Your vehicle report
2005 Buick Lacrosse
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 315
- Received Dec 2004 to Aug 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Headlights dim or fail at night58 complaints · 18% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning19 complaints · 6.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Airbag warning light stays on12 complaints · 3.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #15V519000General 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.
- Recall #14V355000This 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 7 crashes, 6 fires, 4 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
- Airbag warning light stays on
- Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off
- Seat belt fails to latch or retract
1 more problem
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 29 |
| 2006 | 16 |
| 2007 | 11 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2009 | 16 |
| 2010 | 21 |
| 2011 | 10 |
| 2012 | 7 |
| 2013 | 11 |
| 2014 | 61 |
| 2015 | 46 |
| 2016 | 45 |
| 2017 | 11 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 2 |
| Total | 315 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 58 | 18% | – | NHTSA recall #15V519000 |
| Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning | 19 | 6.0% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 12 | 3.8% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 9 | 2.9% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 9 | 2.9% | – | |
| Power steering rack leaks fluid | 9 | 2.9% | – | |
| Passenger airbag sensor wrongly shows off | 8 | 2.5% | – | NHTSA recall #06V417000 |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 6 | 1.9% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 6 | 1.9% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 6 | 1.9% | – | NHTSA recall #14V355000 |
| Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedal | 6 | 1.9% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 5 | 1.6% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 5 | 1.6% | – | |
| Side mirrors give poor rear visibility | 4 | 1.3% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 4 | 1.3% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 3 | 0.9% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 3 | 0.9% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 3 | 0.9% | – | |
| Instrument cluster or speedometer fails | 3 | 0.9% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 3 | 0.9% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #15V519000August 14, 2015429,170 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: headlights
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.
Headlamps that do not illuminate reduce the driver's ability to see the roadway and reduce the vehicle's visibility to oncoming vehicles, both of which increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
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.
NHTSA recall #14V355000June 23, 20143,141,731 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition
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.
If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
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.
NHTSA recall #06V417000October 31, 2006794 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal
Certain vehicles originally built with cloth seats that were equipped with an automatic air bag passenger sensing system and later reupholstered with aftermarket leather seat cover kits are involved. Testing has indicated that the aftermarket leather seat covers Can cause the passenger sensing system to malfunction.
If the passenger sensing system malfunctions, the front air bag on the passenger side may be disabled when it should be enabled, or enabled when it should be disabled. In either case, in the event of a crash that requires air bag deployment, a front passenger's level of injury may be increased.
Remedy
Because a replacement leather seat cover that is compatible with the passenger sensing system is not available, general motors (gm) will repurchase these vehicles in accordance with the terms stated in gm's letter to owners. The recall began on november 6, 2006. Owners should contact gm at 1-877-477-1022 to begin the process of repurchasing their vehicle.
NHTSA recall #05V156000April 20, 200561,594 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
On certain passenger vehicles, the clip that secures the brake pushrod to the brake pedal arm pin could have been bent when it was installed. A bent clip may come off, allowing the brake booster pushrod to separate from the brake pedal.
Pushing on the pedal will not apply the brakes and a vehicle crash could occur without prior warning.
Remedy
Dealers will install a new brake pedal push rod bushing and retaining clip and, if the clip was missing, a new brake pedal arm assembly free of charge. The recall began on april 26, 2005. Owners may contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2005 Buick Lacrosse.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN