2011 Buick Lacrosse

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LACROSSE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CLIMATE CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V149000 (VISIBILITY). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000.

CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM. ON THREE OCCASIONS THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM HAS SWITCHED TO HEAT AND HIGH FAN, LOCKING THE DRIVER OUT OF THE CONTROLS AND CAUSING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT TO BECOME EXTREMELY HOT AND UNCOMFORTABLE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ON ONE OCCASION, TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND LET THE CAR SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING THE CAR. THE SYSTEM RETURNED TO NORMAL. ON TWO OF THE THREE OCCASIONS, THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. ON ONE OCCASION IT HAPPENED IN THE GARAGE. DASH LIGHTS - WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, ALL PASSENGER COMPARTMENT LIGHTS WENT OFF FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS, AND THEN CAME BACK ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY CHECKED THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE BATTERY. THEY FOUND NO COMPUTER CODES TO EXPLAIN THE MALFUNCTION.

DEFROSTER,HEAT,A/C,FAN SPEED,RECIRC, HEAT/COOL SEATS FUNCTIONS FAILED (STOPPED WORKING COMPLETLY) WHILE DRIVING IN A SNOW STORM ON JANUARY 12, 2016 ON HIGHWAY US 131 TO TRAVERSE CITY, MI. FOUND RECALL INFORMATION NHTSA # 11V149000. BROUGHT TO DEALER. DEALER SAID NOT COVERRED UNDER RECAL DUE TO VIN #, AND OWNER COST OF $400 + TO REPAIR. CONTACTED BUICK CUSTOMER CARE. SPOKE WITH ASIA AND LESLIE ON 1/15/16, WHO SAID GM COULD NOT HELP. I DESCRIBED LANGUAGE OF THE RECALL AS BEING IDENTICAL TO THE SAFETY HAZARD DESCRIBED IN THE NHTSA LANGUAGE: "WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING SYSTEMS" ON THESE VEHICLES, THE SOFTWARE IN THE ELECTRONIC CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE MAY DISABLE THE ABILITY TO ADJUST THE HEATING, VENTILATION, AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM SETTINGS. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE DRIVER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE COOLING AND VENTILATION FOR THE VEHICLE. CONSEQUENCE: IF THIS CONDITION AFFECTS THE DEFROST SYSTEM WHEN IT IS REQUIRED, IT MAY DECREASE THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH."

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