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Buick LacrosseModel year report

2009 Buick Lacrosse Problems

Compared with other Buick Lacrosse years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

13/100 0.4× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
106filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
55,006miles, 80 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
21 mpgcombined, 3.8L 6-cyl FWD · 17 city / 28 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 Buick Lacrosse (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report low-beam headlights that go out without warning while driving, frequently at night, and an airbag warning light tied to the passenger-seat sensor or module. Both appear across a wide mileage range, from vehicles with only a few thousand miles to well over 100,000, and many complaints note parts or recall remedies that were unavailable at the time. Smaller groups describe intermittent stalling or a sudden loss of power, and door locks that stop working.

  1. Exterior lighting

    Low-beam headlights cut out while driving

    • 36 complaints (34%)
    • median 55,000 mi at 6.1 yrs old (33 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2013–2023

    Owners describe the low beams switching off without warning, usually at highway speed and often after dark, leaving only the high beams usable. Several say restarting the car brings the lights back temporarily. Complaints mention the dealer replacing a headlamp driver module, a relay, or an internal switch, and many note that a recall remedy was announced but the part was not yet available. Reported from roughly 17,000 to over 100,000 miles, with many between 40,000 and 90,000, and often described as happening at night or in rain.

    Recall 15V5190001 related service bulletin

    What to check: At night, check that both low beams come on and stay on, and confirm whether the headlamp driver module recall has been completed for the VIN. Ask whether a headlamp module, relay, or switch has already been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Was going down highway at night and my headlights suddenly went off ,I had to drive about 4 miles with no headlights and blinkers flashing. As I pulled into my stop and put car in park ,lights came back on. I drove back home no problem . Called dealer on monday they made an appt. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10758885, filed 2015-08, 53,020 miles

    “My mothers automatic low beam headlights will intermittently function. My mother is 85 years old and this is a potentially dangerous condition for her. She is not as attentive as she was when she was younger and she does not notice that the lights are not shining until she gets in a rural area and realizes that she cannot see. This can cause her to get a little anxious and confused until she stops to turn on the headlights manually. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10760060, filed 2015-08, 65,000 miles
  2. Air bags

    Airbag warning light on, passenger sensor faults

    • 25 complaints (24%)
    • median 47,536 mi at 6.5 yrs old (16 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $1,300 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2011–2024

    Owners report the airbag or passenger airbag indicator lighting up or blinking intermittently, sometimes staying off even with an adult in the passenger seat. Dealers commonly diagnosed a passenger presence module, sensor module, or airbag control module and quoted repairs in the four-figure range according to several complaints. Some owners had modules replaced under warranty only to see the light return. Spread broadly from around 5,000 to about 90,000 miles, with several reports under 50,000 and some within the first few thousand miles.

    Recall 14V355000

    What to check: Turn the ignition on and watch the airbag indicator through its self-check with and without a passenger in the seat. Ask whether any airbag or seat sensor module has been replaced, and have any stored airbag codes read before purchase.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My 2009 Lacrosse will intermittently display the air bag indicator. I noticed this while driving the car around town and there is no passenger in the front seat. It will either stay on for a couple of days and then disappear or will just be on for short periods of time. When I took it to the dealer they stated it was a sensor module and would be approximately $1300 to replace. As of this date, I have not had it repaired. The vehicle only has approximately 24,000 miles. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10925090, filed 2016-11, 24,000 miles

    “The air bag light comes on intermittently. I took it in for service, and was told it would be $1300 to replace the passenger presence module. I've seen other complaints online regarding this same item. I've also had issues with the automatic locks. It initially started with the passenger front door, and has now progressed to all the doors. The price I was given to repair this was $1600. Again, I've seen numerous online complaints concerning this item. This is my 3rd Buick, and I do not intend to buy another one. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10750371, filed 2015-08, 60,000 miles
  3. Electrical system

    Stalling, no-start, or sudden loss of power

    Mentioned in 9 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe the engine shutting off at low speed, at a stop, or in a turn, sometimes with a security light and then a no-crank or no-start condition. A related group describes the reduced engine power message with the traction control light, where the car drops speed sharply and will not accelerate past a low limit. Owners mention ignition switch, throttle body or pedal, and relay diagnosis, with mixed results. Mostly between about 36,000 and 100,000 miles, described as sudden and intermittent.

