Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Buick Lacrosse owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2008 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the airbag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
First issue car will shut off driving down the freeway doing 60 70 miles an hour it will just shut off and I have to coast to the side and wait and wait till it starts again very dangerous. Next issue is the airbag light flashes on and off I'm assuming do I do to a pressure sensor in the passenger seat which I have a daughter that sits in the passenger seat and I don't know if the airbag is working or not. Next problem are the door locks they lock they don't lock the left rear does not work I have to manually pull it up and push it down if I want it locked the key fob warning is always on my dash saying key fob battery is low I replaced it I replace the key fob itself it just works when it wants to. …
The car's air bag light by the speedometer has been illuminating intermittently at various speeds whether there is a passenger in the passenger seat or not. The passenger seat air bag on/off light near glove compartment turns to off when the speedometer air bag light illuminates. In June, I took the car into an independent mechanic to get the problem fixed. Unfortunately, the computer doesn't store a code for this problem. The mechanic tried to improve the connection to the passenger seat and "relearned" the computer; however, the problem still occurs. Mechanic said it "might" be a $1,000 fix which involves part of the passenger seat cushion itself! It cost me $100 to find out this much and attempt a correction, but $1,000 is ridiculous; especially for a "maybe" fix. I see others are having this problem, too. I've already had the ignition switch key fix at the dealership. …
The passenger airbag telltale intermittently illuminates while driving. The dealer has advised the airbag is disabled at the times the light is displayed. NHTSA reports from owners indicate that dealer part changes (control, weight sensor, etc.) have not been successful to correct the issue. With that in mind, it's apparent that a design issue must be at the root cause. This issue is just as dangerous if not worse than the ignition key issue because both disable the airbag. This issue unlike the ignition issue which causes the car to shut down can go unnoticed if the driver fails to see the indicator light. This exposes the passenger to a potential danger if involved in a crash at that time. Disconnecting and reconnecting the seat belt and repositioning a passenger's weight eventually will turn off the light provided the light is detected and the passenger is advised. …
Red air bag light comes on intermittently. Many owners of these cars have complained. It is a poor design and should be recalled. When the air bag light is on, there is no air bags that work. The problem is in the wiring and in the passenger presence system which costs nearly 1K for a new seat bladder which May or May not fix the problem. Many owners of these models are having issues with the air bag systems in these vehicles. Why hasn't GM been ordered to repair all of these obviously defective systems? Never had an air bag problem with any other vehicle. Light is on steady now and all air bags are disabled due to this one problem. Not a great design and as a safety issue, it should be a mandatory repair by GM. None of my other brands-Ford, Nissan, or hondas have ever had an air bag problem. This is another ignition key design type lawsuit waiting to happen. …
I noticed that the passenger side air bag light would toggle between on and off while driving. The Buick dealer diagnostic and scan test revealed that the passenger side pressure sensor failed. Cost of repair is $2,000.00 with no safety warranty options available to offset the cost. No obvious damage to pressure sensor or passenger side seat cushion containing the bladder and pressure sensor in the years of owning this car to warrant failure of pressure sensor. Due to absence of reason for the failure of the passenger side pressure sensor, I am concerned about potential faulty safety systems on my vehicle. A failure pressure sensor in the passenger side could mean that in the event of a crash the airbag does not deploy properly even when there is a passenger sitting there. …
The airbag indicator warning light comes on intermittently while driving my 2008 Buick Lacrosse. This car has only 23,000 miles on it. The failure happens every time I drive my car with or without someone in the front passenger seat. This exposes the driver and passenger to danger as no airbag protection is afforded to them when the light is on. I brought the car to the dealer for diagnosis, they said a part May be needed that costs about $1,000 to replace. This needs to be recalled because it is a safety issue that many buicks have, and the replacement costs should be covered by general motors, not the customer. Apparently, I am not the only one to experience this issue. Here is a link to the carcomplaints.com website where many others have shared their experiences with this problem. Http://www.carcomplaints.com/Buick/Lacrosse/2008/seat_belts_air_bags/air_bags.shtml thank you
The description that follows is a safety issue which could result in the death or serious injury of a passenger in the front seat. The air bag indicator for the passenger front seat is continuously lit. The local Buick dealership scanned and checked the air bag system, repaired connections and cleared the code. At present, nearly 8 months later, the air bag light is now continuously lit when driving the vehicle which indicates that there is no air bag protection for the passenger in the front seat. The dealership indicated that the cost to replace and program the passenger position module is $1540. This is a definite safety issue and should be subject to a recall. GM should not be manufacturing a vehicle in which, at 51097 miles, the air bag system does not function. I note a number of complaints regarding this particular safety issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Buick Lacrosse. While driving, the air bag warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to tallahassee Ford Lincoln (located at 243 n magnolia dr, tallahassee, fl 3230[phone]), where the cause of the failure could not be determined. The dealer sent the contact to dale earnhardt jr. Buick GMC Cadillac (located at 1850 capital circle ne, tallahassee, fl 32308) where it was diagnosed with a defective air bag sensor. The contact stated that he took the diagnostic report back to tallahassee Ford since the vehicle was recently purchased there and he wanted them to pay for the repairs. The contact was informed by the sales representative that they would not pay for the air bag sensor repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,000.
2008 Buick Lacrosse - airbag light will come on near the speedometer while driving down the road. It will stay on for a couple minutes then shut off. There are 74,000 miles on the vehicle and I just bought it used from a Buick dealership. I'm assuming the problem was there with previous owners as well since it happened for the first time as I was driving the car home after purchasing. This happens even if there isn't anyone in the passenger seat at all. I have read numerous complaints about this online as when that light is on the airbag will not deploy in an accident. There are many stories of modules and other things being replaced but it not fixing the problem. This is clearly a safety issue that concerns me.
Airbag complaints in other Lacrosse years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2008 Buick Lacrosse?
NHTSA has 77 complaints about the air bags of the 2008 Buick Lacrosse, 31% of the model year's 250 complaints. The component named most often is frontal › sensor/control module (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Buick Lacrosse airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2008 Buick Lacrosse, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2008 Buick Lacrosse airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 24% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.