IllustrationAir bag light comes on is also intermitt some times stays on and someimes on only for a minute or two
2008 Buick Lacrosse
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2008 Buick Lacrosse do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 129.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Lacrosse years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
310–25K
5725–50K
5650–75K
3675–100K
16100–150K
4150K+
200 reports with mileage · 50 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 84 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 77 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports6 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
250 reportsOn three occasions, when driving at night, both headlights suddenly went out. The next day the headlights were working normally. The dealer's service department could not find anything wrong. Later, we found out there was a "Safety Recall" (#14291),but it expired one year before our car developed the problem. We have contacted t…
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On three occasions, when driving at night, both headlights suddenly went out. The next day the headlights were working normally. The dealer's service department could not find anything wrong. Later, we found out there was a "Safety Recall" (#14291),but it expired one year before our car developed the problem. We have contacted the dealership and Buick, neither one will help us. They expect us to pay for the replacement of the defective part (Headlamp Driver Module).
My vehicle has been parked for the better of about two years due to head lamp failure and engine shutting off without warning at any particular time. Steps were made to fix the issue but the problem continues still to this day.
The contact owns a 2008 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the headlights failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the headlamps had failed. The headlamps were replaced and the failure was remedied however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was noti…
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The contact owns a 2008 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the headlights failed to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the headlamps had failed. The headlamps were replaced and the failure was remedied however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V519000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 41,000.
The contact owns a 2008 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the airbag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Door locks somtimes would lock or unlock and other times not work at all. Made it a issue when parking or entering the car. I had to replace the lock mechanism in the doors. The car has 99135 miles on it but should not have a problem especally the back doors since they are not used very often.
THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 30196 MILES ON IT.THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. I NOTICED THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MODEL BUICK LACROSSE.WHY HASN'T A RECALL BEEN ISSUED ON THESE VEHICLES.
DOORS WILL NOT LOCK WITH EITHER THE FOB OR THE INTERIOR LOCK BUTTON ON EITHER DOORS. I'M READING ON LINE OF SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THIS MODEL WHERE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK!
THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS AND RUNNING LIGHTS JUST GO OFF FOR NO REASON. WHEN DRIVING HOME ON NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF FOR NO REASON. THE NEST DAY, THEY WORKED. THEY CONTINUE TO WORK, BUT THE NIGHT THEY WENT OUT WAS VERY DISTURBING. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, ON STATE HGWY, GETTING READY TO TURN TO THE RIGHT.
THE DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT. I DID LOOK UP ANY RECALLS, WHICH THERE WAS FOR THIS, BUT IT SHOWS THAT IT WAS FIXED. WE DIDN'T HAVE AN ISSUES FOR THE FIRST 9 MONTHS AND HAVE NOW REPLACED THE BULB SEVERAL TIMES. I AM CONCERNED THAT IT IS HAPPENING WHILE MY DAUGHTER IS DRIVING THIS AT NIGHT IN A RURAL AREA W…
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THE DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT KEEPS GOING OUT. I DID LOOK UP ANY RECALLS, WHICH THERE WAS FOR THIS, BUT IT SHOWS THAT IT WAS FIXED. WE DIDN'T HAVE AN ISSUES FOR THE FIRST 9 MONTHS AND HAVE NOW REPLACED THE BULB SEVERAL TIMES. I AM CONCERNED THAT IT IS HAPPENING WHILE MY DAUGHTER IS DRIVING THIS AT NIGHT IN A RURAL AREA WITH A LOT OF DEER AND OTHER ANIMALS RUNNING INTO THE ROADS.
Official recalls
215V519000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights
Aug 14, 2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2006-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, GMC Envoy XL, 2006-2008 Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7x vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the headlamp driver module (HDM) may overheat and fail, causing the headlamps and daytime running lights to not illuminate.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Headlamps that do not illuminate reduce the driver's ability to see the roadway and reduce the vehicle's visibility to oncoming vehicles, both of which increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HDM, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14291.
14V355000 · Electrical System:ignition
Jun 23, 2014
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille, 2006-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 23, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), and 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14299.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1RQ17002 · Loss Of Headlights
Opened Apr 24, 2017 · Closed Mar 29, 2021
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:headlights
The subject vehicles are model year (MY) 2002-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2004-2007 Buick Rainier, 2003-2008 Isuzu Ascender, 2005-2009 Saab 9-7X, 2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2003-2006 Chevrolet SSR, 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse, and 2006-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. This scope includes the Trailblazer/Envoy variants: 2002-2006 Envoy XL/Trailblazer EXT and 2004-2005 Envoy XUV. The original scope of this investigation was expanded to include all vehicles equipped with the subject Headlight Driver Module (HDM). The focus of the investigation was to determine whether actions performed by General Motors adequately addressed any unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety in the subject vehicles concerning the headlights and the HDM that controls them.Under normal electrical load and environmental conditions, the HDM can overheat inside the Underhood Electrical Center (UEC). This can cause the module to fail and result in a simultaneous loss of both low beam headlights and both daytime running lights (DRLs), often with no warning or prior detectability to the driver. This failure can be intermittent or permanent. No other exterior lights are affected. High beams, turn signals, brake lights, and reverse lights are still operational.General Motors addressed this issue with 2 recalls (14V755 & 15V519) and a special coverage program (N172091910). In view of the recalls and special coverage program implemented by GM and the vehicle high beams continuing to operate, ODI has tentatively concluded that the actions taken by GM mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by HDM failure in the subject vehicles.Accordingly, the investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.The ODI reports cited above are available for review online at NHTSA.gov under the identification numbers in the attached document.