2009 Buick LaCrosse Problems, Recalls & Reliability
146 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2009 Buick LaCrosse, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 35/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 60,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2009 sits among all LaCrosse years
What owners report
“Gm recall # n140291 was issued 11/25/2014. As of 1/6/2016 a remedy is not yet available per the gm web site. Really? When is the nhtsa going to start prompting some action from gm?”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 LaCrosse
“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”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 LaCrosse
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 115 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 60,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 43,300 and 88,000 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.…
Technical service bulletins
1,037 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2009 Buick LaCrosse. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2009 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 2009 Buick LaCrosse reliable?
The 2009 Buick LaCrosse drew 146 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 35/100, scored against the model's worst year (2006).
What are the most common 2009 Buick LaCrosse problems?
The top reported problems for the 2009 Buick LaCrosse are electrical (78 complaints), airbags (27), and speed control (9).
At what mileage do 2009 Buick LaCrosse problems show up?
Owners most often report 2009 Buick LaCrosse problems around 60,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 43,300 and 88,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Buick LaCrosse have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2009 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.