The transmission (randomly) fails to upshift. 1st to 2nd gear. Cold or hot. Start or in morion. Transmission was last serviced at 120,000 miles.
2010 Buick Lacrosse
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2010 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
143 reports with mileage · 46 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 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 44 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
17 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT-OFF AS THE SERVICE POWER STEERING MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WAITED APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MINUTES TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE C…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT-OFF AS THE SERVICE POWER STEERING MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WAITED APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MINUTES TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WHO WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,400.
AIR BAG IS ON SAYS IT NEEDS CHECKED AND ALSO SOME ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION THAT IS CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK WHILE ACCELERATING
OVER THE TWO YEARS, WHILE DRIVING, THE SERVICE STABILITRAK WARNING LIGHT COMES ON; THE ABS & PARK ASSIST LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF; MY RPM, SPEEDOMETER, & TEMPERATURE GAUGES GO HAYWIRE; AND THE ENGINE LOSES POWER CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK. THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THIS WILL …
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OVER THE TWO YEARS, WHILE DRIVING, THE SERVICE STABILITRAK WARNING LIGHT COMES ON; THE ABS & PARK ASSIST LIGHTS FLASH ON AND OFF; MY RPM, SPEEDOMETER, & TEMPERATURE GAUGES GO HAYWIRE; AND THE ENGINE LOSES POWER CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK. THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN. I HAVE BEEN PUT IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS WHEN THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING INCLUDING ON SIDE STREETS AND MAJOR HIGHWAYS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON AND STAYS ON THROUGHOUT THE REST OF MY DRIVE. YOU CAN GO SOMETIMES WEEKS OR MONTHS INCIDENT FREE AND WITH NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. THEN OUT OF NOWHERE IT HAPPENS AGAIN. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DAVE SINCLAIR BUICK / GM DEALER LOCATED IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS FOR THE SAME ISSUE YET TO NO AVAIL IT IS STILL NOT FIXED. THE DEALER'S TECH SAID MY CARS PROBLEM IS ALMOST CERTAINLY ELECTRICAL. SO FAR THEY HAVE FOUND MULTIPLE CODES FOR ECM (THEY REPLACED AT MY COST) & TCM LOST COMMUNICATION PCM MALFUNCTION & OTHER COMMUNICATION ISSUES (THEY REPROGRAMMED). THEY HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR AND HAVE DUPLICATED THE ISSUES BUT TO THIS POINT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PINPOINT THE PROBLEM BUT SAID THAT IT'S ELECTRICAL. I CONTACTED BUICK AND CHATTED WITH AN ADVISOR (A COPY WAS UPLOADED) WHO BASICALLY TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO. A QUICK SEARCH OF THE INTERNET WILL SHOW SEVERAL OTHER BUICK OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE AS I DESCRIBE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION & I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR SINCE I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER, THUS CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.
