Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Buick Lacrosse owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
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.
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.
Left home for local restaurant about 7:am on May 8. Traveling down hwy 2 lane, must have dropped wheel off pavement and the car went crazy. I do not remember what happened. The accident report says vehicle crossed the road, hit a bank head first and flipped the vehicle. One car accident. Airbags did not deploy. I was taken by ambulance to a hospital, then transported to another state to a trauma center. Multiple injuries. I was in hospital for 12 days and then a nursing rehab for 2 weeks. I did not know there was a recall on my vehicle until this month August 2014. No other cars were involved.
The air bag light comes on intermittently. I took it in for service, and was told it would be $1300 to replace the passenger presence module. I've seen other complaints online regarding this same item. I've also had issues with the automatic locks. It initially started with the passenger front door, and has now progressed to all the doors. The price I was given to repair this was $1600. Again, I've seen numerous online complaints concerning this item. This is my 3rd Buick, and I do not intend to buy another one. It seems once the warranty expires, several costly repairs are incurred.
Seatbelt light came on dash on; no airbag light also on for passenger side. First time it happened someone exited passenger seat while car was in park. Intermittent chime whether seat belt was in use or not; whether someone was in passenger seat or not. That has since ceased to happen. Dealer states dash light on also means no airbag for driver side. Fix is over $1500. Have read many other similar complaints all over America with other Buick vehicles and years. How is this not a recall/safety issue?
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Buick Lacrosse. While driving 30 MPH, the passenger side air bag warning light remained off even when the seat was occupied. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The details of the repairs were not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000. The VIN was not available. ..updated 11/21/16
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Buick Lacrosse. While driving 55 MPH, the passenger side air bag light illuminated without warning. The vehicle was diagnosed, but not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 38,975.....updated 07/05/16 it was determined, the passenger air module had an intermittent internal failure. Updated 07/14/16.
Airbag complaints in other Lacrosse years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2009 Buick Lacrosse?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the air bags of the 2009 Buick Lacrosse, 25% of the model year's 106 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2009 Buick Lacrosse airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2009 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 2009 Buick Lacrosse airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 22% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury 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.