2015 Buick LaCrosse: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
44 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Buick LaCrosse's year to avoid is 2012, an AVOID at 43 on 205 complaints, with the 2011 (51) and 2013 (57) cars either side of it both CAUTION. The years to buy are 2014 to 2019, every one a BUY with scores from 73 to 90, though complaints fall from 63 to 6 across those years and the evidence label drops to low from 2015. Read the full note on the model page. 2015 specifically: a year the record favours — 44 complaints, score 82/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Chevrolet Impala and Buick LaCrosse: the years to avoid, including 2015 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 44 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 4.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2015 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH on a main road and attempting to make a right turn, the contact noticed that the steering wheel had become increasingly difficult to steer. The message "Service Power Steering - Drive with Care" was displayed. The local dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the …
The contact owns a 2015 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 55 MPH, the vehicle jerked briefly before shifting into gear. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the ABS was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notif…
The contact owns a 2015 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that while stationary at a stop light and attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while responding. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failu…
Recalls: 3 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 16V651000 | Air Bags:Frontal | 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 Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and… |
| 17V437000 | Air Bags:Frontal | 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, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL… |
| 15V666000 | Air Bags:Side/Window | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its deployment. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a full-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,950
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Steering12 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Electrical System9 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Air Bags7 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Service Brakes5 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Unknown Or Other4 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Exterior Lighting3 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
Other Buick LaCrosse years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Buick LaCrosse?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Steering (12 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2015 Buick LaCrosse a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 82/100, computed from 44 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2015 Buick LaCrosse's most common problem?
12 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2015 Buick LaCrosse sit in the Steering group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement: about 5.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,020–$2,500 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2015 Buick LaCrosse cost to run per year?
About $5,236 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $26,180 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2015 Buick LaCrosse have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2015 Buick LaCrosse, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 08/09/2016. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other fullsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2015 Buick LaCrosse really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 44 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 44 NHTSA complaints on record (4.0/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (4.8/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality