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2006 Buick LacrosseProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 300 owner complaints about the 2006 Buick Lacrosse, most often about the exterior lighting. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-519 the manufacturer reports only 47% of affected cars repaired.

2006 Buick Lacrosse
37
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.7× the Lacrosse median · #1 of 14 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 47%Owner complaints30035 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage89kExterior lighting, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 4, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2006 Buick Lacrosse has problems

300 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Exterior lighting1568
Electrical system8410
Air bags387
Steering271
Suspension111
Engine81
Power train72
Service brakes71
Visibility50
15 other systems369

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2006 Buick Lacrosse recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

47%repaired · 2017 Q3

Exterior lighting: headlights

Recall 15V-519 · Aug 14, 2015 · 429,170 vehicles · 200,381 repaired

Risk. Headlamps that do not illuminate reduce the driver's ability to see the roadway and reduce the vehicle's visibility to oncoming vehicles, both of which…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

62%repaired · 2016 Q2

Electrical system: ignition

Recall 14V-355 · Jun 23, 2014 · 3,141,731 vehicles · 1,943,372 repaired

Risk. If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Air bags: frontal

Recall 06V-417 · Oct 31, 2006 · 794 vehicles

Risk. IF THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS, THE FRONT AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE MAY BE DISABLED WHEN IT SHOULD BE ENABLED, OR ENABLED WHEN IT SHOULD BE…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Buick.

Mileage at failure

When do exterior lighting problems start?

89kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 119 exterior lighting complaints. 56% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
5under 30k miles67under 100k miles52100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2006 vs. every other Lacrosse year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Lacrosse median. How we score

'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2006 Buick Lacrosse safety ratings

2006 Buick LaCrosse 4-DR w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2006 Buick Lacrosse frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
  • Stability control: Optional
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2006 Buick Lacrosse, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Loss of HeadlightsRQ17002 · closed Mar 29, 2021
    No recall
In owners' words

What Lacrosse owners report

Recent exterior lighting complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The contact owns a 2006 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds with the headlights activated, the front driver’s and passenger’s side low-beam headlights intermittently failed to remain illuminated, making it difficult to see the roadway. No warning light was…
Complaint 11542059 · Sep 1, 2023 · 119,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlamps failed to properly illuminate the roadway. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the…
Complaint 11484192 · Sep 13, 2022 · 65,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that while driving the headlights became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The…
Complaint 11433970 · Sep 22, 2021 · 130,000 miles

Own a 2006 Lacrosse?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.