2011 Buick LaCrosse Electrical System Problems

I am reporting a serious safety defect involving a 2011 Buick LaCrosse CXL. The vehicle has repeatedly shut off while being driven, creating a dangerous situation. The issue first occurred in January 2026. The vehicle was later towed for repair in February 2026, and I was told the issue had been fixed and picked up the vehicle 3/20/2026 and gave 1600. However, on April 9, 2026, the vehicle shut off again while driving. This issue has occurred multiple times and persists despite repair attempts. When the vehicle shuts off, it creates a loss of power and poses a significant safety risk in traffic. I am concerned that this may be a broader safety issue and am requesting that this defect be documented and investigated.

#07-06-04-019F: Intermittent Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL} Illuminated, OTC Pl':1.~J with Reduced Engine Power (Repair Instrument Panel (IP) to Body Harness Connector). Lost power on I-84 and had to cross over the right lane because I had no power, barely missing a rear end collision.

The contact owns a 2011 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, it started on its own and would shut down on its own. The contact heard a roaring noise coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 72,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN ROOF SHADE BUTTON WAS DEFECTIVE AND FAILED ROLL BACK AS INTENDED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO JIM HUDSON BUICK GMC (4035 KAISER HILL RD, COLUMBIA, SC 29203) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED AN ESTIMATE FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000. *BF CONSUMER STATED THROTTLE- POSITION SENSOR FAILED AS WELL.*JB

EVERY TIME I WILL DRIVE FOR SO LONG I'D LOSE ALL POWER RADIO DASH LIGHTS HEADLIGHTS EVERYTHING AND START BLINKING AND GOING OUT AND FINALLY THE CAR WAS JUST DIE. COME TO FIND OUT IT IS ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND IT'S COSTING ME MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH TO EVEN GET IT BACK FROM THE SHOP.

FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 103 WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING SYSTEM AND I DON'T KNOW IF ITS EFFECTING MY A/C TO I HAVE TAKEN IT EVERYWHERE TO GET FIX AND NO ONE FIXES IT COMPLETELY STILLS BLOW COOL NOT COLD LIKE IT IS SUPPOSED TO. *TR

DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. SUDDENLY THE INFORMATION PANEL FLASHED STABILITRAK SERVICE REQUIRED (OR SIMILAR) THEN LOW POWER MODE. CAR WENT FROM 60 TO 30 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. UNABLE TO SPEED UP. NEEDED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. TURNED CAR OFF. TRIED TO RESTART AND IT WOULDN'T RESTART FOR SEVERAL TRIES. RESTARTED AND STILL SAID LOW POWER AND WAS IDLING LOW. TRIED AGAIN AND WAS NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL MORE TIMES AND ALWAYS IS SIMILAR. SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AT ALL IN A 30 MILE TRIP, SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS 3 TIMES. VERY DANGEROUS! COULD BE REAR ENDED! I HAVE READ MANY OTHER ACCOUNTS OF THIS HAPPENING IN THE 2011 BUICK LACROSSE. AFTER THIS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. WHEN I HAD THE AUTO PARTS STORE RUN DIAGNOSTICS IT FLAGGED MULTIPLE MISFIRES, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR 3 TIMES, POWER CONTROL MODULE INDICATOR, TRACTION CONTROL. IT SEEMS THIS IS A FLAW IN THIS CAR. I ATTEMPTED TO GET A PICTURE OF THE SATBILITRAK SENSOR INDICATOR LIGHT, BUT IT FLASHES ON AND OFF PRETTY QUICKLY AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING, AND DEFROSTER FAILED TO FUNCTION. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

WHILE DRIVING UPHILL IN THE WINTER, WENT TO TURN INTO NEIGHBORHOOD AT TOP OF HILL, JUST AS TURNING THE VEHICLE, VEHICLE DIED. EVERYTHING STOPPED WORKING. ENGINE SHUT OFF, BRAKES WOULDN'T WORK, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, LIGHTS WENT OFF, THEN WOULDN'T START. THEN THE VEHICLE INSTRUCTED TO ROLL DRIVER WINDOW DOWN THEN UP, ROLL RIGHT WINDOW DOWN THEN UP. ALMOST LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO REBOOT. BUT THIS HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. AFTER TRYING A THIRD TIME TO START, IT STARTED. ALL INFORMATION WAS GONE, NO MILEAGE, OIL LIFE GONE, TRIPOMETER GONE. DROVE VEHICLE HOME, JUST A BLOCK AWAY AND BEEN TOO SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE SINCE. *TR

