2008 BUICK LACROSSE Complaints

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

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR FAILS REPEATEDLY (AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATOR SWITCHES TO OFF) WHEN AN ADULT IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND SEAT BELT IS SECURED. IT BEGAN HAPPENING ON RARE OCCASIONS, BUT HAS PROGRESSED TO EVERY TIME I HAVE A PASSENGER IN THE VEHICLE. IT USUALLY PERSISTS FOR ABOUT 20 MILES OR SO, AND THEN REVERTS BACK TO NORMAL. THE DEALER INVESTIGATED AND SAID THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS WELL OVER $1,000 AND THAT DID NOT INCLUDE THE LABOR. IT SEEMS THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE OF VEHICLE, AND WITH THE EXORBITANT COST OF A REPLACEMENT PART, GM NEED TO MAKE SOME ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE OWNERS OF AFFECTED VEHICLES TO HAVE THE REPAIRS DONE AT A REASONABLE COST. *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, BUT THIS IS NOT WHAT SEE ON THE WEB. *TR

I TURNED RIGHT ONTO A VERY STEEPLY GRADED RURAL ROAD. THE ROAD HAS 3 SERVICE RAMPS TO A MAJOR HIGHWAY, RT 28N. IT ALSO HAS 1 ROAD THAT ALLOWS A R/L ACCESS TO BURTON AND A CROSS TRAFFIC ACCESS TO 28N. I HAD JUST STARTED THE DESCENT DOWN BURTON WHEN I NOTICED THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. I APPLIED THE BRAKE TWICE TO REDUCE SPEED; IT WAS NON-RESPONSIVE. THE CAR CONTINUE TO SPEED DOWN THE HILL FOR APPROXIMATELY 3/4 MILE. THE CAR BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN ABOUT 1/2 MILE BEYOND THE ACCESS ROAD TO 28 N. WHEN I TRIED TO PULL OVER TO A GRAVEL/WEED "SHOULDER" I FOUND THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS ALSO OUT. I COULD NOT PULL COMPLETELY OFF THE ROAD, THUS CREATING A DANGER TO ANY CAR ON BURTON ROAD. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE CAR WAS TOTALLY INOPERABLE. IT HAD TO BE TOWED 20 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP LATE AT NIGHT. THE CAR HAD JUST PASSED THE 50K MILE BUICK INSPECTION. ON THREE PRIOR OCCASIONS, THOUGH, THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH A WINDOW MALFUNCTION, AND TWO DOORS LATCHES ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE SERVICE REPORT STATES THAT THE ENTIRE IGNITION COIL AND MODULE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE IGNITION MODULE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SAME ASSEMBLY DESIGN WAS USED IN THE BUICK LESABRE, THE CHEVY IMPALA, AND ONE OTHER BUICK MODEL. BUICK APOLOGIZED FOR THE FAILURE OF THESE COMPONENTS AND FOR PUTTING ME AND MY PASSENGERS INTO WHAT WAS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF BAIERL CHEVROLET (A QUALITY DEALERSHIP AND SERVICE ORGANIZATION) THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WITH OTHER OWNERS, BUT NONE HAD BEEN IN THE SITUATION I WAS IN. I WANTED TO REPORT THIS BECAUSE I FOUND NO INDICATIONS ON THE BUICK WEBSITE THAT SUCH FAILURES WERE POSSIBLE. HAVING LOST TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN THE CAR AND ITS DESIGN, THAT I TRADED IT IN FOR ANOTHER CAR AND TOOK ON EXPENSES THAT I HAD NOT BUDGETED FOR. *JB

