CLUNKING NOISE IN THE STEERING OF 2005 BUICK LACROSSE WITH 25,000 MILES. NOTICED IT ABOUT 500 MILES EARLIER AND IS GETTING WORSE DAY BY DAY. *TR
2005 Buick Lacrosse
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Lacrosse years
Owner complaints for the 2005 Buick Lacrosse are substantially higher than the model-year median of 129.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Lacrosse years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
224 reports with mileage · 91 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 82 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 80 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 51 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Steering complaints
51 reportsI'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING A CRUNCHING SOUND IN MY STEERING WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. I'VE TOLD I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. I'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD BY OTHER GM OWNERS WITH OTHER TYPE VEHICLES THAT THEY DID OR ARE NOW HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY HAS GM NOT ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM WHEN THEY PERFECTLY…
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I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING A CRUNCHING SOUND IN MY STEERING WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. I'VE TOLD I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. I'VE ALSO BEEN TOLD BY OTHER GM OWNERS WITH OTHER TYPE VEHICLES THAT THEY DID OR ARE NOW HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY HAS GM NOT ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM WHEN THEY PERFECTLY KNOW THEY HAVE A PART FAILURE WHY SHOULD WE THE CONSUMER HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS DEFECTIVE PART? IT'S TIME SOMEONE ADDRESSES THIS ONGOING PROBLEM. *TR
POWER STEERING WENT OUT COMPLETELY, NO WARNING JUST OUT. HAD A VERY HARD TIME STEERING CAR. LUCKY KNOW ONE WAS HURT. *TR
2005 BUICK LACROSSE HAD ONLY 24,000 MILES AND EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. MADE A GRINDING SOUND. DEALER REPLACED INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. WITHIN 4 MONTHS, STEERING DIFFICULTY RETURNED WITH RUMBLING AND WHINING NOISE. *TR
I OWN A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE WITH 27,000 MILES. ANOTHER OWNER WITH SAME CAR WARNED ME TO WATCH OUT FOR STEERING PROBLEMS. I PAID LITTLE ATTENTION AND WITHIN ONE MONTH MY CAR'S STEERING WAS MAKING A GRINDING NOISE WHEN TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION. I TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THEY QUICKLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A DE…
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I OWN A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE WITH 27,000 MILES. ANOTHER OWNER WITH SAME CAR WARNED ME TO WATCH OUT FOR STEERING PROBLEMS. I PAID LITTLE ATTENTION AND WITHIN ONE MONTH MY CAR'S STEERING WAS MAKING A GRINDING NOISE WHEN TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION. I TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THEY QUICKLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A DEFECT IN THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THEY STATED THERE WAS A TSA BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE WITH THE BUICK LACROSSE. ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER WHILE CASUALLY DISCUSSING THIS WITH A NEIGHBOR SHE DESCRIBED THE SAME PROBLEM IN HER BUICK LACROSSE REPAIRED BY LOCAL BUICK DEALER. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, HEARING OF THIS PROBLEM FROM THREE SOURCES IN ONE MONTH I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS PERVASIVE AND HAS YET TO RESULT IN A TRAGEDY BECAUSE THE OWNERS TOOK PREVENTIVE MEASURES. I COULD FIND NOTHING ABOUT THIS INTERMEDIATE SHAFT DEFECT IN BUICKS 2005 OR NEWER IN MY RESEARCH, NO ACCIDENT REPORTS NOR RECALLS. THERE IS HOWEVER A DANGER HERE THAT IS NOT BEING DISCLOSED AND IS QUITE EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A TSB REGARDING A CLUNKING NOISE (SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 4105, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10020049 (STEERING:COLUMN)). THE FAILURE OCCURS WHENEVER THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. THE TSB STATED THAT THE FAILURE CAN BE RESOLVED BY GREASING THE WHEEL AND …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A TSB REGARDING A CLUNKING NOISE (SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER 4105, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10020049 (STEERING:COLUMN)). THE FAILURE OCCURS WHENEVER THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. THE TSB STATED THAT THE FAILURE CAN BE RESOLVED BY GREASING THE WHEEL AND WAS DUE TO INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION OF THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. THE FAILURE BEGAN AT 41,000 MILES IN 2007 WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THE TSB; HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR AGAIN. CURRENTLY, AT 66,000 MILES, THE FAILURE IS RECURRING. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CORRECTED THE FIRST TIME AND THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR IT AGAIN SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE CONTACT BELIEVES A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED SINCE IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000. UPDATED 01/08/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT HAS INADEQUATE LUBRICATION, WHICH CAUSE A CLUNKING NOISE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE NOISE HAS RETURNED. UPDATED 01/09/09. *JB
I HAVE A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE CXL WITH ONLY 20,000 MILES ON IT. I'VE HAD TO HAVE THE STEERING COLUMN RELUBRICATED TWICE IN 2 YRS. IT RATTLES, OR STARTS TO RATTLE AFTER ONLY 6,000 MILES FROM THE LAST SERVICE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A FACTORY DEFECT, AND I WOULD LIKE A PERMANENT FIX TO THIS PROBLEM. NO WONDER HONDA OUTSELLS BUICK IN…
