2008 Buick LaCrosse Problems, Recalls & Reliability
343 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2008 Buick LaCrosse, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 76/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 60,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2008 sits among all LaCrosse years
What owners report
“I just bought this car used and the headlights didn't work when i got it. The hi beams and yellow marker lights do work. Just not the lo beams. I bought the car on 9/28/20, it had 124,000 miles on it when i bought it”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 LaCrosse
“Airbag sensor in passenger seat failed. That also effected the seat belt warning light. Failure was intermittent and occurred with engine running car in motion.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 LaCrosse
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 270 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 56,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 39,451 and 82,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
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…
Fix: 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…
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.…
Fix: 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.…
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
949 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2008 Buick LaCrosse. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2008 LaCrosse TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2008 Buick LaCrosse reliable?
The 2008 Buick LaCrosse drew 343 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 76/100, scored against the model's worst year (2006).
What are the most common 2008 Buick LaCrosse problems?
The top reported problems for the 2008 Buick LaCrosse are electrical (147 complaints), airbags (77), and other (20).
At what mileage do 2008 Buick LaCrosse problems show up?
Owners most often report 2008 Buick LaCrosse problems around 56,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 39,451 and 82,000 miles.
Does the 2008 Buick LaCrosse have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2008 Buick LaCrosse. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.