YearToAvoid

2010 Buick LaCrosse Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

78/100

#3 most-complained of 10 LaCrosse years

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse ranks 3rd worst out of 10 model years, with a Complaint Index of 78, 188 complaints, 9 fires, and 2 recalls. Owners cite Engine issues most (33% of complaints), earning it an "Avoid" verdict versus other LaCrosse years.

Complaints
188
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
6 / 9
Injuries / deaths
8 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
—

Top 2010 Buick LaCrosse problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine62 (33%)
  2. Electrical System50 (27%)
  3. Brakes37 (20%)
  4. Suspension, Wheels & Tires18 (10%)
  5. Steering17 (9%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain17 (9%)
  7. Airbags16 (9%)
  8. Other14 (7%)
  9. Structure & Body12 (6%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers9 (5%)

What owners report

  • Owners report engines catching fire while parked in a garage or driveway, in some cases spreading to the home.
  • Some describe the engine catching fire while driving around 60 mph without warning, melting the wiring harness under the hood.
  • Electrical system complaints describe smoke filling the cabin after shutting the vehicle off, sometimes followed by flames from under the hood.
  • Steering complaints describe a sudden loss of steering ability at highway speed leading to a spin or crash into a median.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy during a crash despite the deployment warning light illuminating on the dashboard.
2010 Buick LaCrosse complaints: complaints filed per quarter172010 Q12011 Q42013 Q32015 Q32017 Q22019 Q12021 Q22024 Q1
263 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q1 to 2026 Q2; peak 2014 Q4 (17).

2010 Buick LaCrosse recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V00F000Dec 22, 2021Suspension, Wheels & Tires4,271 vehicles

    Suspension:rear

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse, 2012-2013 Buick Regal, and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. These vehicles may have rear toe links that received an improper amount of electrocoating (e-coat) corrosion protection, which could cause the e-coat to become brittle and break away when contacted by road debris. Over time, the e-coat may chip away, exposing the metal toe link and making it more susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion may eventually cause the toe link to thin and ultimately fracture.

    Risk: A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212346640. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recalls 20V-764 and 21V-633.

  2. NHTSA 20V764000Dec 21, 2020Suspension, Wheels & Tires220,006 vehicles

    Suspension:rear

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Buick Regal, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. These vehicles may have rear toe links that received excessive electrocoating (e-coat) corrosion protection, which could cause the e-coat to become brittle and break away when contacted by road debris. Over time, the e-coat may chip away, exposing the metal toe link and making it more susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion may eventually cause the toe link to thin and ultimately to fracture.

    Risk: A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners were mailed an interim notification on January 27, 2021, and April 15, 2021. A third notification was mailed on August 19, 201. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202308930.

2010 compared with other LaCrosse years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002010201120122013201420152016201720182019
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Avoid781882—
2011Avoid100169420
2012Avoid89206521

All Buick LaCrosse years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Buick LaCrosse reliable?
Compared to other LaCrosse model years, the 2010 ranks 3rd worst out of 10, with a Complaint Index of 78 and 188 NHTSA complaints, giving it an "Avoid" verdict relative to other years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2010 Buick LaCrosse?
The Engine is the top problem area, accounting for 33% of complaints (62 total), including 6 fires, with a median failure mileage of 65,340 miles.
Does the 2010 Buick LaCrosse have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2010 LaCrosse, both involving the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners, neither marked do-not-drive.
Are there fire risks with the 2010 Buick LaCrosse?
NHTSA complaints report 9 fires for this model year, with owners describing engine and electrical system fires occurring both while parked and while driving.
How does the 2010 LaCrosse compare to the 2011 and 2012?
The 2010 has a Complaint Index of 78, lower than the 2011 (100) and 2012 (89), but all three carry an "Avoid" verdict among LaCrosse years.

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.