WHEN I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WITH THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY STILL INTACT I HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON SEVERAL TIMES. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOTHING AND HAD IT RESET. OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS I HAVE HAD IT COME ON MORE FREQUENTLY SINCE THEN AND NOW IT HAS BEEN ON FOR OVER A YEAR. WITH FRUSTRATING AMOU…
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WHEN I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE WITH THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY STILL INTACT I HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON SEVERAL TIMES. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOTHING AND HAD IT RESET. OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS I HAVE HAD IT COME ON MORE FREQUENTLY SINCE THEN AND NOW IT HAS BEEN ON FOR OVER A YEAR. WITH FRUSTRATING AMOUNTS OF TIME SPENT TO TRY TO DETERMINE WHAT THE ISSUE IS I FINALLY FOUND OUT THE TIMING CHAIN AND SEALS NEED TO BE REPLACED. ONE OF THE SYMPTOMS IS THAT THE OIL IN MY CAR IS NOT BEING DISTRIBUTED PROPERLY. THIS WOULD ALSO BE ONE OF THE REASONS I HAVE HAD TO ADD OIL BEFORE EVERY 3000 MILE OIL CHANGE BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR WILL START RUNNING HARD AND ACCELERATION IS HARDER. MANY TIMES I WOULD ONLY PUT 1500 MILES ON MY CAR AND MY OIL WOLD BE BONE DRY. PUT OIL IN AND IT GETS BETTER. IF I WOULDNT HAVE HAVE CAUGHT THIS MY ENGINE WOULD SURELY HAVE BEEN BLOWN. SO NOW 3 YEARS LATER I AM STUCK WITH THIS ISSUE WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOUND WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AS ALL THE SAME ISSUES WERE OCCURRING THEN AND NOW. I CANT SEEM TO ACCESS MY BUICK ACCOUNT ONLINE SURPRISINGLY BUT IT DID HAVE ALL MY SERVICE RECORDS PROVING MY ATTEMPTS WITH THEM. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY ISSUE, I KNOW THAT THE SAME VEHICLE JUST WITH A SAMLLER ENGINE HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME THING. WHY NOT THE BIGGER ENGINE? I NOW HAVE A $2000 REPAIR TO MAKE NOT INCLUDING THE SEVERAL HUNDRED IT TOOK TO DETERMINE THE ISSUE. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE THAT IS HAPPENING IN BUICKS OF THIS AGE AND NEWER BECAUSE IT IS HAPPENING ALOT.I HAVE MANY SERVICE RECEIPTS SHOWING THE PROCESS OF THIS AND ALSO THE DIAGNOSIS TODAY AND THEONE I WILL BE GETTING TOMORROW TO CONFIRM AND WILL BE GLAD TO FORWARD ON TO YOU IF NEEDED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND IN THE PROCESS OF ACCELERATION. THE ISSUE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND IN THE PROCESS OF ACCELERATION. THE ISSUE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE THE GEAR SHIFTER STICK WAS IN THE REVERSE POSITION AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. A MAINTENANCE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT KNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE THE GEAR SHIFTER STICK WAS IN THE REVERSE POSITION AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. A MAINTENANCE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT KNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.
ON FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2016 I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A 2 LANE ROAD WITH MY CRUISE CONTROL SET WHEN MY CAR SUFFERED A LOSS OF POWER. THE ENGINE STILL WAS RUNNING, BUT APPARENTLY MY TRANSMISSION LOST THE ABILITY TO POWER THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO PARK ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, AND EVENTUALLY, TOWED TO MY MECHANICS SHOP. YESTERDAY I WAS T…
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ON FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2016 I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A 2 LANE ROAD WITH MY CRUISE CONTROL SET WHEN MY CAR SUFFERED A LOSS OF POWER. THE ENGINE STILL WAS RUNNING, BUT APPARENTLY MY TRANSMISSION LOST THE ABILITY TO POWER THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO PARK ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, AND EVENTUALLY, TOWED TO MY MECHANICS SHOP. YESTERDAY I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY TRANSMISSION CONTROL AND IT WILL COST ME $1060 TO REPAIR. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON ENOUGH PROBLEM THAT BUICK DEALERS KEEP THE PART IN STOCK.. IF IT IS THAT COMMON OF A PROBLEM, AND CARS ARE LOSING POWER ON THE ROAD, THAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO RECALL, INSTEAD OF TAKING HARD EARNED MONEY OUT OF OWNERS POCKETS TO FIX! I MIGHT ADD THAT THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 68,000 MILES ON IT!
THIS IS A REOCCURRING ISSUE WITH THE CAR SHUTTING OFF COMPLETLY WHILE DRIVING OR LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. *TR
THE TRANSMISSION DOES FORCEFUL JERKING WHILE GOING 30-35 MPH. ALSO WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NORMAL AS GM DESIGNED THE TRANSMISSION THIS WAY. I FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE. *TR
Official recalls
221V00F000 · Suspension:rear
Dec 22, 2021
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
20V764000 · Suspension:rear
Dec 21, 2020
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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