2013 Buick LaCrosse Engine Problems

The bolt that secures the Serpentine belt tensioner unit to the motor block has repeatedly snapped apart leaving the tensioner unit to dangle from the block. Not secured, which causes the belt to dislodge or break (both have happened) the spring is left to flail about as is the tensioner unit since it is no longer connected to the engine block. Not to say where the other half of the bolt could end up. So far each time it snaps in half the other half remains in the block. But the unit is no longer secured to the block. While driving when this occurs makes controling the vehichle unsafe. It loses power and or surges at will. A hope to make it to the side of the road without crashing or causing a crash is an issue. I cannot afford a repair establishment, a family member does my repairs. ... There has been no other inspection of the issue. As for warning lights. No. Everything is fine until the unit is jiggled away from the block after the bolt snaps in half. The force of the tensioner unit action (im assuming) is too much for the bolt - causing it to snap in two. It has occurred 2 times the second was the beginning of Feb 2025 and the first about 9 to 10 months earlier in 2024. The belt has also broken off before but the unit remained attatched to the block that time. I did see on youtube that others have had the bolt snap. Like it is not strong enough for the job it has to perform. Hope u can help

The contact’s wife owns a 2013 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that on several occasions while the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle lunged forward and the engine stalled; however, after releasing the brake pedal, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and then lunged forward. The contact stated that the engine engaged at low speeds. Additionally, the contact stated that there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle. The oil warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was taken to a different dealer where it was diagnosed that the main drive belt and valve cover gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the valve cover needed to be tightened but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 83,907.

THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL AS WELL AS OTHER 2.4 LITRE GM ENGINES WHERE THE PCV VALVE MAY BECOME CLOGGED AND IF IT IS NOT FIXED IT CAN CAUSE THE REAR OIL SEAL TO BE DAMAGED, HENCE RENDERING THE ENGINE USELESS. THERE IS A SPECIAL COVERAGE BULLETIN THAT COVER THIS VEHICLE AND OTHERS UNDER CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS. HOWEVER MY VEHICLE HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND IS OVER $1`,000 TO DIAGNOSE AND FIX. AFTER TALKING TO BUICK, EVEN THOUGH I AM WITHIN COVERAGE DATES AND WELL BELOW THE MILEAGE, MY VEHICLE DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR REPAIR AND I MUST PAY FOR IT OUT OF POCKET, DESPITE IT BEING A KNOWN ISSUE IN OTHER VEHICLES. THIS SHOULD BE MOVED FROM A SPECIAL COVERAGE TO A RECALL FOR ANY AFFECTED VEHICLES UNDER THE 10 YEAR, 120,000 MILE THRESHOLD.

MY 2013 BUICK LACROSSE HAS A MALFUNCTIONING TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WHICH IT ALREADY RECALLED BY GM BUT MY CAR DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE OF MY VIN THE MALFUNCTIONING TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE CAUSE MY CAR TO GO INTO LIMP MODE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET IN TRAFFIC

THE CAR BUCKS AND STALLS WHILE IN MOTION

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK LACROSSE HYBRID. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR UNRELATED ISSUES, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED THE NEXT DAY AND THE "CHECK THE CHARGING SYSTEM" MESSAGE APPEARED. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF AND RESTART AUTOMATICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 89,000.

MY VEHICLE'S DRIVE BELT WAS REPLACED AT 4244 MILES AND AT 58,863 MILES ON 02/16/16/16. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE 102 MILES BEFORE THAT DRIVE BELT BROKE AGAIN CAUSING ME TO ABRUPTLY STOP. LUCKILY THOSE AROUND ME WERE ABLE TO AVOID HITTING ME. THIS IS THE 4TH DRIVE BELT THAT MY VEHICLE HAS NEEDED IN LESS THAN 59,000 MILES. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DRIVE BELTS ARE DEFECTIVE. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT HYBRID ENGINES ARE MUCH HARDER ON DRIVE BELTS AND THAT THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AT LEAST EVERY 50,000 MILES IF NOT SOONER. AFTER ONE WEEK MY VEHICLE IS STILL NOT REPAIRED AS THEY CANNOT FIND A DRIVE BELT FOR MY VEHICLE THAT EITHER IS NOT DEFECTIVE OR FEAR WILL NOT BREAK AGAIN. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME TYPE OF RECALL ON THE DRIVE BELT. ADDITIONALLY, I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR ON THE DRIVE BELT AT 58,863 MILES WHICH SEEMS UNREASONABLE AS THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH GM AND THEIR HYBRID/EASSIST ENGINE, NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.

MY DRIVE BELT BROKE AT 4244 MILES AND WAS COVERED BY GM. IT BROKE AGAIN AT 58K MILES AND GM IS REFUSING TO COVER STATING NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. IT IS NOT NORMAL FOR A DRIVE BELT TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED TWICE BEFORE 60K MILES. WAS TOLD REGULAR MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDS IT BEING REPLACED AT 50K DUE TO HYBRID ENGINE, BUT OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT STATE THIS, JUST STATES TO INSPECT IT. WE JUST HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 57K MILES, SO DRIVE BELT WAS INSPECTED AT THAT TIME; NO ISSUES REPORTED.