2010-2011 Buick LaCrosse

gorphil

Only the seating areas are leather.

gorphil

I have examined about 40 LaCrosse models and in all cases the instrument panel was installed too high on the drivers side and did not line up with the door trim. The door trim appears to be installed correctly. The passenger side lines up perfectly. I have posted this assembly defect on several forums. In some cases the passenger side is slightly raised which reduces the missalignment on the driver side.

cooleydd

The latest figure I got was for the 2nd tank fill up. I noticed that I had average about 30 miles per hour and got 21 miles per gallon. Also the figures generated by the computer open the car were high - actual as per miles and total gallons were lower.

If I remember correctly on a straight level good highway I was getting about 31 miles per gallon at 65 miles per hour. This was by the trip computer. This was one way only - to get real results one would have to run both ways at the same speed on the same road but in opposite directions.

kjs8

That is the exact issue that I see in my LaCrosse, wonder if it can be re-aligned or would that be a disaster to ask for as a warrantee item. My backup camera became inoperative several times this weekend. The guide lines appear in reverse but no camera view at all. It started with a rear view with vertical white stripes on the screen and every other reverse cycle there is no rear view except for the guidelines. Sounds like a replacement camera is needed? Maybe, but what is the chance they would have one of them in stock at the dealer.

gmcustsvc

Hello,
I am from GM Customer Service. Have you taken the vehicle to the dealership to have them look at the rear-view camera? Is the vehicle currently under warranty? Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Service

kjs8

Hi Mariah: I have had the 2010 LaCrosse for a few months and it is in warrantee, that was a strange question. I will try to get it in to the dealer one day next week.

gorphil

I think we have to question the authenticity of Mariah posing as a GM Customer representative if she has to ask if a 2010 Buick LaCrosse is under warranty. Also, that only the seating areas of leather equipped cars are leather as outlined in the sales brochure.

kjs8

My Thoughts Exactly....

gmcustsvc

Hello gorphil and kjs8,
Sorry guys I ask that question mainly out of habit. Forgive me if I made a small error on my behalf. That is just one of the questions I have to ask all the time to get my information that I need. Thank you.
Mariah GM Customer Service.

bt06

Mariah,
I am glad to see you are posting on this site to help owners. I have a CXL and love it. One issue I have is the few times I have contacted GM Customer Service I was not satisfied with the answers I received. If you OWN the product, then every answer CANNOT be check with your local dealer. If I am calling you for an answer, I expect an answer. Just something to help with your customer service scores.

I asked the dealership about doing some upgrades and they have no clue. I asked about upgrading the headlamps, they had no clue and didn't even try to find out. Then he says never got that question before, we haven't even done an oil change on one of them yet. Not exactly instilling confidence in the dealership. So since they don't know I call GM/Buick. Who am I referred to? You guessed it right back to the dealership, after some talking to them further about what I found out in my own research, they then refer me to AutoZone. Seriously???

You all have some product training that needs to occur. My previous two vehicles were Acura TLs (03,07) didn't like the new body style so decided to give American a try. Whenever I asked the Acura folks a question they answered it or got back to me with an answer. Not matter how big or small, smart or stupid. The dealership knew it's product and so did their customer service departments.

gmcustsvc

Hello,
I can definitely understand your frustration with the situation. If you are looking to add the Xenon, High-intensity Discharge (HID) projector lamps, then I can help you with that. I need to know if your vehicle has the following: Comfort and Convenience Package #2, includes (UD7) Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist, (A45) memory settings and (DLG) outside heated power-adjustable, manual-folding mirrors with integrated turn signal indicators, ground illumination and driver-side memory and auto-dimming feature. That package is usually what is required in order to get those headlamps. If you are not sure if you have all of this on the vehicle you can provide me you’re VIN and I can look it up. If you have this package, I can call the dealership and see what is going on. I will need the dealerships information in order to do that. Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Assistance

imidazol97

The RPO codes listed in the previous post are on a sticker somewhere on your car. Most on Buicks I've seen are on the spare wheel cover under the carpet mat in the trunk. That tags lists everything characterizing your car, including paint color, which you might need for touchup. Of course Buick sent a touchup paint paint tube for my last two leSabres.

