2006 Buick lucerne tire sizes & fitment
Approved tire and wheel sizes for the 2006 Buick Lucerne, sourced from manufacturer fitment data and refreshed monthly.
Approved fitments
| Tire size | Rim size | PCD (bolt pattern) | Offset | Load index | Speed rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 245/50R18 OEM | R18 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 225/60R16 OEM | 7x16 | N/A | 46mm | 98 | H |
| 235/55R17 OEM | 7x17 | N/A | 46mm | 99 | H |
| 245/50R18 | 7.5x18 | N/A | 51mm | 100 | V |
| 245/45R19 | 8x19 | N/A | 48mm | 98 | V |
| 225/60R16 OEM | R16 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 235/55R17 OEM | R17 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Best by use case
Four tires, four jobs
Best all-season
Bridgestone
Turanza QuietTrack
all-season touring, UTQG 800, 80,000-mi warranty
Best budget
Bridgestone
Turanza QuietTrack
Lowest cost per mile in this size; UTQG 800
Best quiet
Bridgestone
Turanza QuietTrack
68 dB cabin noise (EU label); quietest in this size
Best winter
Bridgestone
Blizzak WS90
Dedicated winter (premium compound); ice/snow grip
See the best tires for the Buick Lucerne, ranked by category →
Tire recalls & safety complaints for the Buick Lucerne →
Plus-size and winter-downsize options for every Buick Lucerne factory size →
Compatible alternative sizes for 245/50R18
Sizes within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter safe-fit tolerance. Each row links to the size's own page.
| Alternative size | %Δ OD | Category | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
275/40R19 |
0.06% | plus 1 | Safe |
225/60R17 |
-0.06% | winter narrower | Safe |
215/45R20 |
-0.10% | plus 2 | Safe |
245/45R19 |
0.13% | plus 1 | Safe |
245/55R17 |
-0.13% | alternative | Safe |
For the full list of alternatives with comfort/handling impact, see 245/50R18 upsize options. To check an arbitrary size pair, use the tire compatibility calculator.
Check a different size against this vehicle
Type any tire size below; we'll compute its overall-diameter delta against the OEM 245/50R18 and verdict using the ETRTO ±3% rule.
Common upgrade paths
- Plus-1: 275/40R19; one rim size up, 0.06% OD change. Sharper steering, mild ride penalty, modest cost premium.
- Plus-2: 215/45R20; two rim sizes up, -0.10% OD change. Noticeable ride penalty, higher pothole risk, meaningful tire-cost premium.
Use the plus-size calculator to evaluate any rim step against the OEM size.
How to choose tires for the 2006 buick lucerne
The 2006 Buick Lucerne ships from the factory on 245/50R18 tires mounted on R18 wheels. 4 approved fitments are documented for this model year, allowing some flexibility between performance, comfort, and winter compounds. The Compatible alternative sizes table above lists every safe substitution within the ETRTO ±3% overall-diameter tolerance.
Tire choice on the Buick Lucerne comes down to three trade-offs that matter more than brand loyalty: load index (must equal or exceed the OEM number), speed rating (must match or exceed the placard), and UTQG treadwear (higher means longer life, lower usually means stickier rubber). Owners replacing factory tires with the same compound class, for example all-season for all-season, generally see no change in ride characteristics or fuel economy. Switching categories (performance summer to all-season touring, for example) is where the trade-offs show up at the contact patch.
For 2006 Buick Lucerne owners considering a plus-size upgrade, the safer option is a Plus-1 step (one rim size up with a 10-point aspect drop and ~10 mm of additional section width). Plus-2 is technically viable on this chassis if the alternative-sizes table lists a Plus-2 candidate within tolerance, but expect a meaningful ride-harshness penalty and a tire-cost premium of 30–60% per tire relative to the OEM fitment. For winter use the recommended pattern is one width step down (e.g. from a 235 to a 225) with the aspect ratio bumped up to preserve overall diameter; narrower tires apply higher contact pressure per square inch on snow, which translates directly into shorter braking distances. The plus-size calculator evaluates any specific rim step against this OEM size.
Before purchasing, verify the tire size on the driver-door placard of your specific 2006 Buick Lucerne, since trim levels and option packages can shift the original fitment from what is documented here. The placard reading is the authoritative source per FMVSS 110, and dealers will reference the placard rather than aftermarket catalogs when validating warranty claims.
