2008 BUICK LACROSSE Electrical System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V355000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM STORE MY WIFE AND I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING THREE BLOCKS FROM HOME. WE GOT HOME AND I CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND THE RELAY/FUSE BLOCK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS HOT AND SLIGHTLY SMOLDERING. I WAITED A WHILE AND THE POPPED OFF THE FUSE BLOCK COVER AND SAW THE HDM MODULE (ACCORDING TO THE DIAGRAM IN THE MANUAL) HAD MELTED AND FUSED TO THE BLOCK. THE MELTING AND BURNING HAD ALSO AFFECTED THE SURROUNDING RELAYS AND FUSES. I IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY AND SCRAPED AWAY THE BURNT, FUSED PORTION OF THE HDM RELAY AND VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUSES WHICH WERE SINGED OR PARTIALLY MELTED AND REPLACED THE BAD ONES. I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO CHECK THE RELAYS WITH. MY WIFE IS ON OXYGEN 24-7 AND HAD A TANK IN THE PASSENGER FRONT WITH HER AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WHICH, IF A FIRE HAD...

ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND CAR GOES REAL SLOW, THEN IT WONT MOVE. DOORS WONT LOCK/UNLOCK WITH REMOTE AND THEY WONT AUTOMATICALLY LOCK/UNLOCK IN PARK OR WHEN YOU START DRIVING. AIR BAG LIGHT FOR PASSENGER SIDE COMES ON AND OFF, WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING THERE. BACK TIRES WORE OFF ON INSIDES HAD TO REPLACE THEM. I DON'T FEEL SAFE ANYMORE. DEALER SAID I SHOULD BE NOTIFIED OF RECALLS SO IT CAN GET MY BUICK REPAIRED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG, ABS, AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO TURN ON UNLESS THE KEYS WERE JIGGLE IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT OPERATE WITH FOB REMOTE PASSENGER REAR DOOR WILL NOT LOCK/ UNLOCK AT ALL , OTHER DOORS MAY OR MAY NOT LOCK/UNLOCK WHEN PUT IN DRIVE OR PARK. FOB WILL SOUND HORN FLASH LIGHTS. *JS

WHILE DRIVING NORTH ON ALTERNATE 69 HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AT 5:00 P.M., MY VEHICLE ABRUPTLY LOSS POWER EVEN THOUGH I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE SLOWED TO A COMPLETE STOP. I WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND WAS UNABLE TO GET IN THE SHOULDER LANE BECAUSE I HAD NO PICKUP (UNABLE TO GIVE GAS TO ACCELERATE) SO MY HUSBAND AND I WERE CAUGHT IN FIVE 5:00 TRAFFIC WITH CARS WHIPPING AROUND US ON BOTH SIDES AND MANY EXCEEDING 65 MPH. I PUT ON MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED ON-STAR. I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THANK GOD FOR ON-STAR BECAUSE FROM THAT POINT ON, I WAS IN TERROR WITNESSING CARS COMING UPON US NOT SLOWING UNTIL THEY REALIZED I WAS AT A STAND STILL WITH LIGHTS FLASHING. THE CARS WOULD SWERVE TO KEEP FROM HITTING US. IT TOOK THE...

FOR THE THIRD TIME, THIS VEHICLE HAS DIED AT A STANDSTILL FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT WILL BE PERFORMING WELL UNTIL PARKED. AFTER A SPAN OF TIME, IT WILL NOT RESTART. WHEN THE KEY IS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION, THE MOTOR WILL NOT CATCH OR TURN OVER, THE KEY WILL FREEZE OR LOCK IN THE IGNITION IN THE "ON" POSITION, NOTHING IN THE VEHICLE CAN BE OPERATED - GEAR SHIFT, RADIO/PLAYER, DOOR LOCKS, TRUNK LID, ETC., ETC. ETC. THE CAR IS COMPLETELY SEIZED UP. INSPECTION WILL DISCLOSE THAT BATTERY, INCLUDING BRAND NEW BATTERY, IS DEAD ( NO VOLTAGE WHATSOEVER). ONLY WAY TO RESTART VEHICLE IS TO RECHARGE BATTERY. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES OVER SPAN OF 9 TO 10 MONTHS. WHEN BATTERY IS RECHARGED, VEHICLE WILL OPERATE FOR MONTHS UNTIL IT IS DEAD AGAIN. SOMETHING IS DRAINING THE BATTERY, BUT THERE NO LOGICAL EXPLANATION; NOTHING SUCH AS RADIO, LIGHTS, ETC.,...

