2011 Buick LaCrosse Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2011 Buick LaCrosse has a complaint index of 79, ranking 4th worst out of 15 model years, and carries an Avoid verdict. NHTSA lists 169 complaints, 4 recalls, and 15 crashes tied to this year, with Engine problems the top complaint area.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 79/100
- #4 of 15 LaCrosse years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 169
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 4
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 15
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 12
- Top issue
- Engine
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 20
- 17 city / 27 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 12 / 0
Top 2011 Buick LaCrosse problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine42 (25%)
- Electrical System33 (20%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires29 (17%)
- Brakes25 (15%)
- Transmission & Powertrain19 (11%)
- Structure & Body18 (11%)
- Visibility & Wipers18 (11%)
- Other16 (9%)
- Steering12 (7%)
- Airbags11 (7%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners describe the steering wheel suddenly locking up or becoming stiff mid-turn, sometimes causing loss of control.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in some crashes while deploying without warning in others.
- Some drivers report sudden unexpected acceleration at low speeds during tight turns, leading to crashes.
- Brake pedal reportedly failed to stop the vehicle in at least one case, resulting in a collision.
- One owner reported burned wiring and a fire under the hood discovered during a dealer visit at 74,000 miles.
2011 Buick LaCrosse recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2011 Buick LaCrosse reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2011 LaCrosse ranks 4th worst among 15 model years with a complaint index of 79 and an Avoid verdict. Engine problems make up the largest share of complaints at 25 percent.
- What are the most common problems with the 2011 Buick LaCrosse?
- NHTSA complaint data shows Engine issues lead at 42 complaints, followed by Electrical System at 33 and Suspension, Wheels & Tires at 29. Median mileage at failure for engine complaints was 60,000.
- Does the 2011 Buick LaCrosse have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2011 LaCrosse, covering suspension toe links, power height adjuster shoulder bolts, and an HVAC defrosting/defogging module. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2011 LaCrosse compare to other years?
- The 2011 model's complaint index of 79 is worse than most other LaCrosse years; only 2006 (100), 2010 (93), and 2008 (86) score worse. Years like 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2019 earn Best verdicts with much lower complaint indexes.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2011 Buick LaCrosse?
- EPA rates the 2011 LaCrosse at 20 mpg combined (17 city / 27 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,250.