2012 Buick Lacrosse Problems

Above Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2012 Buick Lacrosse.

20112013
Complaints
297
Crashes
15
Fires
4
Injuries
7
Fatalities
Recalls
5

Worst 2012 Buick Lacrosse Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#159 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:68,795 mi
Crash-related:2
Fires:1
#245 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:59,082 mi
Fires:1
#328 complaints

Suspension Failures

Avg mileage:68,410 mi
Crash-related:2
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2012 Buick Lacrosse.

Electrical Faults
59
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Avg Miles
68,795
Engine Problems
45
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
59,082
Suspension Failures
28
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
68,410
Electronic Stability Control
24
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
93,354
Steering Defects
24
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
65,455
Transmission / Drivetrain
23
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
37,973
Brakes
14
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
53,376
Unintended Acceleration
12
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
36,324
Fuel System
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
70,547
Seat-Related Issues
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
34,100
Wheel Issues
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
23,412
Airbags
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine & Cooling
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Headlight/Taillight Failures
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Body Structure
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Wiring
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Electronic Stability Control (Esc):Control Module
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Equipment:Electrical:Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc.
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Latches / Locks
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Tailgate:Latch
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Power Train:Driveline:Chain/Belt
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seats:Front Assembly:Head Restraint
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structure:Body:Door
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structure:Body:Hood
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Suspension:Front:Stabilizer Bar
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2012 Buick Lacrosse. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2012 Buick Lacrosse

5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~685,591 vehicles.

21V00F000Suspension:rear
~4,271 affected

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse, 2012-2013 Buick Regal, and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. These vehicles may have rear toe links that received an improper amount of electrocoating (e-coat) corrosion protection, which could cause the e-coat to become brittle and break away when contacted by road debris. Over time, the e-coat may chip away, exposing the metal toe link and making it more susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion may eventually cause the toe link to thin and ultimately fracture.

20V764000Suspension:rear
~220,006 affected

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Buick Regal, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. These vehicles may have rear toe links that received excessive electrocoating (e-coat) corrosion protection, which could cause the e-coat to become brittle and break away when contacted by road debris. Over time, the e-coat may chip away, exposing the metal toe link and making it more susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion may eventually cause the toe link to thin and ultimately to fracture.

14V447000Seats:front Assembly:power Adjust
~414,333 affected

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.

13V173000Electrical System
~42,904 affected

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 Buick LaCrosse and Regal, and model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco vehicles equipped with eAssist. These vehicles may have a condition in which the Generator Control Module (GCM) may not function properly. This could cause a gradual loss of battery charge and the illumination of the malfunction indicator light.

11V404000Electronic Stability Control
~4,077 affected

GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 BUICK LACROSSE PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JUNE 9, 2011, THROUGH JULY 2, 2011, FOR FAILING TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 126, "ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEMS (ESC)." THE STABILITRAK SYSTEM HAS AN INCORRECT CALIBRATION THAT MAY CAUSE THE SYSTEM TO NOT PROPERLY DETECT IF A SENSOR WERE TO MALFUNCTION, AND THE WARNING LIGHT INDICATING THAT THE SYSTEM IS NOT OPERATING WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE, AS REQUIRED IN THE SAFETY STANDARD.

Other Buick Lacrosse Years

2012 Buick Lacrosse — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2012 Buick Lacrosse reliable?
Verdict: Above Average Complaints. The 2012 Buick Lacrosse has 297 NHTSA complaints, 15 crash-related, and 5 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Electrical Faults with 59 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2012 Buick Lacrosse?
Top reported problems: Electrical Faults (59 complaints, avg 68,795 mi); Engine Problems (45 complaints, avg 59,082 mi); Suspension Failures (28 complaints, avg 68,410 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2012 Buick Lacrosse?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 62,124 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2012 Buick Lacrosse?
NHTSA complaints for the 2012 Buick Lacrosse include 15 crash-related reports, 4 fire reports, 7 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2012 Buick Lacrosse have any recalls?
Yes — 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 685,591 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2012 Buick Lacrosse?
Slightly worse than average. Most owners are fine; problem clusters are concentrated around specific components. Check the issues table below and match against the specific car's mileage.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Buick Lacrosse reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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