2018 Buick ENCLAVE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2018 Buick ENCLAVE has 92 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is brakes problems (23% of all complaints), specifically: on only the third day after purchasing a buick enclave avenir 2018 i had a safety issue involving the brakes. when applying the brakes a grinding noise with an inability to properly brake and a red service brake assist message appeared on my dash. this has happened from a cold start as well as afte.

5 crash reports

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

BRAKES

21 complaints

23%

• ON ONLY THE THIRD DAY AFTER PURCHASING A BUICK ENCLAVE AVENIR 2018 I HAD A SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVING THE BRAKES. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES A GRINDING NOISE WITH AN INABILITY TO PROPERLY BRAKE AND A RED SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST MESSAGE APPEARED ON MY DASH. THIS HAS HAPPENED FROM A COLD START AS WELL AS AFTE
• I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKES THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE. THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED WITH A "BRAKE ASSIST: ALERT AND I COULD FEEL THE ABS BRAKES ENGAGE. LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT. ONLY HAD 1,200 MILES. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. CHECK ENGINE
• I WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT & WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I TURNED LEFT & I'M UNCERTAIN IF MY EMERGENCY BRAKES KICKED ON OR IF MY CAR SIMPLY STALLED OUT, BUT MY CAR SUDDENLY WOULD NOT MOVE. MY PURSE, IN THE PASSENGER SEAT FLEW FORWARD & HIT THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAR

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

“ON ONLY THE THIRD DAY AFTER PURCHASING A BUICK ENCLAVE AVENIR 2018 I HAD A SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVING THE BRAKES. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES A GRINDING NOISE WITH AN INABILITY TO PROPERLY BRAKE AND A RED SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST MESSAGE APPEARED ON MY DASH. THIS HAS HAPPENED FROM A COLD START AS WELL AS AFTE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

15 complaints

16%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SUSS BUICK GMC DEALER (866-608-5251, 1301 S HAVANA ST, AURORA, CO 80012) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND STATED
• I PURCHASED A NEW 2018 ENCLAVE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2018. I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER FOR THE VEHICLE SOMETIME DURING THE SPRING 2019 SO I WENT TO MY DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO GET IT CHECK AND I WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS FINE. THEN IN SEPTEMBER I NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE WOU
• SHORTLY AFTER GETTING GAS, THE CAR WILL REV TO 2-3RPM WHEN LIGHTLY ACCELERATING, AND SEEM TO "RUN ROUGH". THEN, AFTER COMING TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CAR WILL AUTO STOP AND THEN SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. I CAN NOT SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE WITHOUT PUSHING THE START/STOP BUTTON TO RESTART THE CAR.

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SUSS BUICK GMC DEALER (866-608-5251, 1301 S HAVANA ST, AURORA, CO 80012) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND STATED”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

15 complaints

16%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 BUICK ENCLAVE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP, IT STALLED AND HESITATED TO MOVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUTOMATIC STOP FEATURE ON THE VEHICLE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CANNON CHEVROLET BUICK CADILLAC (100 N THACKER LOOP, OXFORD, MS 38655, (662) 55
• 2018 BUICK ENCLAVE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO ENGINE SHUTING DOWN WHEN VEHICLE STOPS. *AS THE CONSUMER STATED THE START STOP FEATURE INTERMITTENTLY SHUTS DOWN THE ENGINE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IDLE AND DOES NOT RECOVER QUICK ENOUGH FOR SAFE STARTS IN TRAFFIC. *JS
• THE "START STOP" FEATURE CAUSED A LIFE THREATENING HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION FROM A FULL STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. ENCLAVE DOES NOT OFFER ANY OVERRIDE FOR THIS OPTION. THERE MUST BE A FIRMWARE UPDATE PROVIDED BY GM TO ALLOW IT TO BE DISABLED!!! THIS IS GOING TO KILL SOMEBODY!!!

