehicles for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 103, "Windshield defrosting and defogging systems". On these vehicles, the software in the electronic climate control (ecc) module may disable the ability to adjust the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (hvac) system settings. If this happens, the driver will not be able to control the heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle.
- The risk
- If this condition affects the defrost system when it is required, it may decrease the driver's visibility, and could result in a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will reprogram the ecc module free of charge. The safety recall began on march 11, 2011. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339 or at the owner center at www.Gmownercenter.Com.
What owners say
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169 complaints about the 2011 Buick Lacrosse
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 7.
The contact purchased a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 143,939 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 231,952.
I am reporting a serious safety defect involving a 2011 Buick LaCrosse CXL. The vehicle has repeatedly shut off while being driven, creating a dangerous situation. The issue first occurred in January 2026. The vehicle was later towed for repair in February 2026, and I was told the issue had been fixed and picked up the vehicle 3/20/2026 and gave 1600. However, on April 9, 2026, the vehicle shut off again while driving. This issue has occurred multiple times and persists despite repair attempts. When the vehicle...
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shuts off, it creates a loss of power and poses a significant safety risk in traffic. I am concerned that this may be a broader safety issue and am requesting that this defect be documented and investigated.
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that while attempting to use the defroster, the HVAC system was not working properly, and paper towels were used to wipe the inside and outside windshield. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH or while slowing down to come to a stop, there was an abnormal creaking sound coming from the rear end of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was...
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advised to take the vehicle to the dealer to have the HVAC system reprogrammed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the HVAC system could not be reprogrammed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or mechanic to have the abnormal sound coming from the rear end diagnosed. The contact researched online and related the failures to NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V149000 (Visibility) and 20V764000 (Suspension); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
When going around town or on the highway the steering wheel will start shaking badly and when going to break even after the breaks have been changed the parking break will not stay on and the steering wheel will start shaking horribly to the point where your might crash your car I have had the car looked at multiple times by different manufacturers dealerships and auto shops and they all say to Change the breaks I tell them that I had them changed by Buick and Chevrolet of Dan Cummins where I had got the car and they done the same thing over again as when I bought the car
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware of a failure with the defrost system. The contact stated that the windows failed to defrost properly, causing a visibility hazard while driving. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000.
#07-06-04-019F: Intermittent Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL} Illuminated, OTC Pl':1.~J with Reduced Engine Power (Repair Instrument Panel (IP) to Body Harness Connector). Lost power on I-84 and had to cross over the right lane because I had no power, barely missing a rear end collision.
I was driving down the highway and when I went to apply my brakes the pedal completely broke off. It was just dangling on the floorboard. I had no brakes. I was forced to put my car in neutral to slow myself down and apply my parking break in order to stop. The road was very busy and I was going 60mph. I could have died. Luckily I was able to make it over 2 lanes and stop in the grass on the side of the road. I had the car towed to my mechanic and he had to replace the whole brake assembly. I have the broken parts and they are available for inspection. There were no warning lights
Car lost all steering while driving down the road
When driving in rain and high humidity, the windshield and front windows will often completely fog up with moisture on the inside of the car. It can make seeing outside while driving impossible and risks an accident. In three years we have found no settings on the climate control system that will avoid this problem. We have had the heater core replaced in a futile attempt to remedy the situation. We have been told by Buick that there is no fix or recall.
The contact owns a 2011 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, it started on its own and would shut down on its own. The contact heard a roaring noise coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 72,000.
The brakes are getting stuck on while I am driving. The most recent occurrence happened while I was on the highway. The car would not accelerate, the whole system was shaking, there was no safe space for me to pull over. This vehicle has a recall for this exact problem but from what the dealer is saying, not my VIN. I find it hard to believe that this has occurred and it is unrelated to a previous recall for faulty brakes on 2011 Buick LaCrosse. Since this incident, the abs light has been on and another dash light has been on. My mechanic believes the brakes getting too hot may have lead to further damage to the abs sensor.
The component is the brakes and the brake pedal while not engaging the brakes they remained on even after the vehicle was shut off .the vehicle brake lights remained on this was not duplicated when I took the car in by the dealer of how the brake remains engaged we even when not being used I would have to release the break by pulling it up with my foot while driving . This was duplicated and witnessed by two others the dealership where I bought the car and a trusted mechanic. which no avai there was no warning...