NHTSA-reported issues for 2006 buick lucerne
Top issue category: Tires (General)
Most reported: Tires (General) (9) · TPMS (1)
Reported across: 2006 – 2006 (1 year)
What owners described
Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 23% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 22 reports covering every model year of the Buick Lucerne that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.
| Reported problem | This subject | All tire complaints | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blowout or sudden deflation | 23% | 20% | 1.1× |
| Loss of control, rollover or collision | 9% | 8% | 1.1× |
| Pressure-monitoring (TPMS) fault | 9% | 2% | 3.8× |
| Tread or belt separation | 5% | 13% | 0.3× |
| Bubble or bulge in the tire | 5% | 6% | 0.8× |
Mileage at failure
11 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 24,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 3,750 and 55,000 miles.
In owners' own words
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Buick Lucerne. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.
ONE TIRE SHREDDED AT 70 MPH WITH LESS THAN 12,000 MILES ON THEM. HAD FULL PRESSURE ONE MOMENT AND FAILED THE NEXT. I NOTICED ALL 3 OTHER TIRES DEVELOPED BUBBLES CLOSE TO THE TREAD AND 2 OTHERS STARTED LEAKING A WEEK LATER. SUMITOMO DEALER LOCALLY REFUSED TO REPLACE OR HONOR WARRANTY.
I LOST ENGINE POWER AS I WAS DRIVING ON I75 APPROXIMATELY 16 MILES SOUTH OF VENICE FLORIDA. ONE OF THE TIRES EXPLODED AND THE WHOLE WIRING SYSTEM WAS DESTROYED DUE TO THE TIRE EXPLOSION, AS WELL AS THE BACK BUMPER. MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE BUICK DEALER IN VENICE FLORIDA. REPAIR COSTS INCLUDING TOWING AND RENTAL CAR FOR THE PERIOD MY VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED ELEVATED TO APPROXIMATELY $1600.00. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE REPLACEMENT OF THE BACK BUMPER WHICH WOULD COST AN ADDITIONAL $1400.00 PER BUICK'S QUOTE. I WAS INFORMED OF A RECALL BY BUICK DUE TO THE EXACT REASONS THAT LED TO MY ACCIDENT AND RELATED COSTS. GENERAL MOTORS IS DECLINING RESPONSIBILITY WHEREAS I DID EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEMS LISTED IN THE REASONS FOR RECALL NUMBER 14299.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 BUICK LUCERNE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE UNABLE TO KEEP THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF AIR PRESSURE AND THAT THE TPMS WARNING LAMP CONTINUED TO FLASH EACH TIME THE TIRES LOST AIR PRESSURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FACTORY WHEEL WELLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TIRES WERE RUSTED AND CORRODED AND LEAKED CONTINUOUSLY. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE COATING WAS PEELING AND THAT THE TIRES WERE REPLACED BY A TIRE REPAIR SHOP, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE TPMS WARNING LAMP CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE AFTER THE FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. UPDATED 7/16/15
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BUICK LUCERNE EQUIPPED WITH UNIROYAL TIGER PAW TIRES SIZE (225/60/16). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE CONTACT THEN MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE DOT NUMBER AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE...UPDATED 10/03/12 *BF UPDATED 10/05/2012
Complaints are voluntarily submitted to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation and are not verified by NHTSA; they represent owner-reported problems, not proven defects. Counts can be useful as a relative quality signal across comparable tires or vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
What size tires fit a 2006 Buick Lucerne?
Can I run a different tire size on my 2006 Buick Lucerne?
Where can I buy tires for my 2006 Buick Lucerne?
What is the recommended tire pressure for the 2006 Buick Lucerne?
Can I fit winter tires in a different size on my 2006 Buick Lucerne?
How often should I rotate the tires on my 2006 Buick Lucerne?
For broader tire questions; replacement timing, UTQG, EV-specific tires, winter swaps; see the tire FAQ.
Sources for this page
- Vehicle owner's manual tire & wheel placard; door-jamb placard on the Buick Lucerne is the authoritative source for OEM tire size, load index, and cold-inflation pressure for your specific trim.
- NHTSA SaferCar; recall lookup for the 2006 Buick Lucerne.
- ETRTO 2024 Standards Manual §2.3; overall-diameter math used for the alternative-size verdicts above.
- Tire & Rim Association 2025 Yearbook; load-index to maximum-load reference.
Last verified 2026-10-07.