smarty666

That is the same run around that Nissan customer service pulls. You ask the dealership about a question or problem and they say they don't know so they tell you to call corporate. You call corporate and they give you a regional representative for your case. She calls, will not even come out to your dealership or to you to look at the problem and says there is nothing they can do. Also the corporate representative knows little to no technical information or questions about the vehicle and says to bring it in and speak to the dealership. You do that, and the dealership does not know and tells you to call the regional representative or corporate. So the vicious cycle comes full circle and repeats.

There has to be a better way to have customer service then this dealership-corporate-region rep-dealership cycle!

kjs8

Mariah: No problem.... My camera issue has disappeared for the moment. I noticed that this intermittent operation tracks with every time it rains. This may be a moisture problem. I'll keep an eye on it for now before taking it in to the dealer. One other feature to add as a programing change is to have the memory seat when turned on return to the driver position at start-up with our having to hold down the memory seat button. Aids in exit and entry tied into the driver memory option. Ultrasonic parking assist sensors on the front of the car would also be great, as I have no idea where the front is when pulling up to a wall. I guess I'll get used to it soon but so far when I think I'm close I have 2 feet to spare. Just some observations.

50324lacrosse

I have a 2010 LaCrosse and the black trim on the base of the rear glass is pealing away. It also acts as a lip that the trunk lid closes on. I am being told by the dealer that to replace this plastic part the entire rear window needs to be replaces. This does not make any sense but what do I know. Does anyone know if this is true or not?
Thanks for your help.

DAVE
2010 LaCrosse

gmcustsvc

Hello,
Thanks for the additional suggestions. Please keep me informed if your situation arises again. If it does I would definitely take it back to the dealership. Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Assistance

Karen_S

A reporter is looking to speak to owners of the 2010 Buick LaCrosse. Please send your daytime phone number to ctalati@edmunds.com by Monday, April 12 , 2010.

bt06

Mariah,

Thank you for the offer, but in the meantime I found a solution that worked for me. I looked up the bulb size to find out they were H11LL, but I didn't know what LL meant. After a couple internet searches, found out it just means long life. Ordered some brighter H11 halogens, problem solved. Got the look I wanted for just over $50. However, if I have further questions/issues, I will post here and seek your advice. I really do appreciate your offer though!

bt06

I too was a bit shocked to see there is no trunk release inside the vehicle. You all may have figured this out already but just in case I'll post anyway. There is actually a trunk release right above the license plate. Once you unlock the car just feel on the level surface above your license plate and there is button that will open the trunk. I actually like that better than having it inside as I don't lock my vehicle when it's in the garage.

nace818

Would those be the Sylvania Ultra Star that you bought? I also am looking for a whiter and brighter look without having to go the HID conversion route.

