2016 Buick LaCrosse Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
GoodComplaint Index
44/100
#6 most-complained of 10 LaCrosse years
The 2016 Buick LaCrosse ranks 6th worst out of 10 model years with a complaint index of 44 and a "Good" verdict. NHTSA lists 48 complaints, 2 recalls, and 5 crashes, with steering as the top problem area (25% of complaints).
- Complaints
- 48
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes / fires
- 5 / 2
- Injuries / deaths
- 3 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 21
- 18 city / 28 hwy
Top 2016 Buick LaCrosse problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Steering12 (25%)
- Engine9 (19%)
- Transmission & Powertrain7 (15%)
- Airbags6 (13%)
- Other5 (10%)
- Brakes4 (8%)
- Electrical System4 (8%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras3 (6%)
- Fuel System3 (6%)
- Structure & Body3 (6%)
What owners report
- Airbags failed to deploy in multiple crashes, including a frontal impact and a deer collision, sometimes with the warning indicator illuminated.
- One owner reported a fuel supply line leak causing a gasoline odor inside the cabin.
- At highway speeds above 65 mph, the vehicle displayed a "reduced engine power" message and downshifted to around 45 mph, forcing an emergency pull-off.
- The front hood latch partially opened while driving at 22,100 miles.
- Interior humidity caused the windshield to fog up quickly from the defroster vents, reducing visibility.
- An unoccupied vehicle caught fire without a clear cause identified.
2016 Buick LaCrosse recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 17V437000Jul 10, 2017Seat Belts40,683 vehicles
Seat belts:pretensioner
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.
- NHTSA 16V651000Sep 8, 2016Airbags3,640,162 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.
2016 Buick LaCrosse fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 18 MPG
- Highway
- 28 MPG
- Combined
- 21 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,100
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Gasoline or E85
- 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.
2016 compared with other LaCrosse years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2016 Buick LaCrosse reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2016 LaCrosse has a complaint index of 44 and a "Good" verdict, ranking 6th worst among 10 model years covered.
- What is the top problem area for the 2016 Buick LaCrosse?
- Steering is the top problem area, accounting for 12 complaints, or 25% of all complaints filed for this year.
- Does the 2016 Buick LaCrosse have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2016 LaCrosse, one for seat belts (campaign 17V437000) and one for airbags (campaign 16V651000), neither marked do-not-drive.
- How does the 2016 LaCrosse compare to other model years?
- The 2016 LaCrosse has a complaint index of 44, better than the 2010-2014 years (which range from 56 to 100 and are rated Avoid or Caution) but worse than 2017-2019 years, which are rated Best.
- What is the median mileage for airbag complaints on the 2016 LaCrosse?
- Airbag-related complaints show a median mileage of 73,000 miles, and this problem area is linked to 5 crashes.