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light indicating any type of concern prior to it doing this. the brake pedal being slightly stuck my transmission shifts not properly and hot feeling to the car now I have a warning saying that AC will not work due to the overheating of my engine which I believe to have repaired however the repair that was believed to be the problem obviously wasn't the problem because the light still remains on and the fan runs continuously the minute I start the car to the time I shut the car off I live in North Dakota and it is -1 today and the fan continues to run at all times and the warning light is on cooling fan the car lunges at times which is easy to lose control over when it does this it lunges to the point where it physically noticeable and and no warnings of this that a compensation is going to need to be made in my driving with this lunge issue. I do feel this break issue has affected many other parts of the vehicle and the safety associated with these components. Also at times the driver's seat will not move it goes up to the dash or back to the back seat leaving me in a position where I cannot drive the vehicle safely at all. Also the cruise control would not engage because of the brakes being slightly engaged. Took her to the dealership discussed this problem with them and they could not duplicate and it's been going on since I purchased the car It had 30,000 miles on it when I bought it and it continues to do this and I think it's a safety issue
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made rattling noises and was shaking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the struts needed to be replaced; however, the replacement part was no longer being manufactured. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 169,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that the engine misfired while driving at various speeds. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that there was a defective valve in the engine which caused the misfire. The contact was informed that the failure was related to a manufacturer defect. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated while the vehicle was at a complete, his son was rear-ended by another vehicle. The air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel; however, the air bag did not deploy. As a result, the driver hit his head on the headrest. The driver did seek medical attention for his injury. A police report was filed. The vehicle was drivable. In addition, the seat belt retractor latches were not able to be used after the rear-ended accident. The manufacturer and dealer were not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at 45 MPH with her 10-month-old child in a rear-facing car seat located in the rear driver seat, the rear driver's side toe link detached and she lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle drove off the road and crashed into a ditch. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact's daughter was able to exit the vehicle on her own. The contact's daughter sustained a forehead ache but did not seek medical assistance. The...
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contact's grandchild did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The contact became aware of the recall for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V764000 (SUSPENSION) and contacted the manufacturer. The manufacturer advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer for recall repair but he would be responsible for the repair of collateral damages. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 173,671.
Car been smelling like gas for awhile engine light pop on and off. My car will not start I have replace the fuel pump car still won't get gas . Replaced battery numerous of times battery keep won't stay charge . I have a recall on my car I believe the suspension is under recall as well. I also had to replace my windshield wiper motor a few times slapped against my windshield and cracked windshield.
Waiting for recall to be repaired. Local dealer indicated unable to get parts.
Defrost doesn't always work. Can't see too drive when this happens. Thought there was a recall.
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V764000 (Suspension) however, the dealer informed the contact that the parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V764000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lacrosse. The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V764000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2011 Buick LaCrosse. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V764000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2011 Buick LaCrosse. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V764000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
I noticed today as I was stopped at a red light with my foot on brake the vehicle was kinda jumping like it was trying to go while foot was on brake. I drove a little further and the service stabilitrak light came on followed by the reduced engine power. The car proceeded to die in the middle of a busy street. After a few minutes it did restart and I was able to get it home. This seems to be a common problem with 2011 buick lacrosse. Ihave seen several complaints about this same issue.
Buick Lacrosse: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 44 | 3 | A |
| 2014 | 63 | 5 | B |
| 2013 | 130 | 5 | C |
| 2012 | 207 | 5 | D |
| 2011 | 169 | 4 | C |
| 2010 | 189 | 2 | D |
| 2009 | 106 | 2 | B |
| 2008 | 251 | 2 | D |
| 2007 | 250 | 4 | D |
2011 Buick Lacrosse vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Buick Lacrosse | 169 | 4 | C | |
| 2011 Buick Regal | 280 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 2011 Buick Enclave | 213 | 6 | D | Compare |
| 2011 Buick Lucerne | 49 | 2 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2011 Buick Lacrosse
Does the 2011 Buick Lacrosse have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2011 Buick Lacrosse: rear (December 2021); rear (December 2020); power adjust (July 2014); electrical heating element (March 2011). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Buick Lacrosse?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the engine & cooling (35), electrical system (32), suspension (27).
How many complaints has the 2011 Buick Lacrosse had?
169 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on November 2, 2010 and the latest on July 14, 2026. Of these, 15 describe a crash and 1 a fire, and together they report 12 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2011 Buick Lacrosse a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 40 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Buick Lacrosse year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Buick Lacrosse years have the most complaints?
2005 (315), 2006 (300), 2008 (251). See every Buick Lacrosse year compared.
What should I do if my 2011 Buick Lacrosse has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data