Problems · by component
2009 Buick Lacrosse air bags problems
27 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Buick Lacrosse cite air bags, 25% of all 106 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
27
25% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the air bags
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The passenger airbag light started coming on and going off intermittently. After several weeks of this, it was on every time the car is driven. Testing by an ASE certified mechanic revealed that the permanent light results in no front seat airbags. The failed part is the seat presence sensor. The part is - and hasn't been for quite a while - manufactured by GM. Aftermarket parts are costly and the installation cost is in the hundreds of dollars. Research indicates that this is a well-known and long reported issue. Why not a recall years ago? Other than brakes and steering, could there be any more unsafe components than those affecting airbags? The only remedy other than continuously replacing the faulty part, is a bypass module. If it functions correctly, the airbag will deploy regardless of passenger weight. This puts any child or underweight rider in danger. And, of course, considering the expense, many owners will do nothing with possibly grave consequences. I think you "dropped the ball" big time on this one!”
“The air bag light on the dashboard is on all the time.It is available for inspection at any time. I do not know if the bag will go off at any time or does it mean that it won't go off on impact. I am nervous about having someone for a passenger. I have informed the dealership of the problem and they did confirmed the problem, it has not been inspected by the manufacturer or others. The light came on the day after I bought the car from the dealership and it has been on every cents.”
“ABOU 50,XXX MILES THE SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT IN THE DASH BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. IT WOULD OCCUR ONCE A MONTH OR SO. THE DEALER WANTED $1200 TO REPLACE THE AB CONTROL MODULE. FOR THE NEXT 46,XXX MILES IT HAS BEEN THAT WAY UNTIL A FEW DAYS AGO. NOW THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON CONTINUALLY, MEANING THE AIRBAGS ARE INOPERATIVE. SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE TO ME!”
“THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT BLINKS AND THEN REMAINS ON WHEN THE IGNITION IS TURNED ON AND WHEN DRIVING REGARDLESS OF SPEED. THIS CONDITION HAS RESULTED IN THE REPLACING OF THE RELEVANT PART TWICE SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN 2009 ONCE UNDER WARRANTY AND ONCE OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS RECURRING PROBLEM COMPROMISES THE OPERATION OF THE AIR BAGS IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THE AIR BAGS IN THIS VEHICLE HAVE NEVER BEEN DEPLOYED SINCE IT HAS BEEN ACCIDENT FREE SINCE PURCHASED NEW.”
“THE SENSOR FOR THE PASSENGER AIRBAG ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WORKS ERRATICALLY, AND GENERALLY DOES NOT ENABLE THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG WHEN A PASSENGER IS IN THE SEAT. THIS OCCURS WITH A FULL SIZE ADULT IN THE SEAT. THIS CONDITION SEEMS TO OCCUR REGARDLESS OF IDLING OR DRIVING CONDITIONS. IT GENERALLY REPORTS THROUGH INDICATORS THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG IS TURNED OFF AND THE AIRBAG READINESS INDICATOR IS LIT TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. *TR”
“MY 2009 LACROSSE WILL INTERMITTENTLY DISPLAY THE AIR BAG INDICATOR. I NOTICED THIS WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AROUND TOWN AND THERE IS NO PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT. IT WILL EITHER STAY ON FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THEN DISAPPEAR OR WILL JUST BE ON FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY STATED IT WAS A SENSOR MODULE AND WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $1300 TO REPLACE. AS OF THIS DATE, I HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 24,000 MILES. I CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE MIGHT BE ANY RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE AND THERE WERE NONE. BUT IN CHECKING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH MANY BUICKS ESPECIALLY THE 2008. TO ME THIS APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.”
Showing 6 of 27 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.