e_net_rider

It is time the industry took up night vision again, overdue in fact.
At one time there was a move to lower headlights on trucks because there shining down is almost always going to blind the driver of the oncoming vehicle on 2 lane roads without street lighting. Truckers hated the lower lights and whether it was truckers lobbyists or sales, the change did not stick.
There has been experiments of many sorts to stop night blinding of other drivers. One was the use of polarized headlamps and windshields. In theory it is an easy fix but it may have darkened the windshield a bit too much.
But going to whiter brighter headlamps only makes the situation worse. The eye uses two types of receptors, one for color and another for black and white. Color is nice but black and white is all that is necessary for vision and those receptors are much more sensitive to low light, such as exists outside the beam of the headlights. But, when light reaches a certain brightness, the color receptors take over and most importantly, stop the black and white receptors from working.
There is an exception though and that is red light does not effect or block the ability to use the black and white receptors. And in one of the most dangerous environments imaginable, night ops on the deck of an aircraft carrier, only red lighting is used.
That commercial of the aiming lights that comes upon a deer as it corners sells good I'm sure. But what reality is that they should have done it with an oncoming vehicle showing its driver's face squinting because he is being blinded.
Does government need to step in to fix this challenge of being blinded by oncoming vehicles?
It is in the Malibu forum where fog lamps popped up. White fog lamps? Come on, seriously. Anyone with a slight knowledge of lighting knows that amber lights are much better at penetrating particulate matter such as fog. That is also less light reflected that will decrease the ability to see. Actually, that red light is the winner again as to penetrating the particulate matter but that brings in a very old problem. Drivers would actually cross over into the other lane thinking they were following a vehicle under poor driving conditions. That led to the standard of red on the back only.
And I hate those amber directional on the rear. Which may be part of what led us to white fog lamps or maybe saleability of how it looks. That is with amber directional on the rear, maybe someone mistakes the amber fog lamps as the rear and CRASH! It won't be the first time Europeans got it wrong. Americans got rid of their king long before most Europeans.

e_net_rider

This Buick is much better than the new Malibu when it come to these two areas. I have to wonder if idiots designed these two features.
Anyone with knowledge of AC knows it is most efficient when cold air enters at the top of the enclosure. In a vehicle, it is most comfortable when the air is blown above you and it settles downward. On the Bu, the vents aimed as high as they will go, it will blow in your face causing dry eye problems or you have to aim it away on either side of you which gives very little benefit unless you are sitting in the back. The Buick is much better at this, but could be better.
Although the BU has rake and telescope on the steering, it does not move high enough to avoid hitting knees or thighs even with the seat fully retracted and lowered. You can fool with the rake and telescope to find a good spot, but it is not a comfortable driving position. And thus you have to fuss with it everytime you get in and out of vehicle, just as electric seats without seat memory. The Buick allows a bit more clearance when raked up, but it could be better, like the true tilt. And to emphasize a bit, electric seats without memory are a pain. You have to fiddle with them until you find that same spot it was before and no vehicle with electric seats should NOT have the option of memory. (reason I walked away from Impala).

e_net_rider

I've been looking at the Buicks since early this year, LaCrosse & Lucerne.
Was it a mistake at the build your own site or a change? At that time, all models had the H suspension on the rear, except the base model. Now it seems to be an option only on the top model. I've seen what is under the base models and would think it actually more expensive to build because of that big chunk of cast aluminum versus the four stamped steel rods.

Does anyone have the lowdown on this change? Advantages of one over the other, etc?

e_net_rider

Every model in stock that has the options I want seems to have a sun roof. I really have stayed away from sun roofs because of the possible leak problems, don't really have need or desire for it, and have found that vehicles with them are noisier.

Can anyone say my concerns have no merit?
I know the leaks and possible corrosion problem is something that only time will tell how well it was built.
But, can anyone say without a doubt that it is as quiet?

cooleydd

I have this option on my LaCrosse CXS and not sure on how and when to use it. Questions:
1. When should it be used?
2. How do I know it is working (not using the indicators), does it feel different?
3. Would I get better gas mileage when it is on.
4. Should I use it only at cruising speed, all speeds or just around town.

What is it really meant to do?

