2006 Buick LaCrosse Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
100/100
#1 most-complained of 15 LaCrosse years
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
The 2006 Buick LaCrosse has 299 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 100 out of 100 — the highest of 15 LaCrosse model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is electrical system (210 complaints, 70% of the total). Complaints report 16 crashes, 7 fires, and 16 injuries.
- Complaints
- 299
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes / fires
- 16 / 7
- Injuries / deaths
- 16 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- —
Top 2006 Buick LaCrosse problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System210 (70%)
- Airbags38 (13%)
- Steering26 (9%)
- Engine15 (5%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires14 (5%)
- Brakes10 (3%)
- Structure & Body9 (3%)
- Transmission & Powertrain7 (2%)
- Visibility & Wipers5 (2%)
- Other4 (1%)
2006 Buick LaCrosse recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2006 Buick LaCrosse a reliable year?
- Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2006 Buick LaCrosse ranks worst among LaCrosse model years (Complaint Index 100/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 299 complaints and 3 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
- What are the most common problems with the 2006 Buick LaCrosse?
- The most reported problem areas are electrical system (210 complaints), airbags (38 complaints), and steering (26 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 78,623 miles.
- Does the 2006 Buick LaCrosse have any recalls?
- Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2006 Buick LaCrosse, most recently reported 2015, covering electrical system and airbags.