The 2007 Buick Lucerne is GM's W-body luxury sedan that rides on proven architecture but suffers from significant powertrain issues, particularly catastrophic V8 engine failures and transmission cooler problems that can kill the 4T65-E transaxle if ignored.
4.6L Northstar V8 Catastrophic Engine Failure
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 80,000-140,000 mi
Symptoms: excessive oil consumption (quart per 500-1000 miles), white smoke from exhaust on startup, coolant loss with no visible leaks, rough idle and misfires, eventually complete loss of compression
Fix: Head gasket failure allows coolant into cylinders, warping heads and scoring cylinder walls. Requires engine rebuild with new pistons, rings, head gaskets, and often crankshaft work. Some owners opt for used engine replacement instead. 25-35 labor hours for proper rebuild.
Estimated cost: $5,500-9,000
Transmission Oil Cooler Line Failure
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 70,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: transmission fluid leaking near radiator, pink residue under vehicle, transmission slipping or delayed engagement, coolant in transmission pan (cross-contamination), transmission overheating
Fix: Steel cooler lines rust through where they connect to radiator, or internal cooler fails mixing coolant and ATF. If caught early, replace lines and flush (3 hours). If cross-contaminated, transmission rebuild required (12-16 hours) plus cooler/line replacement.
Symptoms: coolant loss without visible external leaks, white smoke from exhaust, rough idle when cold, DexCool residue around intake plenum, overheating in severe cases
Fix: Plastic intake manifold gaskets deteriorate and allow coolant into crankcase or combustion chambers. Requires upper intake removal, new gaskets, thermostat housing replacement while you're in there. 5-7 labor hours. Often combined with spark plug replacement.
Estimated cost: $800-1,400
Ignition Lock Cylinder Failure
Occasional · high severity
Symptoms: key won't turn or gets stuck in ignition, no crank/no start even with good battery, steering wheel locks and won't release, ignition cylinder loose or floppy
Fix: GM ignition lock cylinders wear internally; some units subject to recall for potential stalling while driving. Replacement requires steering column disassembly and programming new cylinder to existing key. 2-3 labor hours. Often covered under extended recall.
Estimated cost: $350-650 (if not recall-covered)
Power Steering Pump and Rack Leaks
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 100,000-160,000 mi
Symptoms: power steering fluid puddles under front of car, whining noise when turning, heavy steering effort especially when cold, fluid on inner CV boot area
Fix: Pump seals fail or rack develops leaks at inner tie rod boots. Pump replacement is 2 hours, rack is 4-5 hours. Often see both pump and high-pressure hose need replacement together due to contamination from leaked fluid.
Symptoms: severe clunk when shifting from park to drive or reverse, excessive engine rocking during acceleration, vibration at idle in gear, visible sagging of powertrain on driver's side
Fix: Hydraulic transmission mount fails allowing excessive powertrain movement. Straightforward replacement but requires supporting engine/trans safely. 1.5-2 hours labor. Use OEM or quality aftermarket; cheap mounts fail within a year.
Estimated cost: $250-400
Blower Motor Resistor Failure
Occasional · low severity
Symptoms: HVAC blower only works on high speed, intermittent blower operation, no air flow from vents on lower speeds, burning smell from vents (if motor failing too)
Fix: Resistor module overheats and fails, usually due to aging blower motor drawing excess current. Located behind glove box for easy access. Replace resistor and inspect blower motor condition. 0.5-1 hour labor. Consider replacing blower motor preventively if original.
Estimated cost: $150-300
Owner tips
If buying a 4.6L V8 model, budget for engine work or walk away — the Northstar is a ticking time bomb after 100k
Check transmission cooler lines annually for rust; $80 in preventive line replacement beats a $3,500 transmission
Use DexCool-compatible coolant only and flush every 5 years — mixing coolant types accelerates gasket failure
Inspect power steering fluid level monthly; topping off masks a leak that will grenade the pump if ignored
Replace transmission mount before it fails completely to prevent damage to CV axles and subframe mounts
The V6 models are serviceable used cars if the intake gaskets have been done and the trans cooler lines are solid; avoid the V8 unless you enjoy expensive surprises or can wrench yourself.
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.
Fitment notes: Side post terminals; higher CCA required for 4.6L Northstar V8
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Every control module on the 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne — where it lives, replacement time, and what it takes to program a replacement. Modules marked dealer / factory tool won't work after a part swap alone — budget for programming.
⚠️ Only on vehicles with memory seat option; position relearn via driver controls
Aftermarket tool coverage varies by software version and vehicle build — treat "aftermarket tool" rows as "usually possible" and verify against your tool maker's coverage list before promising a customer. Spot a wrong location or hour? Tell us — corrections ship fast here.
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · 10V240000
2010-06-04
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.
Consequence: IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HEATED WASHER MODULE TO IGNITE AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR.
Remedy: 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.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · 08V441000
2008-08-28 · EA08010
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.
Consequence: THIS MAY CAUSE OTHER ELECTRICAL FEATURES TO MALFUNCTION, CREATE AN ODOR, OR CAUSE SMOKE INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE.
Remedy: 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> .
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS · 07V468000
2007-10-04
CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 118, 'POWER OPERATED WINDOW, PARTITION, AND ROOF PANEL SYSTEMS.' UNDER THE STANDARD, THE SUNROOF MAY ONLY BE CLOSED WHEN THE IGNITION IS ON, OR AFTER THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF, BUT BEFORE EITHER OF THE FRONT DOORS ARE OPENED. THE AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A CONDITION WHERE THE SUNROOF CAN BE CLOSED AFTER THE IGNITION IS TURNED OFF AND THE DOORS ARE OPENED.
Consequence: THIS STANDARD SPECIFIES REQUIREMENTS FOR POWER OPERATED WINDOW, PARTITION, AND ROOF PANEL SYSTEMS TO MINIMIZE THE LIKELIHOOD OF DEATH OR INJURY FROM THEIR ACCIDENTAL OPERATION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A WIRE HARNESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 29, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339.
Size-standard part numbers — verify your connector type before buying. Rear blades are model-specific; check the package's vehicle list.
Fuel economy figures are EPA data via fueleconomy.gov (median across matching trims). Performance figures are compiled estimates for the 2007 Buick Lucerne 4.6L V8 and can vary by trim.
🔧 Database maintained under the daily editorial review of Chris Hackleman · Master Technician · 20+ years and Jeff Moore · Master Mechanic · 20+ years.