I was in a front end collision where the damages were over $20,000.00 and the air bags did not deploy.
The worst 2016 Buick Lacrosse problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Steering12
- Transmission7
- Acceleration6
- Airbags6
- Brakes4
- Engine4
- Driver assistance3
- Electrical3
- Fuel system3
- Seat belts2
- Body1
- Lights1
- Locks1
- Seats1
- Suspension1
- Tires1
- Visibility1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2016 Buick Lacrosse
Recalls 2
Seat belts: pretensioner
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V‑651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
- Risk
- A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. 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 17287.
Recall number 17V437000 · Recall details
Seat belts: pretensioner
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
- Risk
- A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. 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 16007.
Recall number 16V651000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2016 Buick Lacrosse 1,241
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
- This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
- PI to help diagnose A/C concern
- This document provides the technician with a diagnostic tip if the vehicle stalls and set diagnostic...
- This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size...
- This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a...
- This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have...
- New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
- This Warranty Administration service bulletin provides Lithium-Ion battery Exchange Process and...
- Provide info on that parts restriction ending for the rear diff clutch control 19435910
2016 Buick Lacrosse crash test ratings
Government 5-star crash tests. Higher is safer. Each row is a body style and drivetrain that was tested.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buick Lacrosse 4 DR AWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Buick Lacrosse 4 DR FWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Buick Lacrosse eAssist 4 DR AWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Buick Lacrosse eAssist 4 DR FWD | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
2016 Buick Lacrosse fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4‑cyl Hybrid | FWD | 24 | 35 | 28 |
| 3.6L 6‑cyl | FWD | 18 | 28 | 21 |
| 3.6L 6‑cyl | AWD | 17 | 26 | 20 |
What 2016 Buick Lacrosse owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The volt meter on the dashboard keeps dropping below 14 volts and 13.5 volts. The car has been checked by Buick and my mechanic no issues found. Buick has no idea why it keeps doing it neither does my mechanic. The problem is if there is a voltage drop, the computer will shut down the engine because of the low voltage. This could happen while driving which could be a serious problem. The date I provide is the last time it occurred, but it happens on a continuous basis.
On June 22,2026, I was involved in a frontal impact collision while traveling at approximately 35 mph. The vehicle suffered a catastrophic failure of the entire occupant restraint system. Despite a severe, high-speed frontal impact, the frontal airbags failed to physically deploy, and the seatbelt pretensioners failed to tighten, leaving the seatbelts completely loose. Crucially, the dashboard instrument cluster displayed a message indicating that an airbag deployment event had occurred. A check of the VIN shows no open recalls, meaning the GM SDM software update (the federal safety agency Campaign 16V651000) was likely marked as completed by a prior owner. However, the system completely failed to function as designed during a major crash, mimicking the exact symptoms of the original defect. The vehicle is currently held at a private tow yard pending an insurance investigation and an Event Data Recorder (EDR) download.
While driving down the road goin around 45 mph all of a sudden my steering wheel got so stiff I could hardly steer the car off the road and out of traffic. I didn't hit anything, my power steering just stopped. I put the car into park and turned off the ignition after a few minutes I started it back up and my steering was back to normal. This has happened to me 2 times driving my 2016 Buick Lacrosse Sport. It's Dangerous and Honestly if your not paying attention it can cause a accident.
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that the fuel pump was previously replaced due to the vehicle stalling while driving. The contact stated that the tailgate unintendedly opened while the vehicle was parked and turned off. Additionally, the vehicle jerked while driving from a complete stop, and the vehicle hesitated and shuddered while driving at various speeds. An unknown warning light was illuminated. OnStar was contacted and informed the contact that a DTC for the ABS was found. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was repaired for ABS failure; however, the failure persisted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was test-driven. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the transmission was previously replaced twice due to the failure. The mechanic advised the contact to get rid of the vehicle. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.
Trunk lid latch disintegrated, and lid flipped open without warning. Driver vision immediately obscured, leaving trunk contents to be easily dislodged and become hazardous to other motorists; will not secure.
Cars shudders 20-30 MPH. Started last year, I needed to get my wife for cancer treatments. Basically, shifted the car manually.
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that occasionally while his wife was driving in rainy or snowy conditions, the check power steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after it had stopped raining or snowing, the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact stated that a dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The contact was informed that a code for 19-NA-182 could be reset, and that there was no failure found with the steering. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that occasionally while driving at undisclosed speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the driver’s side air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the parts not being available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.
Diagnostic trouble code P0442. Evaporative emission system leak detected indicated by check engine light on.
Compare the 2016 Buick Lacrosse
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Other model years
200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019
Questions about the 2016 Buick Lacrosse
Is the 2016 Buick Lacrosse reliable?
Owners have filed 48 complaints about the 2016 Buick Lacrosse, fewer than a typical Lacrosse model year.
What is the 2016 Buick Lacrosse year score?
The 2016 Buick Lacrosse scores 84 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Buick Lacrosse: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Buick Lacrosse?
Steering, with 12 complaints, typically around 28,000 miles. Next is transmission (7).
How many recalls does the 2016 Buick Lacrosse have?
2 recalls, covering seat belts.
Is the 2016 Buick Lacrosse safe in a crash?
In government crash tests the 2016 Buick Lacrosse scored 5 out of 5 stars overall, depending on body style and drivetrain (4 versions tested).
What year does the Buick Lacrosse have bad steering?
The Buick Lacrosse model years with the most steering complaints are 2005 (51 complaints), 2006 (27 complaints) and 2012 (24 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2016 Buick Lacrosse get?
Official estimates for the 2016 Buick Lacrosse range from 20 to 28 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.4L 4-cyl hybrid, FWD) gets 24 city and 35 highway.
VIN decoder
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