What breaks most · 2008 to 2026 model years
Buick Enclave problems by year
Owners have filed 2,491 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Buick Enclave across model years 2008 to 2026. Three years stand out: 2008 for powertrain and transmission complaints, 2014 for air bags complaints and 2010 for steering complaints. The quietest years are 2024, 2022 and 2023.
- Years to check closely: 2008, 2014, 2010
- Fewest complaints: 2024, 2022, 2023
- Complaints on file
- 24912008 to 2026, all trims
- Worst year
- 2008536 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 8825 fires · 156 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 71kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 66Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 536 | 13 | 6 | Powertrain and transmission (139) | |
| 220 | 3 | 8 | Steering (108) | |
| 275 | 5 | 6 | Steering (126) | |
| 212 | 14 | 6 | Steering (41) | |
| 132 | 9 | 6 | Body and structure (24) | |
| 69 | 3 | 4 | Engine (13) | |
| 292 | 9 | 7 | Air bags (205) | |
| 171 | 7 | 5 | Air bags (105) | |
| 141 | 2 | 4 | Air bags (110) | |
| 179 | 6 | 3 | Air bags (145) | |
| 64 | 5 | 0 | Brakes (20) | |
| 42 | 2 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (16) | |
| 56 | 2 | 6 | Engine (15) | |
| 25 | 0 | 2 | Electrical system (6) | |
| 13 | 2 | 1 | Engine (3) | |
| 19 | 2 | 0 | Exterior lighting (6) | |
| 7 | 1 | 0 | Engine (2) | |
| 36 | 3 | 0 | Brakes (11) | |
| 2 | 0 | 1 | Engine (1) |
What fails on the 2008 Buick Enclave
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 26% |
139 | 2 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Air bags | 21% |
113 | 4 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 18% |
99 | 6 | Shop steering parts for the 2008 Buick Enclave |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 14% |
77 | 0 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2008 Buick Enclave |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 14% |
73 | 2 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2008 Buick Enclave |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 13% |
72 | 2 | Shop engine parts for the 2008 Buick Enclave |
| Unknown or other | 7% |
37 | 0 | — |
| Stability controlABS and wheel speed sensors | 4% |
22 | 2 | Shop stability control parts for the 2008 Buick Enclave |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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At 65,000 Transmission went out 100,000 Electrical issue due to lose ground wire under fuse box 121,000 Electrical issue caused battery to drain and vehicle not turn off. Even if key out of ignition 121,000 Driver Side Curtain Airbags deployed when battery replaced
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Transmission is shifting hard. Was shifting hard only on a turn but is now shifting hard as you are just driving on a straightway.
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The power steering has issues when turning it seems to not work. Been have this problem for about a year. I’ve talked to other Buick owners and they have the same problem. I also have electrical issues on the drivers side door panel, where none of the switches work. Just all of a sudden quit.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Buick Enclave years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2008, 2014, 2010 carry the most filings on the Buick Enclave. The 2008 alone has 536 complaints, led by powertrain and transmission.
What is the most common Buick Enclave problem?
On the 2008 model year, the most-reported component is powertrain and transmission with 139 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Buick Enclave problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Buick Enclave complaints that include mileage is about 71,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.