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ON. DIAGNOSTIC CODE B0092. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR $1,229.00 PLUS TAX. ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, THERE ARE MANY OTHER INSTANCES OF THIS SAME ISSUE. BUICK NEEDS TO START STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN SAFETY IS INVOLVED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH THE ENGINE DIED, STEERING FAILED; I WAS ABLE TO COME TO A SAFE STOP. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. IT HAD TO BE TOWED. LATER FOUND OUT THE IGNITION COIL WAS CRACKED (PART # 10472401) , IGNITION CONTROL MODULE REPLACED (PART # 19245558) & 15A FUSE WERE REPLACED. I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING A GASOLINE SMELL IN THE VEHICLE FOR MONTHS. I HAD IT INTO A GM DEALER 3 TIMES FOR THE ISSUE WITHOUT RESOLUTION. I WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR STATION THAT THEY WERE AMAZED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD NOT COME ON BEFORE THE FAILURE. APPARENTLY THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY FIRING ON 4 CYLINDERS. *TR

THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE (NOT THE IGNITION SWITCH) FAILED SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAR WAS TRAVELING DOWNHILL, SO THE INITIAL INDICATION WAS LOSS OF POWER STEERING. I WAS ABLE TO PULL ONTO THE SHOULDER AND THEN REALIZED THAT THE ENGINE HAD DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. WHILE NO CRASH OR INJURY OCCURRED, THE POTENTIAL FOR A SERIOUS CRASH WAS QUITE HIGH. *TR

THE PASSENGER POWER DOOR LOCK FAILS TO UN-LOCK OR LOCK WHEN ACCESSED WITH THE KEY FOB. THE MALFUNCTION RECURRED SPORADICALLY. WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE INTO DRIVE (OR WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF) THE DOOR DOESN'T LOCK OR UNLOCK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. OTHER DOOR LOCKS ARE STARTING TO HAVE SAME PROBLEM. THE MILEAGE OF VEHICLE WAS 27,000 AND DOOR LOCK PROBLEMS BEGAN MARCH 17, 2014. HAVE READ OTHER REPORTS ON INTERNET WEBSITES STATING THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON 2005 TO 2012 BUICK LACROSSE VEHICLES AND POSSIBLY OTHER GM VEHICLES. THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD IF DOORS FAIL TO UNLOCK IN THE EVENT OF A WRECK, ETC. *TR

I HAVE SPENT THE ENTIRE SUMMER BEING STUCK AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE DAY AND NIGHT. I CAN GET IN MY CAR AND IT WILL NOT START. THE STARTING DISABLED/THEFT DETERRENT FEATURE POPS UP ON THE EIC. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPLACEMENT, KEY-FOB, KEYS, DOOR HANDLES, AND TRANSPONDER MODULE AND IT STILL IS CAUSING A PROBLEM. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS CAR!? *TR

WEDNESDAY MORNING, I HAD AN APPOINTMENT, THEN STOPPED AT THE STORE, CAME HOME PULLED INTO THE GARAGE, CAME IN THE HOUSE, MY HUSBAND WAS OUTSIDE, & SMELLED RUBBER BURNING, HE WENT OUT FRONT TO CHECK, I HAD LEFT THE GARAGE DOOR OPEN, HE TURNED AROUND & LOOKED IN THE GARAGE, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR. THE WHOLE RELAY SWITCH BOX WAS MELTING & THE SMOKE WAS VERY BAD, HE GOT THE BATTERY CABLES OFF. I TOOK AN EXTRA WARRANTY ON THE CAR WHEN I BOUGHT IT, BUT AM TOLD IT DOES NOT COVER ELECTRICAL FIRES, WHAT A RIP OFF, I TRADED AN 2001 BUICK LIMITED ON THIS 2008 BUICK LACROSSE, ON 07/17/2013. I AM REALLY UPSET ABOUT THIS, & WITH THE DEALER SHIP, & GENERAL MOTORS. I AM TOLD THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM, & IT IS VERY RARE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN,...