I HAVE HAD TWO ISSUES INVOLVING THE NEED TO REPLACE WHAT I UNDERSTAND TO BE THE PASSENGER PRESENCE AIRBAG SENSOR. THIS ITEM CONSISTS OF A COMPLETE ASSEMBLY, THE ACTUAL SEAT PASSENGER SENSOR/SCALE ASSEMBLE AND THE ASSOCIATED COMPUTER. AT ABOUT 18,500 WHILE DRIVING, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND THEN GO OFF. THERE WAS A PASSENGER SETTING ON THE SEAT IN EXCESS OF 125 POUNDS WEARING A SEAT BELT. AFTER SEVERAL COMPLAINTS AND TESTS ,AT 24,008 MILES THE BUICK DEALER REPLACED AN ITEM LISTED ON THE WORK ORDER AS THE INFLATABLE RESTRAINT PASSENGER SEAT SUPPRESSION MODULE 19124100 MODULE KIT. AT ABOUT 42,600 MILES A SIMILAR PROBLEM DEVELOPED IN THAT THE AIRBAG READINESS ICON LIGHT, ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CAME ON, INDICATING A COMPLETE AIRBAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. I SOON DISCOVERED THAT POUNDING ON THE SEAT WOULD MAKE THE LIGHT GO OUT UNTIL ANOTHER MALFUNCTION OCCURRED, USUALLY WHEN THE PASSENGER GOT OUT OF THE CAR. AGAIN AFTER REPEATED COMPLAINTS AND TESTS AT 46,713 MILES THE BUICK DEALER INSTALLED AN ITEM LISTED ON THE WORK ORDER AS THE A PPS MODULE 19258127 REMANUFACTURED MODULE KIT. BY WHATEVER NAME THIS THE SECOND TIME A COMPLETE PASSENGER PRESENCE AIRBAG SENSOR ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE WHEN THE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED THERE WAS NO AIR BAD PROTECTION FOR THE PASSENGER. IN THE LATTER CASE THERE WAS A COMPLETE AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILURE. THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTEE BUT THE SECOND REPLACEMENT I HAD TO PAY FOR MYSELF. INTERNET SEARCHES HAVE DISCLOSED THAT THERE ARE OTHER 2008 BUICK LACROSSE OWNERS WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE AIRBAG MODULE FAILURE AND COST OF REPLACEMENT. IF BUICK USES PARTS SUBJECT TO REPEATED FAILURE THEIR REPLACEMENT SHOULD BE PAID FOR BY BUICK.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOUR POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED TO UNLATCH OR LATCH WHEN ACCESSED THEM WITH THE KEY FOB. THE MALFUNCTION RECURRED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE BOTH REAR DOOR LOCKS WERE REPLACED AT THE MANUFACTURER'S EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROX 20 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED AUTOMATICALLY WHILE TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT. THE VEHICLE SPEED UP IN A MATTER OF 2 SECONDS AND WAS AT MUCH HIGHER SPEED WHEN SHE VEERED OFF INTO A BUSH. THE QUICK SPEED ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT OUT ANY ACTIVATION BY DRIVER IS OF GREAT CONCERN. DRIVER WAS STARTLED BY SUDDEN SPEED UP OF VEHICLE. FEELS THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED ON ITS OWN. SHE DID NOT TOUCH THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS ON STEERING WHEEL AT ANY TIME. OWNERS DO NOT FEEL THE LOCATION OF THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS ARE LOCATED IN GOOD SPOT. THE CRUISE CONTROL HAS ACTIVATED ON ITS OWN SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST 4 YRS. OWNERS HAVE HAD DEALERSHIPS LOOK AT ISSUES. THEY HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN DUPLICATING OR RESOLVING THIS ISSUE. COMPLAINT HAS ALSO BEEN FILED WITH GENERAL MOTORS IN 2011 CASE # [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

AIR BAG LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE PERIODICALLY WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT IS OCCUPIED BY AN ADULT 125 LBS AND MORE WHO IS WEARING A SEAT BELT. IT RESETS WITH THE RESTART OF THE CAR OR SOMETIMES WILL JUST RESET ITSELF DURING THE TRAVEL. *TR

AIRBAG READINESS LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL CAME ON WHICH INDICATES THE AIRBAG'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING. TOOK AUTO TO GM DEALER (CHEVROLET) AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PASSENGER SYSTEM MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND COST WOULD BE $1,000. LACROSSE IS 2008 MODEL YEAR WITH ONLY 48,600 MILES. OVER THE LAST YEAR, THE AIRBAG READINESS LIGHT WOULD COME ON PERIODICALLY BUT WOULD GO OFF AFTER AUTO WAS RESTARTED. NOTED ON THE INTERNET THAT SOME OTHER 2008 LACROSSE OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE AIRBAG MODULE AND COST OF REPLACEMENT. BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART THAT SHOULD BE REPLACED BY GM WITHOUT CHARGE. I HAVE HAD CARS WITH AIRBAGS FOR OVER 20 YEARS WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF ISSUE SUCH AS THIS. *TR

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