    Recall 14V3550003 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the ignition switch recall repair was completed with the correct part, and have the car scanned for stored throttle, traction control, and body codes. Test drive at both low speed and highway speed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “This is the third time within a 2 month time frame that I have been having a service traction system , service theft system , ABS system on my odometer. I had to stop and turn the car off. Then they replaced the wheel barring, then they did the electrical and tire and now it is acting up again and they dont even know what it is this time.”

    NHTSA complaint #10596330, filed 2014-06, 70,144 miles

    “Was driving down road got to my destination parked it and when I came out it would not start found a burnt fuel pump relay changed it and drove it home. 20 min later I drove it again and made it 2 miles same thing happened to relay only when I was driving it.”

    NHTSA complaint #11161487, filed 2018-12, 134,000 miles
  4. Electrical system

    Power door locks stop working

    • 6 complaints (6%)
    • median 70,000 mi at 6.5 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2014–2017

    Owners report door lock actuators failing one door at a time, with doors that will not lock or unlock by switch or fob and sometimes will not release from the inside. Complaints mention quotes for several hundred dollars per door, and a few describe a power distribution center or control module diagnosis that did not resolve the problem. Commonly reported from about 60,000 to 90,000 miles, with doors failing in sequence over time.

    What to check: Lock and unlock every door from the driver switch and the key fob, then open each door from the inside. Check that each door responds consistently and ask whether any actuators have been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Multiple times since purchase air bag indicator has either blinked, has been constantly on or hasn't been on at all. Instrument panel display, ie: mileage indicator, temperature display, trip indicator hasn't worked on occasion, radio and/or interior temperature display doesn't come on until you drive for five to forty five minutes. Door locks have actuated either up or down while driving. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10607213, filed 2014-06, 5,000 miles

    “Air bag indicator light on passenger side is off 50% of time when carrying a passenger electric automatic door locks fail to operate on driver's side and on occasions when they work you have to manually unlock the doors”

    NHTSA complaint #10767456, filed 2015-09, 51,200 miles
  5. Electrical system

    Burning fuse block and electrical smells

    • 5 complaints (5%)
    • median 96,000 mi at 6.4 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2014–2018

    A small number of complaints describe a burning odor or smoke traced to the underhood fuse block, with visible damage to the wiring and a burnt fuel pump relay causing a no-start. Another describes smoke from the passenger side of the engine bay along with unrelated wipers and warning messages. Reports range from about 94,000 to 173,000 miles, occurring while driving or shortly after parking.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Open the underhood fuse block and look for discolored or melted plastic, then check that the fuel pump relay and related fuses are intact. Ask about any prior electrical or fuse box repairs.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving on parkway in nassau county at 11:30 am on 7/2/15 on a sunny day and the windshield wipers started going up and down slowly, I had not put them on. While driving I tried to stop the wipers to no avail. The computer on dashboard stated 'open hood' but as I was driving the hood was definitely not open. I later realized the computer was saying... Open the hood. A few moments later I saw smoke coming out of the passenger side of the hood and the computer said something like 'system failure'. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10746467, filed 2015-08, 96,000 miles

    “The owner had been smelling a bad odor when she arrived at her destination in a mall parking lot. The odor did not fade when the vehicle engine was turned off and subsequently opened the hood. Black smoke was seen coming from the fuse block. Upon removing the cover to the fuse block, the owner observed a small fire which caused damage to the wiring harness. The vehicle was later examined by an independent engineering consultant who identified the origin of the fire. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10610829, filed 2014-07, 173,000 miles

Buying note. These cars are well into their second decade, so condition matters more than year, but it is worth verifying that the headlamp and ignition switch recalls were completed with available parts and that the airbag indicator behaves normally on a test drive. Have an independent shop scan stored codes and check the headlights, door locks, and fuse block before you buy.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 106 consumer complaints for the 2009 Buick Lacrosse. 80 of the complaints include a mileage, and 36% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 55,006 miles. Of all complaints, 3 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 2 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 1,038 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 9 Buick Lacrosse model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 13 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Transmission and drivetrain (3), Body and structure (2), Engine cooling (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Steering (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Exterior lighting: “The headlamps went out at night no reason back on aug 6 with my wife driving after she turned off the high beams. I assumed she unintentionally turned them off. Last night when I was driving they went off again for no reason. I had to turn on the high beams in order to see. This has never happened in all my years of driving. I was wondering if this is a pervasive problem with the vehicle.”

