Is the 2011 Buick ENCLAVE reliable?

The 2011 Buick ENCLAVE has 284 complaints filed with NHTSA (2.6x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: below-average. Most common issue: STEERING problems.

What are common problems with the 2011 Buick ENCLAVE?

Top problems: STEERING (41 complaints, avg repair $500); TRANSMISSION (38 complaints, avg repair $500); AIR BAGS (38 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2011 Buick ENCLAVE?

Yes, there are 6 recall(s): AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, AIR BAGS:CRITICAL FASTENERS, SEAT BELTS, STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE, AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW, VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES. Contact any Buick dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2011 Buick ENCLAVE?

The 2011 Buick ENCLAVE gets 18 MPG combined. At current US average gas prices, driving 12,000 miles per year costs roughly $2667. See the interactive fuel cost calculator on this page for state-specific pricing.

Is the 2011 Buick ENCLAVE often stolen?

Theft risk tier for the Buick ENCLAVE: low. HLDI insurance loss data suggests lower-than-average theft claims for this model.

How much does it cost to insure a 2011 Buick ENCLAVE?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2011 Buick ENCLAVE is approximately $1,264/year (suv-midsize class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

2011 Buick ENCLAVE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2011 Buick ENCLAVE has 284 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.6x the segment average of 108. The most common issue is steering problems (14% of all complaints), specifically: driving off of a highway. sudden engine seize steering lock and zero power. car rolled to a complete stop. luckily we were in a turning lane and were able to roll into a safe waiting area. no one in the vehicle were injured bodily yet the mental anguish and fear was unbearable. had this happened on . There are 6 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 19 crash reports 22 injuries

284

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

5/5

Safety Stars

2.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

STEERING

41 complaints

14%

• DRIVING OFF OF A HIGHWAY. SUDDEN ENGINE SEIZE STEERING LOCK AND ZERO POWER. CAR ROLLED TO A COMPLETE STOP. LUCKILY WE WERE IN A TURNING LANE AND WERE ABLE TO ROLL INTO A SAFE WAITING AREA. NO ONE IN THE VEHICLE WERE INJURED BODILY YET THE MENTAL ANGUISH AND FEAR WAS UNBEARABLE. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON
• REPORTED ISSUE TO DEALER OF CAR MAKING WHINING NOISE AT LOW SPEEDS. DEALER SAYS I NEED A NEW POWER STEERING RACK, HOSES AND POSSIBLY A NEW PUMP! THE CAR IS A IS ONLY A 2011 AND VERY WELL MAINTAINED! SPOKE WITH GM - THEY CONTACTED DEALER WONDERING WHY NO RECALL SINCE EVERY SINGLE FORUM I READ HAS HU
• STEERING COLUMN WAS WHINING. TOOK IT IN AND WAS TOLD THE STEERING GEAR WAS LEAKING AND IT WOULD COST $1500 TO REPAIR. ACCORDING TO GM FORUMS THIS IS A VERY VERY COMMON COMPLAINT THAT GM HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT. WHY IS A RECALL NOT BEING INSTITUTED? *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“DRIVING OFF OF A HIGHWAY. SUDDEN ENGINE SEIZE STEERING LOCK AND ZERO POWER. CAR ROLLED TO A COMPLETE STOP. LUCKILY WE WERE IN A TURNING LANE AND WERE ABLE TO ROLL INTO A SAFE WAITING AREA. NO ONE IN THE VEHICLE WERE INJURED BODILY YET THE MENTAL ANGUISH AND FEAR WAS UNBEARABLE. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2011 Buick ENCLAVE

Based on 221 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 56K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 30-60K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

TRANSMISSION

Reported earliermedian 29K mi · 33 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BODY/STRUCTURE

Reported earliermedian 52K mi · 22 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

SPEED CONTROL

Reported earliermedian 43K mi · 11 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BRAKES

Reported earliermedian 53K mi · 7 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

STEERING

In line with typicalmedian 60K mi · 33 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ELECTRICAL

In line with typicalmedian 53K mi · 16 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (6)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL07/10/2021

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2008-2017 Buick Enclave and 2013-2017 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag module, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 3, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 10, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212349040.

Low theft risk

Low theft rates typically correlate with lower comprehensive-coverage insurance premiums.

Source: NICB Hot Wheels 2025 report + HLDI theft loss studies. Model-year ranking; not all years of this model have identical risk.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2011 Buick ENCLAVE

Live EIA prices

Annual miles driven: 12,000

Your state (affects local gasoline price)

Per year

$2,667

Per month

$222

Per mile

22.2¢

MPG

City driving (worst-case MPG)

$3,001/yr

Highway driving (best-case MPG)

$2,182/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today

Show:

Current

$4.00

5-year low

$2.78

5-year high

$5.01

Since 2021

+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2011 Buick ENCLAVE

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,264

Full coverage / month

$105

Liability only / year

$600

vs US avg

-24%

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (suv-midsize)1.05x

× theft risk0.90x

× safety rating0.94x

× vehicle age0.85x

= Full coverage estimate$1264

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Buick New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

4 yr / 50K mi

Powertrain

6 yr / 70K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

8 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

6 yr / 100K mi

Roadside assistance

6 yr / 70K mi

These are the terms for a new Buick. If you're buying a used 2011 ENCLAVE, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Buick dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 284 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
STEERING: DRIVING OFF OF A HIGHWAY. SUDDEN ENGINE SEIZE STEERING LOCK AND ZERO POWER. CAR ROLLED TO A COMPLETE STOP. LUCKILY WE WERE IN A TURNING LANE AND WERE ABLE TO ROLL INTO A SAFE WAITING AREA. NO ONE IN THE VEHICLE WERE INJURED BODILY YET THE MENTAL ANGUISH AND FEAR WAS UNBEARABLE. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS SITTING ON AN INCLINE WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED. AS HE RELEASED THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ROLLED BACKWARD APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR SPORADICALLY WHEN ON AN INCLINE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: AIR BAG LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. LOVE BUICK, COLUMBIA SC REPLACED MODULE. SEVERAL DAYS LATER AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN WITH A MESSAGE " SERVICE AIRBAG ". ABOVE DEALER NOW HAS THIS VEHICLE IN SERVICE AND SAYS THEY NEED TO KEEP IT SEVERAL DAYS FOR MORE DIAGNOSTICS. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. HE THEN DISCOVERED THAT ENGINE ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND HOOD BECAUSE THE FANS WERE STILL OPERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT TH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 6 recalls have been completed — free at any Buick dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)