NHTSA vehicle safety data

2009 Buick Lucerne Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2009 Buick Lucerne has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 128 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Buick dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2009 Buick Lucerne, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2009 Buick Lucerne owner complaints

Owners have filed 128 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Buick Lucerne, describing incidents dated November 19, 2008 to April 10, 2026.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 76 complaints
Fuel/Propulsion System 45 complaints
Engine 10 complaints
Structure 8 complaints
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 6 complaints
Steering 6 complaints

Of the 128 complaints on file, 6 report a crash and 17 a fire; across all 128 complaints, owners report 5 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11730411 · Filed April 10, 2026
The contact owns a 2009 Buick Lucerne. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in rainy weather, the windshield wipers became inoperable, causing the driver's visibility to be significantly reduced and severely rendering the safe operation of the vehicle. The dealer was…
ODI #11729732 · Filed April 7, 2026
The contact owns a 2009 Buick Lucerne. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The contact was able to safely drive onto the shoulder, and the tow truck was contacted. The vehicle was later towed to the local mechanic, who diagnosed that the fuel…
ODI #11721148 · Filed February 28, 2026
Woke up to my passenger seat burnt up, liquid oozing out the burnt up seat and wires and metal sticking out. Looks like the fire started under the seat.

Read all 128 complaints

Owner-reported

2009 Buick Lucerne mileage at failure

107 of the 128 complaints on file for the 2009 Buick Lucerne give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Electrical System	Median 85,000 miles	Middle half 75,000–110,000 miles	Based on 60 complaints
Fuel/Propulsion System	Median 80,000 miles	Middle half 60,000–100,000 miles	Based on 38 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Most complaints NHTSA received since May 17, 2021 give no mileage. So that they aren't undercounted, each one received since then that gives a mileage also stands in for those that gave none, which can put a component's median above most of the mileages it is based on.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

Ignition Switch may Turn Off

NHTSA #14V355000 · Electrical System — Ignition · NHTSA notice

Reported June 23, 2014 · General Motors LLC

Potentially affected: 3,141,731 vehicles

Repair completion: 67.7% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Manufacturer campaign 14299 · Owners notified September 23, 2014 · Vehicles built May 2, 2008 – August 13, 2009 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety 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.

Manufacturer 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.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

HEATED WINDSHIELD WASHER MODULE SHORT CIRCUIT

NHTSA #10V240000 · Electrical System · NHTSA notice

Reported June 4, 2010 · GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Potentially affected: 1,365,070 vehicles

Owners notified June 11, 2010

Defect description

GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 BUICK, LUCERNE; CADILLAC DTS; HUMMER H2; MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 BUICK ENCLAVE; CADILLAC CTS; MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; GMC ACADIA, SIERRA, YUKON, YUKON XL; SATURN OUTLOOK; AND MODEL YEAR 2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED WASHER FLUID SYSTEM (HWFS). A RECALL WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2008 TO ADD A FUSE TO THE CONTROL CIRCUIT HARNESS TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) ELECTRICAL SHORT. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN NEW REPORTS OF THERMAL INCIDENTS ON HWFS MODULES AFTER THIS IMPROVEMENT WAS INSTALLED. THESE INCIDENTS RESULTED FROM A NEW FAILURE MODE ATTRIBUTED TO THE DEVICE'S THERMAL PROTECTION FEATURE. THE SIGNIFICANCE VARIES FROM MINOR DISTORTION TO CONSIDERABLE MELTING OF THE PLASTIC AROUND THE HWFS FLUID CHAMBER.

Safety consequence

IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HEATED WASHER MODULE TO IGNITE AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL PERMANENTLY DISABLE AND REMOVE THE HEATED WASHER FLUID MODULE. AN UPDATED PAGE FOR THE OWNER MANUAL WILL BE PROVIDED AND INSERTED IN THE OWNER MANUAL TO DOCUMENT THAT THE FEATURE HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY DISABLED AND REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 AND HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.

Notes

OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

2009 Buick Lucerne 4-DR. w/SAB

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 4, Passenger: 4

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

Lane Departure Warning (Optional)

128 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Buick Lucerne.

Visibility/Wiper

ODI #11730411

Incident: April 10, 2026 · Filed: April 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2009 Buick Lucerne. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in rainy weather, the windshield wipers became inoperable, causing the driver's visibility to be significantly reduced and severely rendering the safe operation of the vehicle. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 147,000.

