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2008 Buick LaCrosse

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 LaCrosse.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2008 Buick LaCrosse is a passenger car with an engine calling for 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API oil at service, a modest capacity that anchors the powertrain's maintenance profile. Across the model's 2005 to 2019 production span, the 2008 drew 250 owner complaints—led by air bag issues and accompanied by two recalls—placing it squarely in the middle of the LaCrosse's reliability arc. That figure sits well below the 2005 launch peak of 314 complaints but still far above the 2019 low of just six, framing the 2008 as neither the model's weakest debut nor its most dependable close. For a researcher, this makes the 2008 a representative mid-cycle data point in a trajectory that has clearly trended toward fewer owner-reported issues.

Model year201920182017201620152014201320122008

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 34 · 720 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731179. 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 34 · 720 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-60R16OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731179 alt 12690386
Engine air filter15221217 alt 10350737
Spark plug19300872 alt 12621258
Battery88866261 alt 88866143
Front wiper blades19388171
Serpentine belt12596249 alt 12584310
Thermostat24506985 alt 12600171
Cabin air filter84557894

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.

5.7–6.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.70 sec — 2008 Super Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2008Super Sedan 5.3L V85.70 sec14.20 sec300 hpFWD
2008Super Sedan 5.3L V86.20 sec14.60 sec300 hpFWD
2010CXS Sedan 3.6L V66.40 sec15.00 sec280 hpFWD
2010CXS Sedan 3.6L V66.50 sec15.20 sec280 hpFWD
2010CXS Sedan 3.6L V66.60 sec15.10 sec280 hpFWD
2010CXS Sedan 3.6L V66.70 sec15.30 sec280 hpFWD
2010CXS Sedan 3.6L V67.40 sec15.80 sec280 hpFWD
2010CXS Sedan 3.6L V67.50 sec15.90 sec280 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 22.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.4
Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity4.2-6.3
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.5 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsUpper and Lower: 17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsLower: 11; Upper: 7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts22 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub118 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Cylinder Firing Order1-6-5-4-3-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance7,000-15,000 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.35 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.00 oz
RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.35 lbs
Oil GroupPAG

Service checks

Pressure Test15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature194-225 °F
Pressure Test15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature185-205 °F
Pressure Test15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket27 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle133 ft-lbs / 89 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.267 in / 0.551 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.267 in / 0.551 in
Rotor Minimum Machining1.22 in / 0.507 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
174 ft. lbs., step 2: 15074 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1111 ft. lbs., step 2: 76111 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1installation, 240 ft. lbs., step 2: remove bolt, step 3: install new bolt, 37 ft. lbs., step 4: 140240 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
13.7 ft. lbs., Step 2: 7.43.7 ft. lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
111 ft. lbs., Step 2: 1811 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 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 25,000 miExhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (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 2008 Buick LaCrosse sits near the middle of a generation that saw a steady decline in total complaints—from a high of 314 in 2005 to just 6 by 2019—while recall counts fell from five in 2005 to a low of two in 2008 and 2009 before rising again to five in later years. 2008’s complaint total (250) is essentially flat with the 2007 level (249) and markedly higher than the sharp drop seen in 2009 (106), indicating the model year did not benefit from the early‑mid‑generation quality improvement. Recall activity in 2008 (2) is the lowest of the early period and matches the 2009 low, but investigations remained steady at one, suggesting unresolved issues persisted. The top complaint areas for 2008—air bags (57), exterior lighting (49), and electrical system (37)—highlight specific components that received the most consumer attention, though the data does not specify root causes. Overall, 2008 sits at a modest low point for recalls but before the pronounced complaint decline, so it is a borderline choice; buyers should weigh the relatively higher complaint volume against the low recall count before deciding.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
949
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
250
Owner complaints
12 involved a crash · 6 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 250 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags57
Exterior Lighting49
Electrical System37
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting9
Electrical System,Latches/Locks/Linkages7
Unknown Or Other6
Steering6
Vehicle Speed Control5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V519000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 14/08/2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix, 2006-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2007 Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT, GMC Envoy XL… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the HDM, free of charge. The recall began on May 17, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Pontiac…

14V355000Electrical System:IgnitionReported 23/06/2014

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… 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 949 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
135982025-09-09Unknown Or OtherNew Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
PIC5650M2025-08-06Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

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.

Group 34 batteryVehicles taking 4.5 qtEngine oil filter 12731179Engine air filter 15221217Spark plug 19300872Battery 88866261

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 LaCrosse take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 LaCrosse have open recalls?

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