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2009 Buick Lacrosse Recalls & Complaints

2

open safety recalls on record

Serious

146 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.32 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious15V519000

Exterior Lighting:Headlights

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 raises the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy & full details

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HDM, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14291.

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2006-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, GMC Envoy XL, 2006-2008 Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7x vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the headlamp driver module (HDM) may overheat and fail, causing the headlamps and daytime running lights to not illuminate.

Serious14V355000

Electrical System:Ignition

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

Remedy & full details

GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 23, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), and 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14299.

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille, 2006-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Complaint volume

146 this model-year 10 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

5Crashes
8Fires
3Injuries
0Deaths

Across 146 complaints. Severity Index 0.32.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Exterior Lighting45 · 31%Electrical System29 · 20%Air Bags27 · 18%Vehicle Speed Control9 · 6%Fuel/Propulsion System5 · 3%Engine5 · 3%Service Brakes3Power Train3
  1. Exterior Lighting — 45 reports
  2. Electrical System — 29 reports
  3. Air Bags — 27 reports
  4. Vehicle Speed Control — 9 reports
  5. Fuel/Propulsion System — 5 reports
  6. Engine — 5 reports
  7. Service Brakes — 3 reports
  8. Power Train — 3 reports
  9. Electronic Stability Control (Esc) — 3 reports
  10. Unknown Or Other — 2 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2005 (5) · 2006 (4) · 2007 (4) · 2008 (2) · 2009 · 2010 (2) · 2011 (4) · 2012 (5) · 2013 (5) · 2014 (5) · 2015 (3) · 2016 (2) · 2017 (2) · 2018 (3) · 2019 (2)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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