2010 Buick Lucerne fuel system problems

Filed Aug 14, 2025 · Electrical, Fuel system · MI

We have a Buick Lucerne 2010. We went out it would not start. Tow it to dealership they replace the fuel pump. We did. Get it home next day it will not start again. Tow it to dealership again. This time they find melted wire connectors. Under back seat and on a fuse box.They replace them it starts and melt them again. This time they call to junk yards to get a used fuse box and connectors. Because of cost. The junk yards did tell them it's a known problem with these cars and they sell these fuse boxes and connectors sell as fast as they get them. We said no used parts on this car. Come to find out that GM now's about this problem. And has not done anything about it. They meaning GM. Has even put out papers on the internet as how to try and fix it. Such as cut the insulation around the fuse box.And even cutting the seat belt bracket. My wife drives this car everyday. Now she is afraid of it. Because if it happened once could it happen again. I don't now. I have drove GM's all my life but am not happy about this. What do I do. Please help. I am a retired firefighter and I do not want her to drive this car if it could catch fire.

Filed Oct 6, 2021 · Electrical, Fuel system · MI

See GM Bulletin # 15-na-051 Vehicle died, required tow, found out due to fuel pump relay per bulletin cited above. Rear seat bracket interfered with fuse box, disabling vehicle requiring tow. Vehicle repaired at owners cost. Due to safety factor involved, the seriousness of the situation, for what portion of the costs of repair will the manufacturer be responsible?

Filed Oct 14, 2020 · Electrical, Fuel system · 71,000 miles · NY

Fuse box problem with design. The seat latch design together shorts out the fuel pump relay. This gets hot, shorts out and damages the fuel pump and can cause possible fire. This is a costly deadly design flaw and should be recalled. Lucky we fixed it in time. I have babies that sit in my back seat and it's scary to think that it could catch on fire with them sitting there.

Filed Nov 7, 2019 · Fuel system · 115,000 miles · IA

Car would not start while out of town. Had car towed to mechanic I trusted (not a certified buick dealer). Replaced fuel pump but after car was running a few minutes fuse box overheated and caused fuel relay to fail. He called buick and was told how to fix. He was also told that in order for fuse box and relay to be reimbursed buick dealer needed to submit claim. Submitted claim and got reimbursed for fuse box and relay but not pump. After 3-4 months of fighting buick to get fuel pump reimbursed, the denied appeal. Was told by agent of buick that fuel pump was warranted to 120,000 miles but only if taken to buick dealer. I don't trust the buick dealership in the town I was in when the car wouldn't start, which is why I took to mechanic I trusted. Communication with buick has been horrible...they don't even bother to respond unless you get contacting them. We have a 2006 buick lucerne with 205,000 miles and it still has original fuel pump. Car complaints.com has many instances of this problem in 2009 and 2010 lucerne but buick won't stand behind them!

Filed Oct 28, 2019 · Electrical, Fuel system · 60,000 miles · TX

2010 buick lucerne had been driven home and was cooling in driveway. After two hours, starter would turn over but engine would not start. Began to smell burning plastic inside vehicle. Found symptoms of problem described in gm service bulletin 15-na-051. After removing back passenger seat bottom cushion, checked inside rear fuse box and found that fuel pump relay had shorted and melted the relay and damaged adjacent fuses with burn marks across surface of fuse box. Waiting for vehicle to be towed to mechanic for fuse box replacement and to diagnose other potential damage caused by relay failure. Mileage at time of failure was 60,000. According to the bulletin, bracket on bottom of seat cushion pushes against the fuse box lid, which pushes against the fuel pump relay causing damage to the relay and fuse box. Why has there been no recall to repair this dangerous design flaw?

Filed Aug 26, 2019 · Fuel system · 116,000 miles · TX

Car started and was cooling down in a parking lot when it died without warning. It wouldn't restart. We towed it to a shop where they determined that the fuel pump had gone bad. Later discovered a bad sensor and relay. All traced back to the fuse box under the driver's side passenger seat that had melted due to pressure put on it by seat and various occupants/items. Mechanic replaced fuse box, relay, sensor and fuel pump plus warned me not to place anything heavy (or allow a heavy person to sit) on that side of the back seat. Mileage is 116,245

Filed Jul 21, 2017 · Fuel system · 144,800 miles · OH

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 buick lucerne. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start without warning. The vehicle was towed to ken's auto service center (located at 1656 massillon rd, akron, oh 44312; (330) 733-4328) where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The same failure occurred the second time. The vehicle was towed again to ken's auto service center where it was diagnosed that the fuse box underneath the seat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 144,800.

Filed May 1, 2017 · Fuel system · 53,000 miles · LA

Tl* the contact owns a 2010 buick lucerne. While driving 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the fuel pump and relay failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact was informed that the relay failed. The relay was replaced three additional times, but the failure continued. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 53,000.

Filed Jun 25, 2016 · Fuel system · 77,000 miles · WA

The car cranks but does not start. I have had the car into the dealer 3 times and purchased spare relays and spare fuse box . Car became very unreliable...never knew when it was going to start. I replaced fuel pump relays 8 times until my third (and hope final) visit to dealer . Total bill so far about us$1700. 1st visit (sep 15 2015)- they replaced fuel pump and relay. Car ran until..... 2nd visit (dec 01 2015) - they replaced fuse box with used because gm did not have any new ones at any warehouse!!! They read bulletin 15-na-051 that referred to fuel pump relay problems due to rear seat clip and modified seat clip so it no longer protruded into fuse box cover. After this visit relay was fried upon starting about 5 times until..... Jun 22 2016 - visited dealer (after phone calls not answered) to discuss repeated problem and possible causes with service manager - found a deep mark in fuse box cover - indicated that used fuse box I had been in contact with av seat clip ... 3rd visit ( jun 23 2016) - they checked wiring between fuse box and fuel pump carefully at my request and replaced the used fuse box with new one. So far after 10 starts it still works and I am a little bit more confident that we have found the problem (damaged fuse box terminal due to seat clip?), but only time will tell. Gm's lack of interest in this problem is disgusting...I have read over 60 complaints for this car from 2006-2011 models and no doubt this is a small sample. It is the most common complaint for the lucerne on complaint websites. The bulletin re the seat clip (an easy diy fix) is not available publicly . This would save much frustration and dollars. -- despite the fact that this was a common and serious problem with this car, gm did not stock new replacement fuse boxes.

Filed Sep 13, 2015 · Fuel system · 62,000 miles · MI

When to start vehicle on the above date and it would not turn over, the day before while I was driving I smell something burning and today it does not start. Reading about problem and complaint on the internet I realize that this is a common problem with the vehicle years 2006 until 2011. It seems there needs to be a recall on these vehicle, because a fire hazard could happen and the vehicle can catch fire while driving or stopped.