YearToAvoid

2011 Buick LaCrosse Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 10 LaCrosse years

The 2011 Buick LaCrosse ranks worst of 10 model years with a Complaint Index of 100 and 169 NHTSA complaints. Engine problems lead at 25% of complaints, followed by electrical issues at 20%. Four recalls apply, including suspension toe links and a windshield defogging fix.

Complaints
169
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
15 / 1
Injuries / deaths
12 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
20
17 city / 27 hwy

Top 2011 Buick LaCrosse problems

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

  1. Engine42 (25%)
  2. Electrical System33 (20%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires29 (17%)
  4. Brakes25 (15%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain19 (11%)
  6. Structure & Body18 (11%)
  7. Visibility & Wipers18 (11%)
  8. Other16 (9%)
  9. Steering12 (7%)
  10. Airbags11 (7%)

What owners report

  • Steering wheel locks up or becomes disconnected while turning, sometimes on twisting roads.
  • Brakes reportedly fail to stop the vehicle, with drivers pressing the pedal with both feet before a crash.
  • Airbags fail to deploy or deploy without warning during low-speed impacts.
  • Vehicle reportedly lurches forward and gains speed unexpectedly while steering becomes stiff during a turn.
  • Underhood wiring reportedly burns, with one case producing visible fire damage near 74,000 miles.
2011 Buick LaCrosse complaints: complaints filed per quarter112010 Q42012 Q42014 Q32016 Q32018 Q22020 Q12021 Q42024 Q2
237 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2018 Q2 (11).

2011 Buick LaCrosse recalls

4 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.

  3. NHTSA 14V447000Jul 23, 2014Structure & Body414,333 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:power adjust

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.

    Risk: If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14271.

See all 4 recalls for the 2011 Buick LaCrosse →

2011 Buick LaCrosse fuel economy and fuel cost

City
17 MPG
Highway
27 MPG
Combined
20 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,250
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2011 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
2013Caution67129521

All Buick LaCrosse years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Buick LaCrosse reliable?
Among the 10 LaCrosse model years tracked, 2011 ranks worst, with a Complaint Index of 100 and 169 NHTSA complaints, giving it an Avoid verdict relative to other years.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Buick LaCrosse?
Engine issues make up 25% of complaints, followed by electrical system problems at 20% and suspension, wheels and tires at 17%. Median mileage at failure for engine complaints is 60,000.
Does the 2011 Buick LaCrosse have any recalls?
NHTSA lists four recalls, covering rear suspension toe links, power seat height adjuster bolts, and a windshield defrosting/defogging module reprogramming. None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2011 LaCrosse compare to other years?
2011 has the highest Complaint Index (100) of any LaCrosse year in the data. Later years improve steadily, with 2017-2019 rated Best with indexes of 22, 11, and 0.
What is the fuel economy of the 2011 Buick LaCrosse?
EPA rates it at 20 mpg combined (17 city / 27 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,250.

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.