2011 Buick Lacrosse

TRUNK RANDOMLY OPENS. IT HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES AND MY KEY FOB IS NOT IN MY POCKET. I KEEP IT ON A CLIP ON MY PURSE WHEN NOT IN USE. ONCE I NOTICED THE ALERT IN MY CAR POPPED UP ON MY DISPLAY WHILE DRIVING @ 55 MPH AND I DID STOP AND CLOSED THE TRUNK. MOST OF THE TIME CAR HAS BEEN STATIONARY. ONCE IT MUST HAVE BEEN OPENED DURING THE NIGHT AND IT RAINED. WHOLE TRUNK WAS VERY WET. SEVERAL TIME WHILE AT WORK AND MY CAR WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT--HAD SOMEONE TELL MY MY TRUNK WAS OPEN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT MOISTURE ENTERING THE VEHICLE FROM AN UNKNOWN SOURCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY AND O2 SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.*DT*JB

WHILE TURNING LEFT AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION, CAR LURCHED FORWARD AND GAINED SPEED/MOMENTUM WHILE AT SAME TIME STEERING WHEEL BECAME STIFF AND VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN & DRIVER COULD NOT CONTROL THE CAR. CAR DID NOT COMPLETE THE LEFT TURN BUT RATHER CONTINUED DRIVING AS IF ALL ON ITS OWN AND CRASHED INTO A HIGH CURB ON RIGHT SIDE OF CAR. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY; FRONT CAR PARTS SIMPLY CRUMBLED AND FELL OFF; SUSPENSION WAS RUINED; CAR TIRE WAS PUNCTURED ALONG WITH THE TIRE RIM BEING CRACKED CLEAR THROUGH IN A COUPLE OF AREAS. DRIVER WAS INJURED WITH HEAD INJURY, CRACKED RIB, AND BROKEN RT. FOREARM. CAR WAS TOTALED OUT BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY CRASHED INTO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SWERVED AND CRASHED INTO THE GUARD RAIL. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BRUISES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE TWO OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED AND ONE OF THE DRIVER'S SUFFERED FROM AN UNKNOWN INJURY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER AND REPAIRED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THERE WAS ALSO DAMAGE TO THE FRONT SUB FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,449.

BLIND SPOT WARNING SYSTEM (BSWS) INOPERATIVE QUE ON VEHICLE MULTI FUNCTION INFORMATION DISPLAY (MFID), LOCATED BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL IN A 3"X4" AREA IS INADEQUATE. THE BSWS ON THIS VEHICLE IS VERY SUSTAINABLE TO ROAD SPRAY DURING RAIN EVENTS THAT RENDERS THIS SYSTEM INOPERATIVE. THE ISSUE IS IN THE WARNING THAT IS DISPLAYED TO THE DRIVER WHEN THIS OCCURS. THE MESSAGE DISPLAYED IS ONLY SHOWN FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 SECS, THEN IS REMOVED WITHOUT ANY DRIVER ACTION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT . NO ICON IS SHOWN TO REMIND DRIVERS OF ACTIVE MESSAGES. IF THIS MESSAGE IS MISSED, THE DRIVER IS NOT AWARE THAT THIS SYSTEM IS INOPERATIVE. ALSO, THERE IS NO MESSAGE TELLING THE DRIVER WHEN THIS SYSTEM BECOMES OPERATIONAL AGAIN. TWO POSSIBLE OUTCOMES. 1. THE DRIVER DOES NOT BELIEVE IN THE SYSTEM, LOSING THE BENEFIT OF THIS VALUABLE SYSTEM, ESPECIALLY IN THIS VEHICLE MODEL WITH ITS LARGE BLIND SPOTS, OR 2. THE DRIVER BELIEVING IN THE SYSTEM AND TURNS INTO TRAFFIC, NOT REALIZING THAT THE SYSTEM HAS BECOME INOP AND UNAWARE BECAUSE OF THE MISSED MESSAGE ON THE MFID. THESE ARE BASIC HUMAN FACTORS ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRIES FOR YEARS. THE INDUSTRY NEEDS TO ADDRESS THESE TYPES OF ISSUES AS WE CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR RELIANCE ON AUTOMATION IN THESE VEHICLES. THE LACK OF A STANDARD AND STANDARDS BETWEEN MANUFACTURERS WILL BECOME A SIGNIFICANT PLAYER IN COMING YEARS. *TR

THE POSTS ON THE FRONT RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE RESTRICT VISIBILITY TO A SERIOUS DEGREE. BECAUSE OF THE POST ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR BLOCKING VISIBILITY I HAVE HAD NEAR MISSES, AND ACTUALLY CAUSED ME TO HIT A CURB AND GET A FLAT TIRE. OTHER TIMES I HAVEN'T SEEN PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY CAR. THE POST AND MIRRORS SIZE AND LOCATION MAKES IT A VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT COULD NOT SEE THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE HOOD, FENDERS, AND BUMPER OR THE GROUND IN ORDER TO VERIFY WHEN TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE SALES MANAGER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO INSTALL A BACK UP BUMPER CAMERA TO THE FRONT BUMPER TO ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,050 . THE CONSUMER STATED WHERE THE HOOD AND DASH MEET AT THE WINDSHIELD, BOTH ARE RISING AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SIT ON TOP OF THAT. IT IS DESIGNED FOR RECESSED WIPERS, BUT THE BLADES ARE NOT RECESSED. THEY SIT ABOVE THE HIGH PART OF THE DASH. ONE THIRD OF THE HOOD SURFACE WOULD BE INVISIBLE WITHOUT WIPER BLADES. TO SEE THE HOOD TOP SURFACE, THE CONSUMER MUST RAISE THE SEAT AND PLACE IT FORWARD, SO HE CAN HIS CHIN OVER THE TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL. UPDATED 10/28/11 UPDATED 11/09/2011 *LN *TR