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2017 Buick LaCrosse

Gas

Midsize Cars
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

85 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 36

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 25 mpg

2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2017 Buick LaCrosse is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the LaCrosse, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 36 complaints, most often about the electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Buick LaCrosse — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Buick LaCrosse · Photo: Dinkun Chen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
LaCrosse	Gas	FWD	3.6L 6-cyl	21	31	25	$2,700
LaCrosse AWD	Gas	AWD	3.6L 6-cyl	20	29	23	$2,900

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 37921, 37922.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
LaCrosse, LaCrosse AWD	6 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Transitional Bin 110	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	6
Displacement	3.6 L
Engine configuration	V-Shaped

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	AWD/All-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	8

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist

Optional: Adaptive cruise control, Automatic emergency braking, Parking assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Essence, Premium). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	197.6 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	73.2 in
Height	57.5 in
Wheelbase	114.6 in
Track, front	63.0 in
Track, rear	63.0 in
Curb weight	3,598–3,838 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	59/41

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door Sedan AWD, 4-door Sedan FWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Suspension

17168

11,246 vehicles 99% reported repaired built Apr 7, 2016 – Oct 19, 2016

Problem General Motors LLC (C) is recalling certain 2017 Buick LaCrosse vehicles. The rear suspension toe-links may have been incorrectly installed, and, as a result, they may loosen and disconnect from the rear suspension system. Risk If a rear-suspension toe-link disconnects, it may cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left and right rear suspension toe-link assemblies, correcting their installation as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 25, 2017. Owners may contact Buick's customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 17168.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 17V267000 reported Apr 21, 2017 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Steering

17085

2,085 vehicles 99% reported repaired built Aug 23, 2016 – Nov 2, 2016

Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017 Buick LaCrosse vehicles. The electrical connectors for the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) system may not be properly sealed. As a result, water may enter and corrode the connectors possibly resulting in a loss of power steering. Risk A loss of power steering may result in increased manual steering effort, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect correct the seal seating and secure the EPS connector seals, free of charge. The recall began on March 14, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 17085.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 17V116000 reported Feb 23, 2017 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific LaCrosse

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2017 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Buick publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Buick’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2017 Buick LaCrosse, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

36complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

11 per 10,000 built · Buick reported 32,315 LaCrosse built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2016: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 6 · 2020: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 8 · 2026: 3

Most-cited components

Electrical System 11

Power Train 9

Engine 5

Vehicle Speed Control 4

Suspension 4

Unspecified 3

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Vehicle loses power every gmc vehicle I have owned (3) seen to have this issue throttle pedal position sensor while driving on the interstate vehicle speed drops to reduce engine power which is very scary and dangerous

Electrical System Feb 11, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11571349

The contact owns a 2017 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that after his wife had parked and turning off the vehicle, moments later the vehicle was restarted and the check engine and TCM warning lights remained illuminated. Additionally, the transmission shifter failed to shift out of park. The vehicle towed to the local dealer.

Power Train at 700 miles Dec 29, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11562549

The contact owns a 2017 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power on several occasions. The vehicle restarted after a while. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed with a faulty power inverter module.

Engine at 12,500 miles Sep 26, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11486363

the airbag lite has been coming on for the last year saying it needs to be serviced. I have had it to the buick dealer for 4 times this last year and they still can not of will not fix it. The airbag lite comes on when we turn the steering wheel to the left. The last time I had it in was March of this year.

Air Bags Jun 4, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11467521

The contact owns a 2017 Buick Lacrosse. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH and making a left turn, there was an abnormal noise coming from the front passenger side of the vehicle. The contact mentioned the failure was related to the bushings.

Suspension at 15,000 miles Feb 17, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11452579

I have an issue with the cruise control on my 2017 Buick Lacrosse, a vehicle with 17,004 miles. While traveling on the interstate with the cruise set to 70 MPH the system reset itself to 105 MPH and the engine revved 3000 RPM accelerating out of control. This was the second time it happened, the other time it reset to 95 MPH.

Vehicle Speed Control at 16,800 miles Mar 30, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11192544

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Buick itself: 10 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 12 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 31 per 100,000 built. Every LaCrosse model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 17k

miles, typically

Half the 19 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 10,000 and 45,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 19 on file: 4 under 10k, 7 10k–20k, 1 20k–30k, 2 30k–40k, 1 40k–50k, 1 50k–60k, 2 60k–70k, 1 100k–150k.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	10%
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	10%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · GM warranty extension 22-NA-244This warranty administration service bulletin provides information about GM Accessories - Dealer-Installed, Repaired or Replaced During Warranty Coverage Period.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every GM warranty extension (33) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 1,204

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 1201 service bulletins, 1 warranty extension, 1 service campaign

Most often about: Equipment, Electrical System, Engine, Power Train, Unknown Or Other.

PIT5698F Service bulletin
2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
PIP4902W Service bulletin
2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT5099J Service bulletin
2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT3271Q Service bulletin
2026-04-01 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
PIP6104 Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
PIP4902V Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902U Service bulletin
2026-01-08 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT5214G Service bulletin
2025-11-20 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If valid vibration frequency or Road Force Variation data has been collected and a repair attempt does no

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0300 P0300 on Buick →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	12 bulletins
B3055 B3055 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	10 bulletins
B3060 B3060 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	10 bulletins
B3935 B3935 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	10 bulletins
P0308 P0308 on Buick →	Cylinder 8 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	7 bulletins
P050D P050D on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	7 bulletins
P0011 P0011 on Buick →	Camshaft timing on bank 1 is more advanced than commanded.	Engine	5 bulletins
P0014 P0014 on Buick →	The second camshaft on bank 1 is timed further advanced than commanded.	Engine	5 bulletins
P0021 P0021 on Buick →	Camshaft timing on bank 2 is more advanced than commanded.	Engine	5 bulletins
P0024 P0024 on Buick →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	5 bulletins
P1AEE	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	5 bulletins
P1AEF	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Power Train	5 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 6.1%

failed emissions

722 initial inspections of 697 vehicles.

Measure	The 2017 LaCrosse	Every 2017 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	6.1%	3.7%	720
Failed the safety inspection	1.5%	2.1%	722
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.14%	0.25%	722
Miles driven a year	7,566	10,048	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	70,226	93,238	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2017 vehicle” is every 2017 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

LaCrosse by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2019 B 2 7 29 mpg 2018 C 3 12 29 mpg 2017 this page B 2 36 25 mpg 2016 B 2 48 28 mpg

Common questions about the 2017 LaCrosse

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2017 Buick LaCrosse have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2017 Buick LaCrosse. The most serious on file is 17V267000, covering Suspension. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2017 Buick LaCrosse?

NHTSA gave the 2017 Buick LaCrosse 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 5-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (85/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Buick LaCrosse?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2017 Buick LaCrosse, the best EPA combined figure is 25 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2017 Buick LaCrosse?

Transport Canada measured it at 197.6 in long, 73.2 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.5 in tall, on a 114.6 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,598–3,838 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2017 Buick LaCrosse?

Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Buick LaCrosse, most often about electrical system, power train, engine. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2017 Buick LaCrosse?

The EPA smog rating for the 2017 Buick LaCrosse is 6 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. The certificate names the standard as Federal Tier 3 Transitional Bin 110.

Are there service bulletins for the 2017 Buick LaCrosse?

The manufacturer has filed 1204 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2017 Buick LaCrosse, most often covering equipment, electrical system, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2017 Buick LaCrosse do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2017 Buick LaCrosse failed the emissions check on 6.1% of first inspections — higher than the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.5% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	2 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	2 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	36	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	1204	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	12 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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