2011 Buick Lucerne: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
49 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Reviewed by the MotorJury data desk · 2 sources · Last updated 2026-08-20
49 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Complaints per year on the road: 3.27
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Vehicle purchased used through Carvana. Battery installed at purchase was approximately 10 years old and later failed, causing starting issues and an instance of power loss while driving that left the vehicle stranded. Battery has been replaced and original battery retained.
Fuel pump relay is overheating to dangerously high temperatures. At least 211 F degrees. Causes the fuel pump fuse to melt leaving me stranded. Immediate replacement of the 20 AMP fuse is necessary to get the car running again. The fuel pump relay gets really hot even if the AC is not on. Waited for hour and a half in near 100 F degree heat for a tow truck to it home. I’m lucky the car did not catch on fire. I know q…
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Lucerne. The contact stated that while using the front driver's side interior door handle to exit the vehicle, there was an abnormal cracking sound coming from the door. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the front driver's side door handle was replaced approximately 4-5 times. The vehicle was rec…
What the community is saying right now.
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 10V553000 | Electrical System:12V/24V/48V Battery:Ca | GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 DTS AND BUICK LUCERNE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V8 ENGINES. THE STARTER OR ALTERNATOR… |
| 14V355000 | Electrical System:Ignition | This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from thei… |
EPA combined 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,950 · EPA range 279 mi
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (23 complaints in our indexed sample).
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 82/100, computed from 49 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2011 Buick Lucerne, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 05/11/2010. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorComplaints & 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: 2026-08-20.