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 BUICK ENCLAVE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP, IT STALLED AND HESITATED TO MOVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUTOMATIC STOP FEATURE ON THE VEHICLE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CANNON CHEVROLET BUICK CADILLAC (100 N THACKER LOOP, OXFORD, MS 38655, (662) 55”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

9 complaints

10%

• I WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT & WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I TURNED LEFT & I'M UNCERTAIN IF MY EMERGENCY BRAKES KICKED ON OR IF MY CAR SIMPLY STALLED OUT, BUT MY CAR SUDDENLY WOULD NOT MOVE. MY PURSE, IN THE PASSENGER SEAT FLEW FORWARD & HIT THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAR
• The car has an auto-stop feature however at times, when the car is stopped, the entire electrical and engine shuts down even while the car is in drive. The driver must restart the car and put the car into park and then back into drive. When the car restarts, several lights/messages turn on including
• The Electronic Parking Brake has had multiple apparent malfunctions and one complete failure. On several occasions the parking brake failed to disengage completely with multiple warning dash lights illuminating. One such incident apparently self-corrected after being left parked overnight our semi

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

“I WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT & WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I TURNED LEFT & I'M UNCERTAIN IF MY EMERGENCY BRAKES KICKED ON OR IF MY CAR SIMPLY STALLED OUT, BUT MY CAR SUDDENLY WOULD NOT MOVE. MY PURSE, IN THE PASSENGER SEAT FLEW FORWARD & HIT THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAR ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

8 complaints

• PREMIUM PACKAGE COMES WITH SAFETY ALERTS. HOWEVER THREE OF THE ALERTS DO NOT PROVIDE ANY OF THE SAFETY FUNCTION DESCRIBED. FRONT COLLISION ALERT - HAVE HAD THREE EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATIONS AND IN ALL THREE WHERE THE RED BEEPING ALERT IN THE DASH DID NOT FUNCTION. TESTED BY GM ENGINEER AND HE COU
• I WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT & WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I TURNED LEFT & I'M UNCERTAIN IF MY EMERGENCY BRAKES KICKED ON OR IF MY CAR SIMPLY STALLED OUT, BUT MY CAR SUDDENLY WOULD NOT MOVE. MY PURSE, IN THE PASSENGER SEAT FLEW FORWARD & HIT THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAR
• I DROVE OVER SOME METAL COVERING OF A POT HOLE OR OTHER TYPE OF HOLE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE AND ABOUT 100TH STREET IN NYC TODAY. WHEN I DROVE OVER THE METAL COVERING THE CAR STOPPED. THIS IS THE AVENIR MODEL WHICH HAS AUTO STOP. THANKFULLY, THE CAR BEHIND ME STOPPED AND DIDN'T HIT ME. I WILL TAKE TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“PREMIUM PACKAGE COMES WITH SAFETY ALERTS. HOWEVER THREE OF THE ALERTS DO NOT PROVIDE ANY OF THE SAFETY FUNCTION DESCRIBED. FRONT COLLISION ALERT - HAVE HAD THREE EMERGENCY BRAKING SITUATIONS AND IN ALL THREE WHERE THE RED BEEPING ALERT IN THE DASH DID NOT FUNCTION. TESTED BY GM ENGINEER AND HE COU”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 92 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
BRAKES: ON ONLY THE THIRD DAY AFTER PURCHASING A BUICK ENCLAVE AVENIR 2018 I HAD A SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVING THE BRAKES. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES A GRINDING NOISE WITH AN INABILITY TO PROPERLY BRAKE AND A RED SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST MESSAGE APPEARED ON MY DASH. THIS HAS HAPPENED FROM A COLD START AS WELL AS AFTE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SUSS BUICK GMC DEALER (866-608-5251, 1301 S HAVANA ST, AURORA, CO 80012) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND STATED
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 BUICK ENCLAVE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP, IT STALLED AND HESITATED TO MOVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AUTOMATIC STOP FEATURE ON THE VEHICLE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CANNON CHEVROLET BUICK CADILLAC (100 N THACKER LOOP, OXFORD, MS 38655, (662) 55
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: I WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT & WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I TURNED LEFT & I'M UNCERTAIN IF MY EMERGENCY BRAKES KICKED ON OR IF MY CAR SIMPLY STALLED OUT, BUT MY CAR SUDDENLY WOULD NOT MOVE. MY PURSE, IN THE PASSENGER SEAT FLEW FORWARD & HIT THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)