2011 Buick ENCLAVE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2011 Buick ENCLAVE has 284 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.5x the segment average of 80. 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 . ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 19 crash reports 22 injuries

284

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

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

TRANSMISSION

38 complaints

13%

• 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
• THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACK ON ANY INCLINE. THERE IS NO HAND BRAKE IN THE CENTER CONSOLE, AND ACCORDING TO DOT SAFETY THIS IS NOT LEGAL. MOST CROSSOVERS AND OR SUVS OF THIS SIZE ROLL BACK A FEW INCHES BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION PINS ENGAGE AND STOP THE ROLL BACK. I WAS TOLD FROM GMC THAT THE COMPONENT WAS R
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON AN INCLINE WITH HIS YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL BACKWARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THE FAILURE WAS NORMAL FOR A MANUAL VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THERE WAS NO FAILURE

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

“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”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

38 complaints

13%

• 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
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. WHILE PARKED, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE COULD HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE A CELL PHONE WAS IN
• 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE AIR BAG *TGW THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES FOR THE SAME AIR BAG PROBLEM.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 10 crashes

“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”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

36 complaints

13%

• 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
• 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
• WATER PUMP FAILED, CAR OVERHEATED. STRANDED WIFE AND DAUGHTER 2 HOURS. PART FIXED UNDER RECALL GM CAMPAIGN 13079. NEVER NOTIFIED OF RECALL PRIOR TO INCIDENT. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“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”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

26 complaints

• I PURCHASED A NEW BUICK ENCLAVE ON OR ABOUT 4 FEB. 2011, ON OR ABOUT 12 APRIL 2011 I HAD THE BACK WINDOW DOWN WITHOUT KNOWING IT AS I HIT ABOUT 45 MPH THIS HORRIBLE NOISE APPEARED IN THE CAR. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD THINKING THAT THE ENGINE BLEW UP, BUT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. THE SOUND CAME FROM HAVI
• I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY AND STARTED TO TOUCH THE FRONT WINDOW BUTTON DOWN BUT IT WAS THE REAR WINDOW BUTTON AND IMMEDIATELY THE WHOLE CAR STARTED THIS SHAKING AND VIBRATING. I WAS SHOCKED AND SHOOK-UP BY THIS EVENT AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE.LUCKILY, DOWN THE ROAD A BIT, I SAW A BU
• THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS HAVE A VERY SHARP PLASTIC EDGE STICKING OUT PAST THE METAL BODY OF THE DOOR. THIS HAS CAUSED INJURY TO THREE PEOPLE INCLUDING MYSELF. THE PLASTIC IS SO SHARP THAT IT HAS CUT DEEP WOUNDS INTO THE LEGS OF THE PERSON GETTING IN OR OUT OF THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE TRIED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“I PURCHASED A NEW BUICK ENCLAVE ON OR ABOUT 4 FEB. 2011, ON OR ABOUT 12 APRIL 2011 I HAD THE BACK WINDOW DOWN WITHOUT KNOWING IT AS I HIT ABOUT 45 MPH THIS HORRIBLE NOISE APPEARED IN THE CAR. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD THINKING THAT THE ENGINE BLEW UP, BUT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. THE SOUND CAME FROM HAVI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

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
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)