YearToAvoid

2006 Buick LaCrosse Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2006 Buick LaCrosse ranks worst of all 15 model years, with a complaint index of 100 and 299 complaints, mostly electrical (70%). It carries an Avoid verdict due to widespread electrical failures, three recalls, and a median failure mileage of 78,623.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
100/100
#1 of 15 LaCrosse years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
299
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
16
reported in complaints
Fires
7
Injuries
16
Top issue
Electrical System
Best nearby year
2015
rated Best

Top 2006 Buick LaCrosse problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System210 (70%)
  2. Airbags38 (13%)
  3. Steering26 (9%)
  4. Engine15 (5%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires14 (5%)
  6. Brakes10 (3%)
  7. Structure & Body9 (3%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain7 (2%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers5 (2%)
  10. Other4 (1%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Headlights and interior electrical systems fail, sometimes with the relay switch burning out the panel box near 121,000 miles.
  • Vehicles stall or lose power while driving, including one case where smoke and an underhood fire developed at 88,000 miles.
  • The ignition key intermittently fails to turn from off to on, in one case preceding a highway crash where the airbags did not deploy.
  • The steering intermediate shaft has broken at low speed, causing loss of steering control and a crash into a curb.
  • Airbags have failed to deploy in head-on and rear-end collisions.
  • The vehicle has been reported to roll backward on its own after being placed in park.
2006 Buick LaCrosse complaints: complaints filed per quarter232006 Q12008 Q22011 Q12013 Q12015 Q12017 Q12019 Q12021 Q4
299 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2006 Q1 to 2026 Q1; peak 2015 Q4 (23).

2006 Buick LaCrosse recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 15V519000Aug 14, 2015Electrical System429,170 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:headlights

    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 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the headlamp driver module (HDM) may overheat and fail, causing the headlamps and daytime running lights to not illuminate.

    Risk: Headlamps that do not illuminate reduce the driver's ability to see the roadway and reduce the vehicle's visibility to oncoming vehicles, both of which increase the risk of a vehicle crash.

    Remedy: 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 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14291.

  2. NHTSA 14V355000Jun 23, 2014Electrical System3,141,731 vehicles

    Electrical system:ignition

    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. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille, 2006-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

    Risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

    Remedy: 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. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), and 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14299.

  3. NHTSA 06V417000Oct 31, 2006Airbags794 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    Certain vehicles originally built with cloth seats that were equipped with an automatic air bag passenger sensing system and later reupholstered with aftermarket leather seat cover kits are involved. Testing has indicated that the aftermarket leather seat covers can cause the passenger sensing system to malfunction.

    Risk: If the passenger sensing system malfunctions, the front air bag on the passenger side may be disabled when it should be enabled, or enabled when it should be disabled. In either case, in the event of a crash that requires air bag deployment, a front passenger's level of injury may be increased.

    Remedy: Because a replacement leather seat cover that is compatible with the passenger sensing system is not available, general motors (gm) will repurchase these vehicles in accordance with the terms stated in gm's letter to owners. The recall began on november 6, 2006. Owners should contact gm at 1-877-477-1022 to begin the process of repurchasing their vehicle.

2006 compared with other LaCrosse years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Caution573154—
2006Avoid1002993—
2007Caution642503—
2008Avoid862502—

All Buick LaCrosse years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2006 Buick LaCrosse reliable?
Among all 15 LaCrosse model years, 2006 has the highest complaint index (100) and ranks worst overall, earning an Avoid verdict from NHTSA complaint and recall data.
What is the main problem with the 2006 Buick LaCrosse?
Electrical system issues dominate, accounting for 210 of 299 complaints (70%), including stalling, headlight failure, and fires, with a median failure mileage of 89,000.
Does the 2006 Buick LaCrosse have recalls?
NHTSA lists three recalls for the 2006 Buick LaCrosse, covering electrical system components and an airbag passenger-sensing issue tied to reupholstered seats.
How does 2006 compare to other Buick LaCrosse years?
The 2006 model has a complaint index of 100, higher than every other year listed, including 2008 (86) and 2010 (93), both also rated Avoid.
Were there any fires reported in the 2006 Buick LaCrosse?
NHTSA data shows 7 fire reports for the 2006 LaCrosse, all tied to the electrical system problem area.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.