The 2014 LaCrosse shares the Epsilon II platform with decent reliability overall, but the 2.4L Ecotec suffers catastrophic internal engine failures, while all variants face transmission cooler and shift quality issues that worsen with age.
Symptoms: Excessive oil consumption (1 qt per 1,000 mi or worse), Metallic knocking from crankcase, Sudden loss of power and oil pressure, Blue smoke on startup, Check engine light with misfire codes
Fix: The 2.4L suffers from piston ring carbon buildup leading to oil consumption, which starves bearings and causes spun rods or crankshaft damage. Requires complete engine replacement or full rebuild (30-40 labor hours). Short block replacement runs 25-30 hours if heads are salvageable.
Estimated cost: $4,500-7,500
Transmission Oil Cooler Line Failure and Contamination
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 60,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Transmission slipping or flaring between shifts, Harsh 2-3 shift, Pink milkshake in coolant reservoir (trans fluid in coolant), Overheating transmission, Delayed engagement from Park
Fix: The cooler lines corrode internally or the radiator-mounted cooler fails, allowing coolant and ATF to mix. Requires transmission flush, cooler line replacement, and often radiator replacement. If contamination sat long, transmission rebuild needed (18-22 hours). Preventive cooler line replacement alone is 2-3 hours.
Estimated cost: $800-1,200 (lines only), $3,500-5,000 (with trans rebuild)
6T70 Transmission Shift Solenoid and Valve Body Issues
Common · medium severity
Typical onset: 80,000-140,000 mi
Symptoms: Harsh or delayed 2-3 upshift, Transmission slipping in 5th or 6th gear, Check engine light with P0776 or P0777 (pressure control solenoid), Clunking on downshifts, Limp mode activation
Fix: The 6T70 develops worn pressure control solenoids and valve body bore wear. Repair requires transmission removal, valve body R&R, and solenoid replacement (12-15 hours). Some shops attempt external solenoid replacement (4-5 hours) but success rate is 50/50.
Estimated cost: $1,800-3,200
3.6L V6 Timing Chain Stretch and Guide Failure
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 90,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: Rattling on cold start for 2-3 seconds, Check engine light with cam/crank correlation codes (P0016-P0019), Rough idle, Reduced power, Catastrophic failure if chain jumps time
Fix: The 3.6L uses four timing chains; primary chains and guides wear from inadequate oil changes. Requires front cover removal, all chains, guides, tensioners, and VVT solenoids (14-18 hours). Failure to address causes valve-to-piston contact.
Estimated cost: $2,800-4,200
Front Lower Control Arm Bushing Deterioration
Common · low severity
Typical onset: 70,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunking over bumps at low speed, Steering wheel vibration under braking, Wandering on highway, Uneven inner tire wear, Failed state inspection (play in ball joint area)
Fix: Front lower control arm bushings separate or tear, causing alignment issues and noise. Requires both lower control arm assemblies (2.5-3.5 hours per side). Cannot press new bushings due to bonded design.
Estimated cost: $600-900
Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM) Failure
Occasional · high severity
Symptoms: ABS and traction control lights on, Stabilitrak disabled message, Firm brake pedal with reduced stopping power, No ABS function, C0710 code (stepper motor circuit)
Fix: The EBCM integrated into the brake modulator fails, often from internal motor or valve issues. Requires complete assembly replacement and extensive brake system bleeding (2.5-3.5 hours). Must be programmed to VIN.
Estimated cost: $1,200-1,800
Power Steering Rack Internal Seal Leaks
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 90,000-140,000 mi
Symptoms: Power steering fluid dripping from rack boots, Groaning when turning at full lock, Intermittent heavy steering, Fluid level dropping repeatedly, Wet inner tie rod area
Fix: Internal rack seals fail, leaking fluid into boots. Rack rebuild not practical on these; requires complete rack assembly replacement (3.5-4.5 hours). Must perform alignment after.
Estimated cost: $900-1,400
Owner tips
If buying a 2.4L, budget for engine replacement or avoid entirely—check oil consumption religiously every 500 miles
Change transmission fluid every 50,000 miles with full flush, not just drain-and-fill, to extend 6T70 life
On 3.6L V6, use full synthetic oil and 5,000-mile intervals maximum to prevent timing chain stretch
Inspect transmission cooler lines annually starting at 60k miles; replace proactively at first sign of seepage
Check for pink coolant (trans contamination) at every oil change—catching it early saves $3,000
Buy the 3.6L V6 with service records showing religious fluid changes, avoid the 2.4L unless you enjoy surprise engine replacements.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
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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. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL · 16V651000
2016-09-08
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. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · 14V317000
2014-06-12
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick LaCrosse vehicles manufactured April 30, 2013, to September 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, a wiring splice in the driver's door may corrode and break, resulting in the absence of an audible chime to notify the driver if the door is opened while the key is in the ignition. Additionally, the Retained Accessory Power (RAP) module may stay active for ten minutes allowing the operation of the passenger windows, rear windows, and sunroof. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention," and 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."
Consequence: Without an audible indicator, the driver may not be aware that the driver's door is open while the key is in the ignition, increasing the risk of a vehicle rollaway. If the passenger windows, rear windows, and sunroof can function when the vehicle is turned off and the driver is not in the vehicle, there is an increased risk of injury if an unsupervised occupant operates the power closures.
Remedy: GM will notify owners and dealers will inspect the driver door window motor harness, and replace the electrical splice, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. General Motors number for this recall is 14235.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC · 14V240000
2014-05-08
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Lacrosse vehicles manufactured January 29, 2014, through March 31, 2014 and 2014 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured February 7, 2014, through March 31, 2014, and equipped with 17 inch front brake rotors. The affected vehicles may have had brake rotors intended for the rear of the car accidentally installed on the front. The rear rotors, while the same diameter, are thinner and may result in a front brake pad detaching from the caliper.
Consequence: If a brake pad detaches from caliper, there may be a sudden reduction in braking, lengthening the distance required to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake rotors, and install the correct rotors with new brake pads, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 20, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick) or 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14128.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · 14V092000
2014-02-21
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Regal, LaCrosse, Verano, and Enclave, and Chevrolet Impala, Malibu, Cruze, and Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable adjuster may disengage from the transmission shift lever. As such, these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect." They also fail to conform to FMVSS number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Consequence: If a vehicle's shift cable disengages from the transmission shift lever, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the driver may be able to shift the lever to the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace any affected transmission shift cable adjusters, free of charge. The recall began on April 10, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Buick owners at 1-800-521-7300, and GMC owners at 1-800-462-8782. General Motors' number associated with this recall is 14048.
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