THE DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK AT ALL, OR SOMETIMES THEY WORK, AND IF THEY WORK IT IS ONLY ONE DOOR, AND IF YOU PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TAKE THE KEYS OUT, THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK. THEY DO NOT WORK WITH THE KEY FOB EITHER. ALSO WHEN DRIVING THE DASHBOARD GOES BLACK, AND SO DOES THE RADIO, CAN NOT SEE ANYTHING ON THE DASHBOARD, AND THEN IT WILL TURN ON, IT GOES IN AND OUT RANDOMLY, NOT ALL THE TIME. ALSO WHEN DRIVING THE A/C WILL GO REAL LOW WHEN IT IS ON HIGH, AND THEN IT WILL RETURN TO HIGH AGAIN IT DOES THIS AS I AM DRIVING AND WHILE I AM AT A STOP LIGHT. *TR

THE POWER DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK EITHER WITH DOOR SWITCHES OR THE REMOTE FAB. ONLY WAY TO LOCK OR UNLOCK DOORS IS TO MANUALLY LOCK OR UNLOCK DOORS, EXCEPT ONE DOOR WHICH WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK WITH KEY. REMOTE START DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE DOOR CAN'T BE LOCKED WITH FAB. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT 3 DOORS NEEDED TO HAVE THE ACTUATORS REPLACED. PRICED OVER $750.00. DEALER, EMERSON CHEVY-BUICK OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE CONTROL UNIT THAT SENDS SIGNALS TO ACTUATORS, BOTH BY DOOR SWITCHES AND THE FAB. BASED ON THE COMPLAINTS FILED I AM NOT ALONE. THIS VERY EXPENSIVE PROBLEM, BUT A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE AS DRIVER'S DOOR DOES NOT UNLOCK WHEN KEY REMOVED AFTER STOPPING.-[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

UNDERHOOD FUSE BLOCK CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE HEADLAMP DRIVER MODULE MICRO-RELAY #35 MELTING DOWN. HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF AND THE BATTERY STARTED DRAINING. PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF THE CAR, AND OPENED THE HOOD TO DISCOVER THAT THE #35 MICRO-RELAY WAS ARCING AND HAD MELTED ITSELF TO MICRO-RELAYS #44 WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND #38 AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR. BOTH WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND AIR CONDITIONER WAS OFF AT THE TIME. EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE WAS OFF THE RELAY CONTINUED TO ARC AND WAS MELTING THE UNDERHOOD FUSE BLOCK. GRABBED AN INSULATED SET OF PLIERS AND PULLED THE #35 MICRO-RELAY (THE #44 AND #38 RELAY CAME OUT AT THE SAME TIME). ARCING STOPPED WITH THE MICRO-RELAYS REMOVED. I HAVE FILED A PREVIOUS REPORT ON THE #35 HEADLAMP DRIVER MODULE MICRO-RELAY, BECAUSE IT HAD TURNED OFF THE LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS WHILE I WAS DRIVING, AT NIGHT, ON THE HIGHWAY. TURNING THE LIGHT SWITCH TO MANUAL-ON DID NOT...

THE POWER DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK EITHER WITH DOOR SWITCHES OR THE REMOTE FAB. ONLY WAY TO LOCK OR UNLOCK DOORS IS TO MANUALLY LOCK OR UNLOCK DOORS, EXCEPT DRIVERS DOOR WHICH WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK WITH KEY. REMOTE START DOESN'T WORK BECAUSE DOOR CAN'T BE LOCKED WITH FAB. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL 4 DOORS NEEDED TO HAVE THE ACTUATORS REPLACED. PRICED OVER $1000.00. THEY OFFERED TO PAY $350.00. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE CONTROL UNIT THAT SENDS SIGNALS TO ACTUATORS, BOTH BY DOOR SWITCHES AND THE FAB. BASED ON THE COMPLAINTS FILED I AM NOT ALONE WITH, NOT ONLY, THIS VERY EXPENSIVE PROBLEM, BUT A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS. SOMETIMES THEY WORK & SOMETIMES THEY DON'T! SOMETIMES WHEN I HIT THE UNLOCK BUTTON ONLY THE DRIVER SIDE UNLOCKS. WHEN I HIT THE LOCK BUTTON I HAVE TO MANUALLY LOCK ALL PASSENGERS DOORS. ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY WILL FAIL CAUSING LIMITED VISUALIZATION OF THE GAUGES. ALSO HAVE A CLUNKING NOISE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. *TR

WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OUR AUTOMATIC POWER DOOR LOCKS AND THE REMOTE START FEATURE. THEY DON'T WORK, EITHER BY KEY FOB OR THE POWER DOOR LOCK BUTTONS IN THE CAR. THE ONLY WAY WE CAN LOCK OUR DOORS IS MANUALLY. WE TOOK TO THE DEALER BELIEVING IT TO BE JUST THE DRIVERS DOOR BUT THEY TOLD US ALL OUR DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, CLOSE TO $1000.00 REPAIR WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THE ACTUATORS ARE THE TRUE PROBLEM. AFTER GOING ON THE NHTSA SITE I SEE THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE WITH THESE PROBLEM. I CAN UNDERSTAND A ACTUATOR GOING BAD, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM AT ONE TIME. I AM A FORMER DEALERSHIP GSM AND VERY AWARE OF "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" AND "DEFECTS". I'VE NEVER IN MY 35 YEARS IN THE BUSINESS SEEN THIS WITH DOOR LOCKS. I WAS INSULTED BY THEIR OFFER TO REPAIR...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHTS CON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD FAIL SPORADICALLY, CAUSING LIMITED VISUALIZATION OF THE GAUGES WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR LOCATED IN THE GAS TANK HAS FAILED THREE TIMES IN THE PAST THREE YEARS. EACH TIME THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR. THIS HAS OCCURRED FIRST IN DEC. 2008 (7574 MILES), THEN NOV. 2009 (21145 MILES), AND NOW DEC. 2010 (37344 MILES). THE SERVICE TECH AT THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THIS PROBLEM IS FAIRLY COMMON (IN FACT, WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR THIS TIME, THERE WAS A PONTIAC AZTEC WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BEING REPAIRED). THE TECH ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE CAUSE IS SULFUR IN THE GAS CAUSING THE SMALL WIRES IN THE SENSOR TO CORRODE AND EVENTUALLY BREAK. THE MODULE ERROR CODE ERROR IS P0463.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DIM BEFORE THEY EVENTUALLY SHUT OFF. THE LIGHTS TURNED BACK ON. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,400 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,500.

AIR BAG PASSENGER SEAT LIGHT SHOWS OFF EVEN WITH A PASSENGER SEATED. PASSENGER IS WELL ABOVE 80LBS. INDICATOR LIGHT ON DIC SHOWS SEAT BELT NOT BEING WORN EVEN WHEN A PASSENGER HAS ONE ON. *TR

INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS AND RADIO DISPLAY LIGHTS GO DIM, VERY HARD TO READ. DOES NOT CORRECT IF CAR IS TURNED OFF THEN BACK ON. DOES NOT CORRECT IF BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED THEN RE-CONNECTED. DOES NOT HAPPEN AT ANY CERTAIN TIME, JUST HAPPENS. *TR

REMOTE, REMOTE STARTER (RKE) FOB FOR CAR STOPPED WORKING PROPERLY. REPLACED BATTERIES EVEN THOUGH DIC DID NOT SHOW BATTERIES NEEDED CHANGING. THIS MAYBE A PROBLEM ALSO. SOMETIMES IT WORKS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. WORKED PERFECTLY FINE, THEN PROBLEMS STARTED. 99% OF THE TIME IT WILL NOT START THE CAR. 50% OF THE TIME IT WILL OR WILL NOT, LOCK OR UNLOCK CAR. I HAVE TRIED RESETTING AND/OR PERSONALIZING KEYS & FOB THROUGH DIC CENTER. CAR WILL SOUND HORN TO SHOW IT HAS BEEN RESET PROPERLY, BUT ISN'T. STILL DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY ALSO WHEN USING RKE, THE DOOR LOCK KNOB WILL NOT COME UP ALL THE WAY AND THE DOOR IS NOT UNLOCKED. ALSO, THE DOOR LICK KNOW WILL NOT GO DOWN ALL THE WAY IF I USE THE RKE FOB. IF I USE THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE DOOR, THE DOOR KNOB WILL COME UP ALL THE WAY AND THE...

WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH I RAN OVER A ROAD BUMP AND MY 2008 BUICK LACROSSE SUPER SHUT OFF(STALLED). I COASTED TO THE BURM, HIT BRAKES TO A STOP. THE CAR STARTED ON THE FIRST TRY. CONTINUED MY TRIP WITH NO INCIDENCES. TOOK TO DEALER AND NO CODES SHOWED IN THEIR COMPUTER. CALLED GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND THEY GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER. NO BULLETINS. SCARY TO DRIVE. TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT THIS TIME BUT MAY NOT BE THE NEXT TIME. *TR