[Deleted User]

I have had sunroofs on most of my vehicles since the late 70s. I have never had a problem with leaks or corrosion. Why would you think the sunroof window is any more prone to that than for example your rear window or driver's window? If you buy a quality vehicle, that piece of equipment has long since had the bugs worked out. As for noise, glass is a good insulator of noise and you have an inner cover to close as well. I have NEVER noticed the cabin is noisier on any factory sunroof/moonroof. Of course it is louder when the roof is open, but most are less noisy when open than an open side window is.

bt06

nace818,

I heard mixed reviews on the Sylvanias so I went on a referral from a friend. Based on comments I found on the internet the Sylvania's weren't quite as bright as advertised. I was referred to Luminics bulbs which allegedly are "the best replacement bulbs" per their website. I bought the titanium white bulbs for about $55, free shipping, and installed them myself. I just bought low beams just in case I didn't like them. They look great and the extra visibility at night is quite noticeable to me. That was the part I was worried about, but turns out they do a good job. I plan on buying the high beams in the near future. Now, I just have to see how long they last. I would highly recommend the Luminics if you're looking to make a change. I wanted "white light" HID look but they also have blue, yellow, and violet if that's your flavor. I can report the titanium white bulbs have NO yellow in them which is what I wanted. Gives the vehicle a clean look when the lights are on.

Just as an FYI...Installing them took all of five minutes, instructions are in the LaCrosse manual. Only thing not listed is how to pull up the protective covering. Simply get a flat head screwdrives pop up the screw covers and pull them out. Pull it up so you can get to the dust covers, then follow manual directions. When you're done put the screws and tops back in place.

gmcustsvc

Hello cooleydd,
Sport mode is used where road conditions or personal preference demand more control. This setting provides more “feel”, or response to road conditions through increased steering effort and suspension tuning. The setting can be changed at any
time. Based on road conditions, steering wheel angle and the vehicle speed, the system automatically adjusts to provide the best handling while providing a
smooth ride. The Tour and Sport modes will feel similar on a smooth road. The damping system is there for when you are on a rough road to help make the ride better. I haven't found anything that states your gas mileage will be better or worse with this option. You can use this at any speed. Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Service

cooleydd

Mariah

Thanks again for your help. Since I travel on mostly freeways and town roads - maybe there is not much difference. As for gas mileage I did a small test on a freeway and found that with the unit on I received an additional one mile per gallon. However the test was really of little value due to not really over the same location. But I was surprised to see the difference.

poodog13

I've also had many sunroofs and don't think that leaking should be a concern. As for noise, there's usually a cover that you can pull over that will make it sound just like a normal roof when noise becomes a concern.

If you've never had a sunroof, trust me, go for it. I used to never care until I had one, and now I'll never go without.

gmcustsvc

No problem! Glad to see that you got 1 MPG more! Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Service

nace818

Once you have had a sunroof, you'll never be happy in a car without one. OK , I know I'm not on the Lucerne posts but I thought Mariah could tell me about magnetic ride control shocks on my Lucerne. Is it supposed to have a floaty feeling?

kjs8

One new problem and I curious in anyone else has had this happen. I have a Samsung cell phone which linked to the bluetooth connection with no problem and works on all calls. But about once an hour when in the car the phone rings once through the navigation unit but there is no incoming call on the nav or on my phone. The radio mutes slightly for one ring and then returns to normal volume. If I turn off the bluetooth function on my phone this will not happen.

chuckyk

When I "built my own" LaCrosse on the Buick website, I was suprised that the CXS and CXL priced out almost identical if comparably equipped. Considering that I want most of these options (except the chrome wheels), I assume I should opt for the CXS and the 3.6 engine. However, I have noticed that the CXS availability is limited.

When will the 3.6 become standard, next model year? Should I expect a significant discount on the CXL compared to the CXS?

If your local Buick dealership has a number of CXS in stock, let me know.

cooleydd

Is anyone using premium fuel on the CXS with the 3.6 engine as recommended by the manual? If so have you used both and is there a difference.

cooleydd

There are several "discounts" available - see the Buick web site. Also if you are a member of a credit union you have a special price. It seems the dealer invoice on the CXS is not as low as it is on other cars. Run the dealer price on one of the sites that give you that information. Also the Buick web site and give you what is available in your area.