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I HAVE A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE CXL WITH ONLY 20,000 MILES ON IT. I'VE HAD TO HAVE THE STEERING COLUMN RELUBRICATED TWICE IN 2 YRS. IT RATTLES, OR STARTS TO RATTLE AFTER ONLY 6,000 MILES FROM THE LAST SERVICE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A FACTORY DEFECT, AND I WOULD LIKE A PERMANENT FIX TO THIS PROBLEM. NO WONDER HONDA OUTSELLS BUICK IN AMERICA. FOR SHAME!! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 20-30 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE SPEED WOULD INCREASE AFTER DRIVING 3-4 MILES. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AFTER BEING PARKED FOR HOURS, IT IDLED ROUGHLY AND THE "TRACTION CONTROL" AND "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" WARNING…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 20-30 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE SPEED WOULD INCREASE AFTER DRIVING 3-4 MILES. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AFTER BEING PARKED FOR HOURS, IT IDLED ROUGHLY AND THE "TRACTION CONTROL" AND "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE PCM, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,800. UPDATED 3/19/08 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE RUNS ROUGH AND WOULD NOT GO OVER 40MPH. THE DEALER PERFORMED BRAKE PEDAL RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. UPDATED 03/19/08 *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER ARE DIFFICULT TO READ DURING THE DAY OR EARLY MORNINGS BECAUSE THE SENSORS ARE DIM. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LIGHT CLUSTER SWITCHES AND STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND INFORMATION CENTER WERE DESIGNED WITH DIM LIGHTING; THEREF…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER ARE DIFFICULT TO READ DURING THE DAY OR EARLY MORNINGS BECAUSE THE SENSORS ARE DIM. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LIGHT CLUSTER SWITCHES AND STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND INFORMATION CENTER WERE DESIGNED WITH DIM LIGHTING; THEREFORE, REPLACEMENTS WOULD NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000. UPDATED 02-25-08 *BF THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS REPLACED DUE TO A NOISE BEING HEARD IN THE STEERING WHILE DRIVING. THE STARTER MOTOR WAS REPLACED. UPDATED *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN WOBBLING EXCESSIVELY AND THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. THE DEALER ROTATED THE TIRES AND ADJUSTED THE ALIGNMENT. THREE WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE MADE, THE FAILURES RECURRED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALE…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK LACROSSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN WOBBLING EXCESSIVELY AND THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. THE DEALER ROTATED THE TIRES AND ADJUSTED THE ALIGNMENT. THREE WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE MADE, THE FAILURES RECURRED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,470. UPDATED 01/24/08 *BF UPDATED 01/24/08 *TR
Official recalls
415V519000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights
Aug 14, 2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2006-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, GMC Envoy XL, 2006-2008 Isuzu Ascender, and Saab 9-7x vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the headlamp driver module (HDM) may overheat and fail, causing the headlamps and daytime running lights to not illuminate.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Headlamps that do not illuminate reduce the driver's ability to see the roadway and reduce the vehicle's visibility to oncoming vehicles, both of which increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HDM, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14291.
14V355000 · Electrical System:ignition
Jun 23, 2014
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille, 2006-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 23, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), and 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14299.
06V417000 · Air Bags:frontal
Oct 31, 2006
CERTAIN VEHICLES ORIGINALLY BUILT WITH CLOTH SEATS THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC AIR BAG PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM AND LATER REUPHOLSTERED WITH AFTERMARKET LEATHER SEAT COVER KITS ARE INVOLVED. TESTING HAS INDICATED THAT THE AFTERMARKET LEATHER SEAT COVERS CAN CAUSE THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS, THE FRONT AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE MAY BE DISABLED WHEN IT SHOULD BE ENABLED, OR ENABLED WHEN IT SHOULD BE DISABLED. IN EITHER CASE, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH THAT REQUIRES AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, A FRONT PASSENGER'S LEVEL OF INJURY MAY BE INCREASED.
Remedy: BECAUSE A REPLACEMENT LEATHER SEAT COVER THAT IS COMPATIBLE WITH THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM IS NOT AVAILABLE, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) WILL REPURCHASE THESE VEHICLES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS STATED IN GM'S LETTER TO OWNERS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 6, 2006. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT GM AT 1-877-477-1022 TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF REPURCHASING THEIR VEHICLE.
05V156000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:pedals And Linkages
Apr 20, 2005
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE CLIP THAT SECURES THE BRAKE PUSHROD TO THE BRAKE PEDAL ARM PIN COULD HAVE BEEN BENT WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED. A BENT CLIP MAY COME OFF, ALLOWING THE BRAKE BOOSTER PUSHROD TO SEPARATE FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: PUSHING ON THE PEDAL WILL NOT APPLY THE BRAKES AND A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW BRAKE PEDAL PUSH ROD BUSHING AND RETAINING CLIP AND, IF THE CLIP WAS MISSING, A NEW BRAKE PEDAL ARM ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 26, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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