Best and worst Buick Lucerne years — which to avoid

If you want a reliable Buick sedan produced between the two LaCrosse generations, the Lucerne makes a decent option, but only if you go for the best model years. Even though it was overall a reliable car, several model years had struggles that may strike some cash out of your pocket spent on repairs.

Our team reviewed the best years to buy and worst Buick Lucerne years to avoid to set you on the right track with buying advice. We’ve managed to uncover the difficulties of owning a bad-rated Lucerne model through the car’s safety ratings, complaints, and recall records, so we’ll lay down all of these in this guide.

Why you can trust REREV’s advice on which car model years to avoid: Our car experts look at official data, ask real drivers what they think, and talk to experienced mechanics to make sure our list is useful. This reliable info can make buying a car easier for you. Want to know how we do it? Find out more about our research methodology.

How we rated the best and worst Buick Lucerne years

To obtain verified information on best and worst Lucerne years, our team inspected official reliability reports on websites of trusted automotive organizations. That’s why we went through NHTSA submissions and records of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and we based our research upon those records.

Moving on, we compared our findings with official ratings and reviews on reputable sources like KBB, Edmunds, and Consumer Reports. We also explored the list of common issues thanks to official complaints submitted to NHTSA by real drivers, and inquired about those issues on Buick Lucerne forums, so here’s what we found out:

Most common Buick Lucerne problems

It’s no secret that Buick Lucerne had a few production years that you’ll want to skip on in case you are looking for the best used model. Still, it’s essential to be aware of the Buick Lucerne common problems that these models had throughout the production years, so that’s a great place to start.

1. Problems with the electrical system

We all know how bothersome electrical issues can be in your car. Whether it’s an issue with the battery or starter, or just a painful matter of malfunctioning interior accessories, it’s a true drag having to deal with these. The most common electrical fault that this car had is a battery cable touching the power steering return line which may lead to further electrical problems and even steering fluid leaks.

Also, we’ve seen numerous reports on melted fuse block which often led to repairs worth well above $550 and usually appeared even before the car went over 80,000 miles.

There’s also the matter of interior accessories not working properly due to short circuits, and the ignition switch malfunctioning. In case the switch gets out of position, it becomes nearly impossible to start the car and your key may even get stuck in the ignition.

2. Fuel delivery system faults

One of the worst things that could happen in case you get a bad model year of the Lucerne is a faulty fuel delivery system. This can happen for various reasons and the most common one is a fuel pump failure. However, it’s sometimes a direct consequence of clogged fuel filters and drivers even reported having to replace the fuel filter every 20,000 to 30,000 miles to avoid having to deal with the issue.

The worst thing that could happen is if your car runs in a lean condition or if the contaminated fuel reaches the combustion chambers. So, this issue may also lead to engine damage which is certainly something you’ll wish to prevent.

3. Power steering assist issues

The power steering assist system helps you turn the steering wheel in both directions easily. Back in the day, cars didn’t have power steering, but these days every model has this assistance for the driver. The worst thing that could happen with this in mind is if your Lucerne suffers from an improperly installed power steering hose.

Not only would it lead to symptoms of power steering fluid leaks, but it’s also a safety threat if you can’t properly steer the car. Problems like this could end up being even more complicated in case the steering fluid comes in contact with the hot engine parts. This issue was partially sorted out through Buick Lucerne recalls for the 2006 model year.

Worst Buick Lucerne years to avoid

Now that you know a bit more about the worst problems that could affect your purchase of the used Buick Lucerne, it’s time to put this information to good use. In other words, we’ll make use of the common problems and the complaints provided to the NHTSA to give you an overview of the worst Lucerne models:

• 2006
• 2007
• 2008

This should make it easier to at least narrow down the selection to a few decent Lucerne models, so let’s get into the details.

First-generation Buick Lucerne (2006-2008 model years)

There has been only one generation of the Lucerne and while it’s a solid car for the money with decent engine options, it’s still a good idea to steer away from certain models. Among these, the 2008 and 2009 models were the worst-rated ones with the greatest number of driver complaints.

Previous owners weren’t as satisfied with these as with the upcoming models, and the main issue of 2008 as the worst Lucerne model was a faulty electrical system.

There’s also the matter of fuel system problems and these mostly included fuel filters that frequently needed replacements, as well as faulty fuel pumps. The 2009 model was no better, and it came with even more reported electrical issues and problems with the steering system. A faulty water pump was also commonly reported among drivers which often led to overheating of the 3.8-liter V6 engine.

What are the best Buick Lucerne years to buy?

Besides knowing everything about the Lucerne years to avoid, it also takes knowledge about the best models to get to the purchase completely prepared. So, still wondering what are the best Buick Lucerne years?

The best Buick Lucerne years are 2010 and 2011 models, and they make the only few models that we can warmly recommend on our list:

• 2010 Buick Lucerne
• 2011 Buick Lucerne

The thing is – the Lucerne was only produced for a single generation and that makes it more difficult to rate the best models. However, when compared with the worst Lucerne years, the 2010 and 2011 Buick Lucerne are much better rated and come with fewer reliability issues. Out of these two, the latter one received the least complaints, so we’ll discuss it in more detail.

2011 Buick Lucerne

The 2011 year is the best Lucerne model and you should consider this one in particular if you can afford it. It’s also a facelift model and comes with a refreshed design and has no particular reported issues.

Make sure to wisely pick the engine since the Northstar V8 lasts a long time, but it has an issue with the improperly installed power steering hose. Other than that, the 2011 model mostly had positive feedback and ratings with an extremely low number of ownership complaints, so it’s the go-to option if you are looking to avoid all those engine cooling issues and faulty fuel delivery components.

Is Buick Lucerne worth buying?

The Buick Lucerne is a moderately reliable car and we say it because of the few problematic model years. However, it’s affordable and quite easy to maintain, and if you go for a 2010 or 2011 model, there should be far fewer issues.

Overall, it’s a decent car for the money and one of the best-buy options from this vehicle class. The Northstar V8 engine is already well-known since it’s used in some older Cadillac models and it lasts a long time. So, with our pieces of advice and a trusted mechanic, you will be able to enjoy the comfort and long years of service with your Lucerne.

Our articles like Cadillac CTS years to avoid, Lincoln MKZ years to avoid, or Buick LaCrosse years to avoid provide a deep dive into the best and worst years for these luxury sedans. Explore these to arm yourself with the knowledge needed to choose wisely among these elegant options.