NHTSA complaint #10637815, filed 2014-09, 37,500 miles

Electrical system: “Abs stablility traction lights come on and the car dies I have no power steering or breaking power and my car is still moving. Gm did the petal recall to it thinking that would fix it, it did and has not. This is a death trap I have lost faith in driving this car. How is this not a safety issue??? Has happened twice.”

NHTSA complaint #10789568, filed 2015-11, 110,000 miles

Air bags: “Left home for local restaurant about 7:am on may 8. Traveling down hwy 2 lane, must have dropped wheel off pavement and the car went crazy. I do not remember what happened. The accident report says vehicle crossed the road, hit a bank head first and flipped the vehicle. One car accident. Airbags did not deploy. I was taken by ambulance to a hospital, then transported to another state to a trauma center. Multiple injuries. I was in hospital for 12 days and then a nursing rehab for 2 weeks. I did not know there was a recall on my vehicle until this month august 2014. No other cars were involved.”

NHTSA complaint #10628166, filed 2014-08, 84,000 miles

Vehicle speed control: “While entering interstate off ramp I started slowing down and vehicle accelerated to a very high speed. With extreme brake pedal pressure was not able to slow vehicle down for approximately 100 yards. I had to change 3 lanes to avoid collions with vehicles in front.”

NHTSA complaint #10898985, filed 2016-08, 55,012 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

36% of the 80 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 43,000 and 84,000 miles.

5%0–108%10–2524%25–5031%50–7519%75–10013%100–1501%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (80 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 55,006 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

’09’12’1444’16’18’22’24
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Buick Lacrosse. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Lacrosse · sedan FWDnot rated5 / 5———
Lacrosse · sedan (side air bags) FWDnot rated5 / 5———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2009 Buick Lacrosse version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Lacrosse/Allure FWD3.8L 6-cyl4-speed automatic172821$3,200
Lacrosse/Allure FWD5.3L 8-cyl4-speed automatic162419$3,550

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2009 Buick Lacrosse → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1,038 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 1,038 bulletins →

Other model years of the Buick Lacrosse

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2019711,7002524—Not enough data
20181226,6003524—Not enough data
20173615,90025258 · FewerFalling
20164840,000252122 · FewerRising
20154425,000352121 · FewerFalling
20146339,915552147 · TypicalFalling
201313058,999552153 · TypicalFalling
201220654,728552194 · MoreFalling
201116951,542452384 · MoreFalling
201018955,4302—2177 · MoreFalling
200910655,0062—2113 · FewerRising
200825053,5042—2053 · TypicalFalling
200725067,3003—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200629978,2463—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200531564,5114—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Buick Lacrosse model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Buick Lacrosse?

Owners of this model year most often report low-beam headlights that go out without warning while driving, frequently at night, and an airbag warning light tied to the passenger-seat sensor or module. The issues reported most often: Low-beam headlights cut out while driving; Airbag warning light on, passenger sensor faults; Stalling, no-start, or sudden loss of power.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Buick Lacrosse have?

NHTSA recorded 106 consumer complaints for the 2009 Buick Lacrosse as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 Buick Lacrosse is reported most often?

Exterior lighting is named most often, in 47 complaints (44% of the total), followed by electrical system with 31.

Has the 2009 Buick Lacrosse been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2009 Buick Lacrosse get?

The EPA rates the 2009 Buick Lacrosse (Lacrosse/Allure, 3.8L 6-cyl) at 21 mpg combined, 17 city and 28 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,200 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 Buick Lacrosse reported?

Among the 80 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 55,006 miles and the middle half falls between 43,000 and 84,000 miles; 36% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.