2008 Buick LaCrosse Steering Problems

I SUBMIT THIS COMPLAINT ON BEHALF OF MY SENIOR CITIZEN MOTHER WHO IS 75 YEARS OLD. MY MOM HAD A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE & GOT LOCKED INSIDE OF HER BUICK CAR FOR OVER 1/2 HOUR & COULD NOT UNLOCK ANY OF 4 CAR DOORS FROM INSIDE TO ESCAPE OUT OF HER CAR. PLUS, KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN IGNITION & CAR WHEEL LOCKED UP. IT WAS WINTER SEASON !! CAR WAS STATIONERY. ALL CAR WINDOWS WERE ROLLED UP SO MY MOM COULD NOT GET ANY HEAT NOR FRESH AIR. MY MOM COULD HAVE FROZE TO DEATH INSIDE OF HER CAR !! MORE SCARY -- WE HAVE NO IDEA WHEN IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN NOR HOW LONG THE NEXT LOCKOUT WILL LAST !! CLEARLY THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE !! ESPECIALLY FOR A SENIOR CITIZEN PERSON. WE ARE AMAZED THAT BUICK DID NOT YET ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT. I FOUND BUICK FORUMS ON THE INTERNET WHERE HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE COMPLAINED OF SAME RELATED PROBLEMS !! I EMAILED ALL 7 WEBSITES TO BCR. SOME PEOPLE CANNOT EVEN UNLOCK DRIVER CAR DOOR TO INTO GET INTO DRIVER'S SEAT !! THEY HAVE TO ENTER THEIR CARS THRU PASSENGER & CRAWL OVER TO PASSENGER CAR SEAT OR ENTER FROM BACKSEAT OF THE CAR !! OBVIOUSLY BUICK & GM NEVER DID ANYTHING YET ABOUT THIS SCARY & ANNOYING PROBLEM !! ON MARCH 16 2018 I OPENED A NEW CASE #8-4000469674 WITH BUICK CUSTOMER RELATIONS (BCR). THEY FLAGGED THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE !! BCR SAID BUICK WILL ONLY WORK WITH A BUICK CAR DEALER ON THIS ISSUE IF MY MOM BRINGS HER CAR TO A BUICK CAR DEALER. SO WE MADE AN APPT FOR THIS MONDAY, APRIL 16 8:30AM AT FOX VALLEY BUICK (FVB) IN ST. CHARLES, IL TO GET HER BUICK CAR DIAGNOSED !! BCR WILL WORK WITH FVB & CEM (CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MANAGER). CLEARLY -- THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE !! IN HOT HEAT OR WINTER COLD -- A PERSON CAN LITERALLY SUFFOCATE OR FREEZE BEING A TRAPPED PRISONER INSIDE OF THEIR CAR !!! 2 BCR REPS FAILED TO CALL ME BACK OVER 4 DAYS. ONE BCR REP WAS SUPERVISOR. BUT I WAS DILIGENT & I FOLLOWED UP WITH BCR !!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE POLE, GAS METER, AND TREE; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV. THE CONTACT HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE DRIVER RECEIVED FACIAL AND HAND INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER RECEIVED STOMACH INJURIES. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED FOR THE PASSENGER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V355000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,696.

THE VEHICLE START MAKING A FUNNY NOISE AND IT KEPT GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT CUTS OFF. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER I SAT FOR A WHILE BUT IT IS STILL MAKING A FUNNY NOISE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A MECHANIC TODAY THAT IT IS THE POWER STEERING. THAT WILL HAVE TO BE FIXED. I AM SURE THAT IT WILL COST A LOT OF MONEY. *TR

