BuickLaCrosse2019Overview/buick/lacrosse/2019/base/

2019 Buick LaCrosse

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2019 LaCrosse.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S9)

The 2019 Buick LaCrosse is a passenger car powered by an engine requiring 5.0 quarts of 0W-20 oil and mated to an Automatic (S9) transmission, achieving EPA ratings of 20 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined. This model year accumulated only six total owner complaints alongside two recalls, representing the lowest complaint volume in the nameplate's 2005–2019 history. That figure marks a significant improvement over the 2005 model's high of 314 complaints, establishing the 2019 LaCrosse as the most statistically reliable iteration of the line.

Model year201920182017201620152014201320122011

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
Lug nut torque110 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/30/24 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 48 · 615 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731742. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 48 · 615 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size235/50R18 97VOEM · verified
Wheel / rim8 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731742 alt 25206377
Engine air filter23451060 alt 23430312
Spark plug12680074 alt 12646780
Battery88864542 alt 88866271
Front wiper blades26216539 alt 26216538
Serpentine belt12677037 alt 12677962
Thermostat12623519 alt 12647181
Cabin air filter13508023

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S9)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length197.6 in
Overall width73.2 in
Overall height57.5 in
Wheelbase114.6 in
Curb weight3838 lb
Track (front / rear)63 / 63 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 30 / 24 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume102 cu ft
Cargo volume16 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the LaCrosse of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

5.6–9.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.60 sec — 2018 Avenir Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2018Avenir Sedan 3.6L V65.60 sec14.10 sec310 hpFWD
2018Avenir Sedan 3.6L V65.60 sec14.20 sec310 hpFWD
2018eAssist Premium Sedan 2.5L I-4 + Elec 0.5-kWh7.80 sec16.30 sec194 hpFWD
2017Premium Sedan 3.6L V65.80 sec14.40 sec310 hpAWD
2017Essence Sedan 3.6L V65.90 sec14.50 sec310 hpFWD
2017Premium Sedan 3.6L V66.10 sec14.60 sec310 hpFWD
2015Premium II Sedan 3.6L V66.60 sec15.20 sec304 hpFWD
2014Premium I Sedan 3.6L V66.60 sec15.10 sec303 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.0 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, Use Dexron LS Gear oil Part number 88862624 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 110 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidDEXRON(R)-VI GM P/N 89020661
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity4.2-6.3
Automatic Transmission FluidDEXRON(R)-VI GM P/N 89020661
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity5.3-6.3
Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilUse Dexron LS Gear oil Part number 88862624
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.2 qt
Engine Coolant Capacity9.5

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs89 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs89 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Cylinder Head InstructionsUse New Cylinder Head Bolts.
Engine Flywheel Bolts49 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts34 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs18 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts110 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap.037-.043 in
Spark Plug Torque15 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap.035 in
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR1234yf
Refrigerant Capacity1.32 lbs
Oil Capacity2.70 oz
RefrigerantR1234yf
Refrigerant Capacity1.32 lbs
Oil Capacity2.70 oz
Standard BCI Group Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance615 cca

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50.0-94.0
RPM43.0-58.0 @ Idle rpm
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50.0-94.0
RPM43.0-58.0 @ Idle rpm
Engine CompressionCranking Speed
Engine CompressionCranking Speed

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque30.0 ft-lbs
ABS Sensor TorqueFront: 6.0; Rear: 6.0
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080 in; Rear: 0.080 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .984; Rear: 393
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: .992; Rear: 402
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.001
Maximum Rotor Runout.002

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt Torque — tightening sequence 1 stages

Prep Front: Step 1: 111.0 ft. lbs.

2Turn 15-30°74 ft. lbs
2Turn 15-30°.
Front Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
1111.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: Back off 45.0°, Step 3: 185.0111 ft. lbs
Rear Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
1111.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: Back off 45.0°, Step 3: 185.0111 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 110°.18 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs., Step 2: 0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 18 ft. lbs., Step 4: 110°.22 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
174.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 150 degrees. Use new bolt.74 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Do not re-use old bolts

122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
2190 degrees190 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

Prep Do not re-use old bolts

1M11 bolts44 ft. lbs
2M11 bolts185 degrees
3M8 bolts11 ft. lbs
4M8 bolts75 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs., Step 2: Turn 190°.22 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
1M11 Bolts44 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 22 ft. lbs., Step 3: 40°.15 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs., Step 2: 45°.22 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 2 stages
18.8 ft. lbs.8.8 ft. lbs
28.8

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 97,500 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (inspect fluid level)
Every 15,000 miWindshield Wiper Blade (replace)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
At 37,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 45,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Belt (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 75,000 miHood Hinge (inspect)
Every 97,500 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2019 Buick LaCrosse sits at the very end of a long generational arc in which federal complaints declined dramatically and consistently — from a peak of 314 in 2005 to just 6 in the target year, the lowest figure in the entire record. Recalls have similarly tapered, settling at 2 for 2019 compared to highs of 5 in multiple earlier years, and TSBs have fallen from a 2013 peak of 1,950 down to 693, suggesting the manufacturer had largely worked through the generation's known service issues by this point. The 2018-to-2019 step shows complaints halving from 12 to 6 and recalls dropping from 3 to 2, reinforcing that the final model year benefited from accumulated refinements rather than introducing new problems. The six complaints logged for 2019 are spread thinly across "Unknown or Other" (3), engine-related categories (2), and an electrical/engine combination (1), with zero crash and zero fire complaints reported; the data does not specify root causes for any of these. As the last year of the generation with the cleanest federal record by every metric, the 2019 LaCrosse represents the most mature and least problematic version of this platform — making it a solid used buy for a buyer prioritizing reliability and low recall exposure.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
693
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
6
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 6 complaints on record, top 4 components.

Unknown Or Other3
Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Electrical System,Engine1
Engine1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V668000Power Train:Automatic TransmissionReported 29/10/2020

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15…

18V576000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:CaliperReported 30/08/2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 693 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP61042026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V2026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT6425D2026-03-02Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue…
PIT6425C2026-01-16Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific LaCrosse. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2019 LaCrosse take?

5.0 qt of 0W-20 meeting GM specification Dexos 1 Gen 2 or equivalent., per the factory manual.

Does the 2019 LaCrosse have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the LaCrosse get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 30 highway / 24 combined mpg.