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2016 Buick LaCrosse airbags problems

severe Owners of the 2016 Buick LaCrosse have filed 6 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →

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Complaints
6
Recalls
2
Avg fix
$1,100
airbags complaints on the Buick LaCrosse, by model year
Model yearairbags complaints
2012 LaCrosse 4
2013 LaCrosse 4
2014 LaCrosse 7
2015 LaCrosse 6
2016 LaCrosse (this page) 6
5crashes
2injuries
What stands out

All 2 active airbags recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.

No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.

Related recalls

severe NHTSA 16V651000 September 8, 2016

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 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles

A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.
severe NHTSA 17V437000 July 10, 2017

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 vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles

A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.

Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins

The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.

Service Bulletin PIC5650J Jul 2021

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes B3055, B3060, and/or B3935. Technician should not replace any parts for this concern. If unable to duplicate the concern ask if the customer uses any Radio Frequency Identification Devices when the concern is present. Dealer should also direct their customers to the appropriate section in the Owner manuals that references that the device complies.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗
Service Bulletin 17NA103 Feb 2018

This Technical bulletin explains how the airbag electrical connector may not be installed completely and may need to be re connected to correct the codes that were set.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗
Service Bulletin 17-NA-103 Apr 2017

This informational bulletin explains how the airbag electrical connector may not be installed completely and may need to be re connected to correct the codes the were set.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗
Service Bulletin 16NA246 Aug 2016

THIS INFORMATIONAL BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION ON LOCATING AND RECONNECTING AIRBAG CONNECTORS THAT ARE NOT FULLY SEATED TO CORRECT A CUSTOMER CONCERN OF AN AIRBAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED, OR ONE, OR MORE, AIRBAG DTC(S) SET.

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗
Service Bulletin 12-09-41-002C Feb 2016

This informational bulletin provides information on Passenger Presence System (PPS) May Command Seat Belt Reminder Chime and Passenger Airbag Indicator On or Set DTC B101D When Electronic Devices or Conductive Objects are Placed on Front Passenger Seat

full bulletin at NHTSA ↗

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.

What owners are reporting 3 most recent

airbags · filed 11/09/2018

I was driving in the city involved in a car accident and my airbags did not deploy

airbags · filed 10/17/2016

Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Buick lacrosse. The contact was involved in a crash. The air bags did not deploy and the air bag warning indicator illuminated. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number 16v651000 (air bags). The failure mileage was 11,500.

airbags · filed 08/24/2026

I was in a front end collision where the damages were over 20,000.00 and the air bags did not deploy.

Had airbags trouble with your 2016 Buick LaCrosse? File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.

Common questions

How serious is the airbags problem on the 2016 Buick LaCrosse?

It's a meaningful issue. 6 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.

At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?

Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.

What does it cost to fix?

Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.

Are there any recalls related to airbags?

Yes — 2 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.

Related

Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database. Verify the raw federal record at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/Buick/LaCrosse. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.
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