Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Buick LaCrosse, and it carries 2 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 10 | 21% |
| Power train | 4 | 8% |
| Air bags | 4 | 8% |
| Unknown or other | 3 | 6% |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 6% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 4% |
| Air bags | 1 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 2% |
| Air bags | 1 | 2% |
| Fuel system | 1 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
I was in a front end collision where the damages were over 20,000.00 and the air bags did not deploy.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
The volt meter on the dashboard keeps dropping below 14 volts and 13.5 volts. The car has been checked by Buick and my mechanic no issues found. Buick has no idea why it keeps doing it neither does my mechanic. The prob
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
On June 22,2026, I was involved in a frontal impact collision while traveling at approximately 35 mph. The vehicle suffered a catastrophic failure of the entire occupant restraint system. Despite a severe, high-speed fro
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
While driving down the road goin around 45 mph all of a sudden my steering wheel got so stiff I could hardly steer the car off the road and out of traffic. I didn't hit anything, my power steering just stopped. I put the
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that the fuel pump was previously replaced due to the vehicle stalling while driving. The contact stated that the tailgate unintendedly opened while the vehicle
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
Trunk lid latch disintegrated, and lid flipped open without warning. Driver vision immediately obscured, leaving trunk contents to be easily dislodged and become hazardous to other motorists; will not secure.
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
Cars shudders 20-30 MPH. Started last year, I needed to get my wife for cancer treatments. Basically, shifted the car manually.
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that occasionally while his wife was driving in rainy or snowy conditions, the check power steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after it h
NHTSA complaint: Steering
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2016 Buick LaCrosse. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Poli
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. Th
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Subur
Risk: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. Th
| Reliability raw | 79 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 78 | good |
| Maintenance | 79 | good |
| Depreciation | 60 | average |
| Performance | 68 | good |
| Efficiency | 38 | below average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 48 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and steering is the most reported area with 10 of them (21%). There are 2 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 79/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 78/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2016 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 73/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.