THERE IS A NHTSA SERVICE BULLETIN ID # 10024713 RELATED TO A POWER STEERING LEAK CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE PART OR DESIGN. THE BULLETIN RECOMMENDS A TIE DOWN STRAP TO PREVENT HOSE WEAR AND RESULTING LEAKAGE OF FLUID. LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND/OR DAMAGE TO THE POWER STEERING UNIT CAN RESULT FROM THIS LEAK. I BELIEVE BUICK HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR SOME TIME. I QUESTION WHY GM DID NOT RECALL ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM TO REPLACE THE WORN HOSE AND ATTACH A TIE DOWN STRAP BEFORE LEAKAGE WAS FOUND. LOSS OF POWER STEERING CAN BE A SAFETY ISSUE, AS SEEN WITH THE CURRENT IGNITION RECALLS. GM IS NOT PROVIDING ANY EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS DEFECT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CURB. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

WHILE DRIVING NORTH ON ALTERNATE 69 HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AT 5:00 P.M., MY VEHICLE ABRUPTLY LOSS POWER EVEN THOUGH I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE SLOWED TO A COMPLETE STOP. I WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND WAS UNABLE TO GET IN THE SHOULDER LANE BECAUSE I HAD NO PICKUP (UNABLE TO GIVE GAS TO ACCELERATE) SO MY HUSBAND AND I WERE CAUGHT IN FIVE 5:00 TRAFFIC WITH CARS WHIPPING AROUND US ON BOTH SIDES AND MANY EXCEEDING 65 MPH. I PUT ON MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED ON-STAR. I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THANK GOD FOR ON-STAR BECAUSE FROM THAT POINT ON, I WAS IN TERROR WITNESSING CARS COMING UPON US NOT SLOWING UNTIL THEY REALIZED I WAS AT A STAND STILL WITH LIGHTS FLASHING. THE CARS WOULD SWERVE TO KEEP FROM HITTING US. IT TOOK THE HIGHWAY PATROL AND POLICE 15 MINUTES TO GET TO US BUT DURING THAT TIME, I RELIVED VISIONS OF US BEING KILLED ON THE HIGHWAY. I CAN'T DESCRIBE THE HORROR, LOOKING OUT MY REAR VIEW MIRROR, WITNESSING OUR DEMISE TIME AFTER TIME. THOSE 15 MINUTES SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY. WHEN THE HIGHWAY PATROL ARRIVED THEY CLOSED LANES AND ASSISTED IN PUSHING CAR OUT OF THE HIGHLY TRAFFIC LANES. IT TOOK MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH TO TURN THE STEERING WHILE IN NEUTRAL. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO CONKLIN FANGMAN KC DEALERSHIP AND I HAD TO REPLACE IGNITION COIL AND MODULE THAT COST ME $933.16. THEY SAID THESE PARTS WERE NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, WHICH I HAVE FOUND OUT SINCE THEN GM HAS PUT DEALERSHIPS ON NOTICE OF THIS PROBLEM. IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH SUPPLYING ENOUGH MANUFACTURED PARTS TO TAKE CARE OF RECALL. IF I COULD AFFORD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR I WOULD BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL SAFE ANY LONGER IN THIS CAR. EMOTIONALLY I AM STILL SUFFERING FROM THE TRAUMA. *TR

I BELIEVE THERE IS A LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM IN MY BUICK LACROSSE 2008. I HAVE READ POSTINGS ON THE INTERNET OF OTHER BUICK LACROSSE OWNERS FROM MULTIPLE MODEL YEARS REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE. THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME TYPE OF FAILURE IN THE EQUIPMENT. MANY OWNERS REPORTED HAVING EXPENSIVE REPAIRS DONE, ONLY TO EXPERIENCE HE PROBLEM AGAIN. I AM CONCERNED WITH FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. I HAVE INQUIRED FROM BUICK IF THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS OR INTERNAL SERVICE NOTICES ABOUT A POWER STEERING ISSUE AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE IS NOT. WITH SO MANY INTERNET POSTING SHOWING UP I QUESTION BUICKS RESPONSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A SECOND VEHICLE. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUFFERED A BROKEN NOSE AND RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