Fuel System, Gasoline

ODI #11729732

Incident: December 10, 2025 · Filed: April 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2009 Buick Lucerne. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The contact was able to safely drive onto the shoulder, and the tow truck was contacted. The vehicle was later towed to the local mechanic, who diagnosed that the fuel relay had failed. The contact was informed that the relay had failed due to the location under the driver’s side rear seat, and while touching the motor terminal. The contact stated that there was a TSB associated with the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were contacted. The failure mileage was 70,000.

Seats

ODI #11721148

Fire

Incident: February 28, 2026 · Filed: February 28, 2026

Woke up to my passenger seat burnt up, liquid oozing out the burnt up seat and wires and metal sticking out. Looks like the fire started under the seat.

Electrical System

ODI #11623101

Incident: October 30, 2024 · Filed: November 1, 2024

The contact owns a 2009 Buick Lucerne. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine failed to turn over. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that upon inspection he became aware that one of the relays from the electric fuel pump under the rear passenger’s seat needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the fuel pump relay prong base had melted due to overheating. In addition, the contact stated that the fuse was a 10.01 AMP instead of a 5 AMP which could have caused the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred 2 days later. The manufacturer was made not aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.

Electrical System; Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #11605954

Incident: July 26, 2024 · Filed: August 1, 2024

The car died suddenly and would not start, with no warnings or codes. Towed it to a Midas repair shop and it was diagnosed as a corroded Low Profile Fuel Pump relay. This was replaced, and the car ran fine for 3 days before going dead in the middle of driving and left me stranded in an intersection. Had to get it towed back to Midas where it was more accurately diagnosed that the issue with the relay was being caused by a faulty Rear Electrical Center. Both of these parts have been recalled, and I have only owned this car for a little over a year. It has only around 40,000 miles on it. Despite this recall, upon taking the car to the local Buick dealership, they stated they could not cover the recall due to it being expired before I even owned the car. I do not understand how it is right or fair for this to have to be paid out of pocket, for $183.53 and $818.81 respectively, when it is not my fault, it is a faulty GM parts issue, and GM stated they will not stand behind their product and cover the recall despite the evident risk to my safety if I was to continue driving the car without repair. I understand it is expired, but I fail to see how this is ethical when the part is still faulty to the point of being dangerous.

Electrical System; Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #11567044

Incident: December 20, 2023 · Filed: January 22, 2024

Fuel Pump relay fuse is getting burnt up and not allowing car to start. This is a known problem and Nhtsa has already made a recall but mine isn’t recalled. You would think since mine is a 2008-2011 Buick Lucerne it would be able to get fixed. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Fuel System, Gasoline

ODI #11534910

Incident: July 20, 2023 · Filed: July 27, 2023

The contact owns a 2009 Buick Lucerne. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle would not start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the fuel pump was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The fuel module was replaced by the contact but the failure reoccurred. While driving 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled over on the side of the road and had the vehicle towed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated there was no recall on the VIN for the failure. No additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 41,000.

Fuel System, Gasoline; Electrical System

ODI #11532285

Incident: June 26, 2023 · Filed: July 14, 2023

The contact owns a 2009 Buick Lucerne. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle sputtered and failed to start. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who recommended that the fuel pump relay be replaced. The mechanic became aware that the fuse was melted. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Electrical System; Vehicle Speed Control; Engine

ODI #11510367

Incident: March 4, 2023 · Filed: March 6, 2023

The contact owns a 2009 Buick Lucerne. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the fuel pump relay overheated and burned the fuse box. The accelerator pedal and steering wheel became inoperable. The contact was able to control the vehicle and park the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact replaced the relay, but the vehicle failed to start. The contact called the local dealer and was advised to schedule an appointment for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

Electrical System; Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #11507455

Incident: February 2, 2023 · Filed: February 15, 2023

The fuse box or fuse holder under the back seat had the fuel pump relay fail due to pressure on the fuse box lid from the seat above it. This is a known issue by Buick as they keep the fuse box in stock (for about $300) I have owned two similar Lucernes with this issue. The fuel pump relay caused enough heat to melt into the fuse box, causing a disconnection. This caused the fuel pump to stop pumping, causing the car to stop running. The problem can be confirmed by calling any Buick dealer. I'm sure they have had several examples of this issue besides my pair. There are many examples mentioned on the internet, as well as videos as to how to fix it. There are no warning lamps prior to the failure. The engine dies and refuses to restart.

Other Buick Lucerne model years

Check your 2009 Buick Lucerne VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Buick Lucerne at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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