POTENTIAL FATAL SAFETY HAZARD WITH DOOR LOCK PULL TOGGLES WHEN AN ACCIDENT DISABLES THE BATTERY. IN NORMAL OPERATION, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ALWAYS RETRACTS THE DOOR PULL TOGGLES COMPLETELY INTO THE TOP OF THE DOOR DURING ANY SHIFT OF THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. THE PULL TOGGLE DISAPPEARS COMPLETELY INTO THE DOOR WITH NO PORTION EXPOSED. IF THE VEHICLE BATTERY IS DISABLED, AS IN MINOR CRASH, THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS CANNOT BE OPERATED AND THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPEN MANUALLY. THE OCCURPANT IS LOCKED WITHIN THE VEHICLE UNTIL A WINDOW IS BROKEN OUT. THERE IS SIMPLY NO WAY TO OVERRIDE THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM TO EXIT THE VECHILE. PULLING THE DOOR HANDLE DOES NOT OVERRIDE THE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS. A SIMPLE FIX WOULD MERELY BE TO MAKE THE PLASTIC PULL TOGGLES 3/4 IN. LONGER SO THAT SOMONE CAN GRAB THE TOGGLE AND PULL IT TO THE UNLOCKED POSITION EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN ELECTRICALLY LOCKED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S WIRES WERE MADE WITH A SOY CHEMICAL THAT ATTRACTED RODENTS. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED TWICE. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED AT THE AREA OF THE ENGINE WIRES, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL. THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED AROUND THE BATTERY WIRES, WHICH CAUSED THE BATTERY TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GEORGE MATICK CHEVROLET (TELEGRAPH ROAD, REDFORD CHARTER, MI,48239 PHONE: (313) 531-7100) AND TAYLOR CHEVROLET (3801 TELEGRAPH ROAD, TAYLOR, MI 48180 PHONE: (734) 250-6220) FOR THE REPAIRS. THE ENGINE AND BATTERY WIRES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

VEHICLE COMPLETELY DEAD AFTER ALL TYPES OF ELECTRICAL MESSAGES DISPLAYED WHEN TRYING TO START. CAR WAS STATIONARY BOTH TIMES. THIS FIRST HAPPENED EARLY FEB 2016; THEN REPEATED SIMILAR SCENARIO 20 DAYS LATER. CAR WAS TOWED BOTH TIMES. LOW MILEAGE 52,278 MILES. MESSAGES GENERIC, DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE PROBLEM AND CONTACTED THE GM CUSTOMER CENTER ALSO. NOTHING DONE FIRST TIME. SECOND TIME DEALER STARTED UPDATING ALL THE ELECTRONIC MODULES-ALTHOUGH AGAIN NO SPECIFIC CAUSE AND EFFECT COULD BE IDENTIFIED. MODULES UPDATED (EBCM, BCM ECM, ETC. ABOUT 27 MODULES. THUS FAR CAR HAS NOT BEEN DEAD AGAIN WITH EXCEPTION OF BATTERY ISSUE (ALREADY ANOTHER WARRANTY REPLACEMENT FOR ORIGINAL). MY CONCERN: IF THESE ELECTRONIC MODULES (COUPLE THOUSAND OF DOLLARS) ARE THE PROBLEM, HOW COME IT WAS NOT A RECALL VS REPAIR. OWNER SHOULD NOT BE A HOSTAGE TO A SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR A REPAIR TO MAKE THE CAR START? OF NOTE; MY CAR HAS HAD 21 WARRANTY FIXES WITH MY LOW MILEAGE. GM PRIOR TO THIS ELECTRONIC FAILURE EXTENDED MY WARRANTY OUT DUE TO THE MANY ISSUES AFTER I WAS FORCEFUL. BASICALLY, GM ENGINEERS ARE PRODUCING A CAR WHERE THEY CANNOT DEFINITIVELY STATE THE PROBLEM, BUT START TRYING EVERYTHING. THESE MODULE UPDATES WOULD COST COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS AND LOTS OF TIME IN SHOP. NOTE: MY AUTO IS A 4 WD LARGER ENGINE BUICK; FOB VS KEY SO SOMEWHAT FEWER ON THE ROAD. MY AUTO WAS ONE OF THE FIRST 2011 THAT ROLLED OFF ASSEMBLY LINE PROBABLY BUT VERY SIMILAR TO THE 2010 (FIRST YEAR OUT WITH THE CURRENT BODY STYLE). THE OTHER 21 WARRANTY JOBS (DRIVER SEAT, PASSENGER SIDE TRAFFIC WARNING MESSAGE, OIL LEAKS, TRANSMISSION LEAK AT SAME TIME AS ENGINE OIL LEAK, PROBLEMS WITH DOORS OPENING, RADIO NAV SYSTEM, RIGHT REAR HUB BEARING PAD, AND A COUPLE DRIVEN BY THE ACTUAL REPAIR VISIT.

