2008 Buick Lucerne recalls and problems

The 2008 Buick Lucerne has 3 safety recalls and 218 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Buick dealer.

Recalls
3
Complaints
218
Crashes / fires
13 / 26
Injuries / deaths
6 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2008 Buick Lucerne vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2008 Buick Lucerne recalls

Recall 14V-355: Electrical System

Reported Jun 23, 2014 · 3,141,731 vehicles affected · General Motors LLC

Problem: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 10V-240: Electrical System

Reported Jun 4, 2010 · 1,365,070 vehicles affected · GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Problem: 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.

Risk: It is possible for the heated washer module to ignite and a fire may occur.

Fix: 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.

Recall 08V-441: Electrical System

Reported Aug 28, 2008 · 857,735 vehicles affected · GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Problem: Gm is recalling 857,735 my 2006-2008 buick lucerne; cadillac dts; hummer h2; my 2007-2008 cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; gmc acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl, saturn outlook; and my 2008 buick enclave vehicles equipped with a heated wiper washer fluid system. A short circuit on the printed circuit board for the washer fluid heater may overheat the control-circuit ground wire.

Risk: This may cause other electrical features to malfunction, create an odor, or cause smoke increasing the risk of a fire.

Fix: Dealers will install a wire harness with an in-line fuse free of charge. The recall began on september 12, 2008. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080; cadillac at 1-800-982-2339 or http://www.cadillac.com; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; saturn at 1-800-972-8876 or http://www.saturn.com, gmc at 1-866-996-9436; or hummer at 1-800-732-5493; or through their website at <a href=http://www.gmownercenter.com>http://www.gmownercenter.com</a> .

2008 Buick Lucerne problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Electrical System124
Fuel/Propulsion System50
Engine24
Structure14
Fuel System, Gasoline13
Air Bags11
Steering9
Visibility8
Seats8
Service Brakes, Hydraulic6
Vehicle Speed Control6
Unknown or Other6

Most reported parts

  • Structure › Body — 11
  • Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump — 6
  • Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel — 5
  • Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers — 5
  • Structure › Body › Door — 3
  • Electrical System › 12v/24v/48v Battery — 2
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 2
  • Electrical System › Propulsion System › Fuses, Relays, Contacts, and Shunts — 2

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 66,900 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2008 Buick Lucerne complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Structure · reported Jun 13, 2026
Yes, as I was driving down the highway doing the current speed limit my hood had a complete failure where the adhesive for the hood separated completely in the top layer flew off, obstructed my driving for more than 10 seconds then flew off and almost hit multiple cars behind me. Thank goodness this caused me to pull over off the road, but the safety of others and I were at very harms way due to a malfunction in the vehicles quality of built in the glue separation.
Engine and Engine Cooling · at 138,500 miles · reported Jul 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2008 Buick Lucerne. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The low oil pressure warning light was illuminated, and the message "Add Engine Oil" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter was clogged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, however, the failure recurred immediately. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the TCM had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired…
Electrical System · reported Jun 21, 2025
I purchased the vehicle a week before the incident. There were no warning lights or messages and nothing to indicate there was a problem. I was driving in a crowded parking lot so I was going very slow. When I turned my car suddenly died. My husband was passenger and my daughter and 2 sons were in the back. Smoke started coming from the seat and we all rushed out of the car while the seat was on fire. my husband pulled the seat out and put the fire out. I was not aware the battery is located under the back seat. I had the car towed and inspected by a mechanic. I was told the battery does not…
Electrical System · at 153,000 miles · reported Apr 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2008 Buick Lucerne. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the fuel pump relay and fuse had melted, and the fuse box located underneath the rear seat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 153,000.
Electrical System · reported Sep 10, 2024
Fuse box (rear) 2008 Buick Lucerne CXL. FUEL PUMP Relay burns fuses out quickly. The fuse box located under the back seat has been having issues of burning where the fuel pump relay is located. It then in turn shorts out the fuse box which keeps needing to be replaced. This is a safety issue as it catches fire under the back seat. Fuse box has been replaced before and continues to have issues and melts, causing the vehicle to die in mid traffic, does at stop lights or even just parked and running it dies out and smells like burning plastic. The fuse box has caught fire several times. The issue…

Other Buick Lucerne years

Compare all Buick Lucerne years · All Buick models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Buick Lucerne have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2008 Buick Lucerne: 14V-355 (electrical system), 10V-240 (electrical system), 08V-441 (electrical system). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2008 Buick Lucerne?

Owners report electrical system problems most often (124 reports), followed by fuel/propulsion system (50). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 66,900 miles.

Are Buick recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Buick dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.