I TURNED RIGHT ONTO A VERY STEEPLY GRADED RURAL ROAD. THE ROAD HAS 3 SERVICE RAMPS TO A MAJOR HIGHWAY, RT 28N. IT ALSO HAS 1 ROAD THAT ALLOWS A R/L ACCESS TO BURTON AND A CROSS TRAFFIC ACCESS TO 28N. I HAD JUST STARTED THE DESCENT DOWN BURTON WHEN I NOTICED THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. I APPLIED THE BRAKE TWICE TO REDUCE SPEED; IT WAS NON-RESPONSIVE. THE CAR CONTINUE TO SPEED DOWN THE HILL FOR APPROXIMATELY 3/4 MILE. THE CAR BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN ABOUT 1/2 MILE BEYOND THE ACCESS ROAD TO 28 N. WHEN I TRIED TO PULL OVER TO A GRAVEL/WEED "SHOULDER" I FOUND THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS ALSO OUT. I COULD NOT PULL COMPLETELY OFF THE ROAD, THUS CREATING A DANGER TO ANY CAR ON BURTON ROAD. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. THE CAR WAS TOTALLY INOPERABLE. IT HAD TO BE TOWED 20 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP LATE AT NIGHT. THE CAR HAD JUST PASSED THE 50K MILE BUICK INSPECTION. ON THREE PRIOR OCCASIONS, THOUGH, THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH A WINDOW MALFUNCTION, AND TWO DOORS LATCHES ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE SERVICE REPORT STATES THAT THE ENTIRE IGNITION COIL AND MODULE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE IGNITION MODULE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SAME ASSEMBLY DESIGN WAS USED IN THE BUICK LESABRE, THE CHEVY IMPALA, AND ONE OTHER BUICK MODEL. BUICK APOLOGIZED FOR THE FAILURE OF THESE COMPONENTS AND FOR PUTTING ME AND MY PASSENGERS INTO WHAT WAS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF BAIERL CHEVROLET (A QUALITY DEALERSHIP AND SERVICE ORGANIZATION) THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WITH OTHER OWNERS, BUT NONE HAD BEEN IN THE SITUATION I WAS IN. I WANTED TO REPORT THIS BECAUSE I FOUND NO INDICATIONS ON THE BUICK WEBSITE THAT SUCH FAILURES WERE POSSIBLE. HAVING LOST TOTAL CONFIDENCE IN THE CAR AND ITS DESIGN, THAT I TRADED IT IN FOR ANOTHER CAR AND TOOK ON EXPENSES THAT I HAD NOT BUDGETED FOR. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL AND MOTHER BOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 11/09/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST COIL REPLACEMENT, HE ASKED THE DEALER IF IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THE DEALER STATED IT WAS NOT. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT IN 2012, IN WHICH THE COIL AND MOTHER BOARD WERE REPLACED, THE EXACT FAILURE OCCURRED IN 2015. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE COIL AND MOTHER BOARD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $700. DURING BOTH INCIDENTS, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WHILE IN THE MIDST OF DRIVING. UPDATED 01/05/16. *JB

I WAS TRAVELING AT 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED RUNNING. I HAD ALL I COULD DO TO GET THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE NEITHER THE BRAKES OR POWER STEERING WOULD WORK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING COLUMN LATCH ADJUSTED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. UPDATED 01/22/15*CN UPDATED 01/26/15*JB

THE POWER STEERING IS MAKING A WHINING NOISE. THIS IS A FAIRLY NEW CAR AND IT'S NOT NORMAL TO HEAR THIS ALL THE TIME. BROUGHT IT TO A DEALERSHIP WHO COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG OTHER THAN THE SOUND. IT IS OBVIOUSLY GOING BUT ISN'T AT THAT POINT YET, PROBLEM BEING MY WARRANTY WILL EXPIRE BY THE TIME IT DOES. *TR

REPLACED POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION 2 TIMES,REPLACED FRAME BUSHING,REPLACED STABILIZER SHAFT LINK,REPLACED WORN FRONT SWAY BAR END LINKS,REPLACED INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT,REPLACED LEFT FRONT STRUT,RETORQUED SUSPENSION BOLTS AND LUBRICATED BUSHINGS. *TR