YearToAvoid

2018 Buick LaCrosse Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

11/100

#9 most-complained of 10 LaCrosse years

The 2018 Buick LaCrosse ranks 9th of 10 model years with a Complaint Index of 11 and is rated Best relative to other LaCrosse years. It has 12 NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls, with no crashes, fires, injuries, or deaths reported.

Complaints
12
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
24
21 city / 30 hwy

Top 2018 Buick LaCrosse problems

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

  1. Electrical System5 (42%)
  2. Engine5 (42%)
  3. Fuel System3 (25%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain3 (25%)
  5. Brakes1 (8%)
  6. Other1 (8%)

What owners report

  • Owners report the vehicle shutting off suddenly while driving, sometimes recurring even after a battery replacement and software update.
  • Some describe the engine hesitating or failing to accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed, accompanied by an engine power reduced or check engine warning.
  • Owners report the START/STOP transmission accumulator endcap bolt detaching, causing transmission fluid to leak and the vehicle to hesitate while accelerating.
  • Several describe the car slowing to a crawl with the check engine light on, tied to a fuel system recall that some dealers declined to address after codes were cleared.
  • One owner reported a key fob that failed to open the doors or restart the vehicle even after replacing the fob batteries.
  • One owner reported a thermostat failure on the 3.6 liter engine with the engine running cold and dual electric fans running constantly.
2018 Buick LaCrosse complaints: complaints filed per month3Oct 2018Sep 2019Jan 2022Nov 2023Jun 2024Sep 2025
18 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2018 to Nov 2025; peak May 2023 (3).

2018 Buick LaCrosse recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V668000Oct 29, 2020Transmission & Powertrain194,105 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

    Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.

  2. NHTSA 18V576000Aug 30, 2018Brakes210,628 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.

    Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. 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 18279.

  3. NHTSA 18V358000May 31, 2018Fuel System895 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.

    Risk: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. 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 18188.

2018 Buick LaCrosse fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
30 MPG
Combined
24 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,700
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.

2018 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
2016Good4448221
2017Best2234224
2018Best1112324
2019Best06224

All Buick LaCrosse years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Buick LaCrosse reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2018 LaCrosse has a Complaint Index of 11 and ranks 9th out of 10 model years, giving it a Best verdict relative to other LaCrosse years.
What problems does the 2018 Buick LaCrosse have?
NHTSA lists 12 complaints for the 2018 LaCrosse, split mainly between the Electrical System (5 complaints, 42%) and Engine (5 complaints, 42%), with fewer Fuel System, Transmission & Powertrain, and Brakes complaints.
Does the 2018 Buick LaCrosse have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 3 recalls covering the Transmission & Powertrain (start-stop accumulator), Brakes (brake system bleeding), and Fuel System (high pressure fuel pump and pipe replacement).
What is the median mileage at failure for the 2018 LaCrosse?
NHTSA complaint data lists a median mileage at failure of 26,600 miles for the 2018 LaCrosse.
How does the 2018 LaCrosse compare to other years?
The 2018 model has a Complaint Index of 11, far lower than the worst years like 2011 (100) and 2012 (89), and only slightly above 2017 (22) and 2019 (0).

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.