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."

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-SKID DEVICE ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BRAKE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

VEHICLE HAS BEEN OPERATING NORMALLY. IT JUST CAME OFF WARRANTY A FEW WEEKS BACK. WIFE CAME HOME AND PARKED THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY. WENT OUT SEVERAL HOURS LATER TO GO SOMEWHERE AND IT WOULD NOT START. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS OF A PROBLEM. WHEN WE TURNED THE IGNITION KEY WE HEARD A FEW CLICKS AND THEN NOTHING. LIGHTS WE NOTICEABLY DIM. WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT STARTED WITH A JUMPER AND LET IT RUN FOR A WHILE. IT WILL BE SERVICED IN THE MORNING. IT APPEARS THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE BATTERY OR THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IN THE SYSTEM. WHILE WE WERE RUNNING, WE CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY CODES AND COULD NOT FIND ANY. THE CAR WAS PARKED ON ABOUT A 5% INCLINE FACING DOWN. WE USED THE INCLINE TO MOVE THE CAR TO A FLAT AREA WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO JUMP START.

THIS VEHICLE STALLS/CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. IT CAN OCCUR WHILE DRIVING OR TAKING OFF FROM A STAND STILL. IT MAINTAINS A STORED HISTORY CODE P0014 AND AFTER SERVICE WILL REAPPEAR. ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL AREA. BUICK HAS A NOTICE ABOUT THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND THAT HAS TO BE REPROGRAMED FOR THAT VEHICLE MODEL AND MY VIN NUMBER FALLS WITHIN THAT BULLETIN. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT DOESN'T WORK AND THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF AT A MOMENTS NOTICE. RIGHT NOW I'M AFRAID THAT MY LIFE OR SOMEONE ELSE IS IR REAL DANGER. UNFORTUNATELY I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE. WHILE SEARCHING FOR A SOLUTION I FOUND NUMEROUS OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM/ SAME COMPLAINT. I HOPE IT DOESN'T TAKE THE LOSS OF LIFE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

CAR WAS PARKED IN OUR GARAGE AT 2:30 PM. I WENT INTO THE GARAGE AT 7:45 PM AND FOUND IT EXTREMELY HOT (115F), OPENED THE GARAGE DOORS AND TRIED TO START THE CAR TO GET IT OUT OF THE GARAGE. WOULD NOT START AND CALLED AAA FOR A TOW. AAA SUGGESTED CALLING POLICE & FIRE. POLICE CAME AND THEY CALLED FIRE DEPT. TEMP UNDER HOOD REGISTERED 150F AND CO ALARM IN BASEMENT STARTED TO GO OFF. FIREFIGHTERS PUT ON PROTECTIVE GEAR, ENTERED HOUSE AND THEIR CO MONITORS WENT OFF IMMEDIATELY. GAS LINE SHUT OFF, HOUSE VENTED. CAR EVENTUALLY TOWED TO DEALERSHIP NEARBY. GAS COMPANY CAME THAT EVENING TO RESTART AND INSPECT DRYER, WATER HEATER, STOVE AND FOUND NO CO PROBLEM. HAVE YET TO HEAR FROM THE DEALER (FLEMINGTON BUICK) AS TO CAUSE, ISSUES, RESOLUTION. UPDATE 9/15/15*CW THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE TRADED THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 10/15/15*JB

WHILE DRIVING, USING THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR DIRECTIONS, THE DISPLAY CHANGED FROM DAY MODE TO NIGHT MODE RENDERING IT UNREADABLE. THE TIME OF DAY WAS AT LEAST TWO HOURS AFTER DAWN AND WAS WAS OVERCAST. THE DISPLAY REMAINED DARK FOR NEARLY AN HOUR. THIS ALSO AFFECTED THE BACKUP DISPLAY AS WELL, RENDERING IT USELESS. THE RADIO WAS ALSO USELESS AS STATIONS COULD NOT BE SELECTED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR A NON-RELATED ISSUE, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT UNKNOWN WIRES WERE BURNED UNDER THE HOOD. IT WAS VISIBLE THAT A FIRE OCCURRED UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE BATTERY WAS RECHARGED AND LATER REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN APPROACHING TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAYED SEVERAL WARNING MESSAGES BEFORE THE VEHICLE RESTARTED BUT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,178. PAM