Starter problems of the 2012 Buick Lacrosse

Two problems related to starter have been reported for the 2012 Buick Lacrosse. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2012 Buick Lacrosse based on all problems reported for the 2012 Lacrosse.

1 Starter problem

Failure Date: 11/15/2016

While driving on a city street at 20 mph the engine started knocking and the service charging system light came on. A few minutes later as I was backing into a parking spot in a parking lot at work the car shut off and would not restart. I had the car towed home and a mechanic looked at it and seen that the engine was hydro-locked which he was able to unlock. After checking the spark plugs, coils, valve cover, timing, oil, coolant, alternator, starter, battery, fuse block and wiring harness, the plugs needed replaced, there was metal shavings in the oil and some type of fluid in some of the sensor plugs on the motor. After replacing the plugs and oil and oil filter and cleaning other components I was driving the car to the store and the malfunction light came on along with service charging system and service stability trak I stopped at autozone to have them scan the engine and the code came back with malfunction with spark plug #3 so I bought a new plug and on the way home about 10 mins after leaving autozone the car completely shut down in the middle of the road. My mechanic came and we were able to get it to restart and get it back home which was only a few blocks. After doing another tuneup and getting it to drive again 2 blocks from my place a rod went right through the front bottom of the engine block which then required for a new engine. I called gm, Buick, the car lot I got the car from and everyone said there was no longer a warranty on the vehicle so the only choice I would have was to pay $10,000 for a new engine not including labor price. My car insurance didn't cover mechanical failures either so I was stuck with a $30,000 car that wasn't drivable. Cause is unknown. I bought this car in Jan. 2015 with 31,000 miles on it and this happened in Nov 2015 with 40 some thousand miles on it. Routine maintenance was kept up to date also.

2 Starter problem

Failure Date: 08/01/2015

The contact owns a 2012 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while traveling at various speeds without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to rick hendrick Chevrolet charleston (1500 savannah hwy, charleston, SC 29407) where he was informed that the vehicle was under NHTSA campaign number: 13v173000 (electrical system) but that the recall was closed. They diagnosed the vehicle with a defective starter. The starter was replaced. The contact stated that the failure persisted despite the repair. The contact took the vehicle back to the same dealer. Upon inspection, the mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with a defective generator control module which the contact linked to NHTSA campaign number: 13v173000 (electrical system). The contact spoke to a service manager who informed him that the defective part on his vehicle was not replaced. The dealer refused to service the vehicle under the recall. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure and provided no assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.


Other Electrical System related problems of the 2012 Buick Lacrosse



Safety Ratings of Lacrosse Cars
Fuel Economy of Lacrosse Vehicles
Lacrosse Service Bulletins
Lacrosse Safety Recalls
Lacrosse Defect Investigations