2008 BUICK LACROSSE Complaints

UNLOCKED CAR WITH KEY REMOTE. GRABBED DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE AND THE SPRING ACTION HANDLE CAME RIGHT OUT OF THE DOOR. LOCK STILL IN DOOR, HOWEVER HANDLE IS BROKEN AND IS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE LOCK. UNABLE TO BE USED. *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 TURN THE LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS BACK ON. I HAD THE #35 HEADLAMP DRIVER MODULE MICRO-RELAY REPLACED AND IT TOO PROVED TO BE DEFECTIVE. AFTER JUST A FEW MONTHS, IT STARTED TURNING ON THE HEADLIGHTS ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED-OFF. HAD TO HAVE MY VEHICLE JUMP STARTED, REPLACED THE BATTERY, AND REPLACED THE #35 HEADLAMP DRIVER MODULE MICRO-RELAY, YET AGAIN. THE 3RD #35 HEADLAMP DRIVER MODULE MICRO-RELAY, CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE, COSTING ME OVER $700 TO REPAIR. APPARENTLY THERE IS NO FUSE TO PREVENT THE MELT-DOWN OF THE MICRO-RELAYS. THERE IS NO CAUTION, AND NO WARNING IN THE OWNERS MANUAL, TO ADVISE THE USER ABOUT WHAT TO DO IN THE CASE OF THE LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY GOING OFF. THERE IS NO PROTECTION AGAINST AN ELECTRICAL FIRE BEING CAUSED BY THE #35 HEADLAMP DRIVER MODULE MICRO-RELAY, OR ANY OTHER RELAY FROM STARTING AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *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 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 THEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD FRICTION SOUND AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE FRONT BRAKE HUB SPEED SENSOR, THE WIRING HARNESS AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WIRING CONNECTOR TERMINAL WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WAS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED A BLINDING SPOT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,500. UPDATED 11/9/2012 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE DOORS HAD BECOME INOPERABLE AND AS A RESULT, THE DOOR LOCKS FAILED TO UNLOCK OR LOCK. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT IN ONE OCCASION THE DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK WHICH PREVENTED HER FROM EXITING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000. UPDATED 10/3/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BUICK HOUSE. THE CONSUMER'S SON REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER COULD NOT AFFORD THE COST FOR THE DEALER TO REPAIR THE LOCKS. UPDATED 10/09/2012 *JS

THE AIRBAG READINESS LIGHT HAS BEEN TURNED ON FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS SO I TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS A FAULTY RIGHT FRONT SEAT MAT ASSEMBLY. THEY REPLACED IT AT A COST OF $710. I DO NOT THINK THIS SHOULD HAVE FAILED. APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG STATUS INDICATOR LIGHT INDICATED THAT IT WAS NOT WORKING EVEN WITH A PERSON SITTING THERE AND SEATBELT ON. THEY CLEANED CORRODED CONNECTIONS. IT CERTAINLY APPEARS A DEFECT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE AIRBAG INDICATORS. THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH IN THE DARK AND NO NEARBY LIGHT SOURCES WERE PRESENT. TURNED HEADLIGHT CONTROL TO MANUAL AND STILL NO HEADLIGHTS. STOPPED VEHICLE AND EVERYTHING BUT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE STILL WORKING. TURNED OFF THE AIR CONDITIONING, THE FAN, THE RADIO, AND STILL NO HEADLIGHTS. TURNED CAR OFF AND BACK ON, STILL NO HEADLIGHTS. TURNED CAR OFF AGAIN AND WAITED 5 MINUTES AND RESTARTED CAR AND HEADLIGHTS CAME ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED 2 TIMES NOW, 3 MONTHS APART. DEALERSHIP DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM THE 1ST TIME I TALKED TO THEM, BUT ADMITS NOW THAT SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAVE ALSO TRIED TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON A CURVE, I WOULD MOST LIKELY BE DEAD NOW AND THEY WOULD BE GUESSING WHY I RAN OFF THE ROAD (USER ERROR), WHEN THEY KNOW THERE IS A DEFECT IN DESIGN. LIGHT SWITCH ON MANUAL SHOULD BYPASS EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE FUSE. *TR