It is a great car - buy it now and enjoy!!!

enphan

I read the manual, engine air filter replaced after each 50000 miles. Is it correct or I am missing something here.

kjs8

Do yourself a favor and do not order the GM Buick Splash Guards for the 2010 LaCrosse. I got mine this weekend and I will be returning them to the dealer. Their design is crazy, there is a big 1.5 inch deep pocket which faces the tire surface on each guard rather than having a smooth surface, these will collect all kinds of junk off the road. I looked at them for an hour trying to visualize why anyone would design it in this way. In winter you would have ice and snow frozen in this area up to the tread that could not fall free unless it was chipped out of the cavity. At a $100.00 for a full set, not much thought went into them...

bt06

I can attest to the sun roof comment, had it in my two previous vehicles, but didn't get it on my Lacrosse. The one I chose had everything I wanted except the sunroof, I didn't think it would be a big deal, but I do miss the sunroof.

enphan

Thank you for this information. I am thinking about splash guards, but not sure how it looks, may not look good. Now with this information, I will not install them.

jobes

My Acura TL had the same design. I'd have a driveway a small pebbles every time I washed the car.

By design :confuse:

nace818

It isn't too late to have one. There are sunroof shops now that install them after market, and you can't tell them from factory installed. I just one put in my Lucerne and am extremely happy/ In some ways they are better than factory, because mine has two preset memory buttons in case you only want it opened partially or tilted or whatever. It also closes automatically if you shut the car off and forget to close it. The cost is about the same as factory $995.00 in my case. I don't know where you live but my shop is called Tops Unlimited. Don't worry about leaks, there are none.

bt06

Thanks for the heads up...I was thinking of doing something like that but was afraid of the costs and issues like leaks afterwards. I may seriously consider doing this!

chris231

Can anyone please tell me if the 2010 comes standard with a spare (donut) tire? I forgot to ask at dealership. I just took for granted it did, but looked at a 2010 Impala and a Malibu today and found out they only come standard with a can of "tire Fix". It costs $100 for a spare donut tire. Is that standard with new cars today??? Thanks for your help.

gmcustsvc

Hello,
I am from GM Customer Service. The 2010 Lacrosse comes with a spare 17" tire, and that does comes standard on the vehicle. Just so you know not all new vehicles come standard with a spare tire anymore. If you have any further questions please let me know. Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Service

chris231

Thank you for the information. I am going to buy a car and have always bought American owned. Was considering a LaCrosse or Impala. I was so disqusted that a $30,000 Impala had no spare - only a can of tire Fix-It that I have made the decision not to buy anything from GM. I actually liked the LaCrosse, but they would only sell at sticker price and I found that insulting, since we are already paying their GM employees wages. I guess I am just turned off by GM.

gmcustsvc

Hello Chris,
I do apologize that you didn't have a good experience at the dealership. I know the Lacrosse is in very high demand and some dealerships may not be willing to sell it at a discounted price. However, if you are still interested in the Lacrosse, I can locate different dealerships in your area. I would just need your zip code. Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Service

chris231

Hi Mariah:
I very much appreciate your response. I think the LaCrosse is a very nice car and definitely would have looked further into other dealerships. Unfortunately, the spare tire thing just turned me off. Again, thank you for your offer.

beer4704

Did you actually read her reply? It comes with a 17 inch spare...

johnh7

It's my impression that there is very little inventory sitting around at Buick dealerships. I got a $1000 rebate from my dealer under a customer loyalty program and I was able to push them a little on financing terms, but Buick is selling LaCrosses as fast as they can produce them. I had to wait close to 3 months for my car. So - if you're a nickel and dime type, you probably won't find satisfaction negotiating price on this car. On the other hand - if you want a beautiful car - and you can get over the notion that you are not going to have the same leverage you might have with a model that's not moving off of dealer lots - for what it's worth, my personal experience with the 2010 LaCrosse has exceeded expectations.

Importantly - I'm no GM groupie. I haven't owned an American car in years and I never ever thought the day would come when I'd be caught driving a Buick. But - this car is VERY nice.