This is exactly the opposite of what Buick's Stabilitrak is designed to do.
A computer software programming error for an electronic stability control system (ESC) from supplier TRW is resulting in General Motors recalling 2012 model Buick LaCrosse sedans made in June and July of this year.
In a filing with the national Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), GM said that the Stabilitrak system has an incorrect calibration that “may cause the system to not properly detect if a sensor were to malfunction, and the warning light indicating that the system is not operating would not illuminate,” as required in by a NHTSA safety standard.
This seemingly benign electronic programming glitch can have severe consequences because it can result in the ESC activating at high speeds without warning resulting in “sudden changes in vehicle handling and deceleration, particularly at higher speeds, which may cause the driver difficulty in maintaining the vehicle’s desired path of travel and desired vehicle speed, and could result in a crash without warning.”
This is exactly the opposite of what Stabilitrak is designed to do.
GM dealers will reprogram the electronic brake control module free of charge as is required by NHTSA safety regulations. Owners may contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080 about GM safety recall number 11222. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to http://www.safercar.gov.
