← New search

2016 Buick Enclave

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Enclave years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Buick Enclave are substantially higher than the model-year median of 69.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Enclave years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 25 of 141 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 110 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

141 reports
65,000 miles · Apr 20, 2020
EnginePower Train

MY CAR ISN'T LEAKING ANY OIL SO IT IS BURNING IT AND ITS IT'S UNDER WARRANTY STILL BUT THEY WON'T FIX ANYTHING ON IT AND OTHER YEAR AND MAKE MODELS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #11321672

69,000 miles · Nov 22, 2019
Steering

WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND WENT TO TURN INTO THE GAS STATION. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN IT WAS A LOUD WHIRRING SOUND. I TOOK IT BACK TO WHERE I BOUGHT IT. I HAVEN'T EVEN OWNED THE CAR FOR 30 DAYS YET. THEY SAID POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING. THEY CHECKED TO SEE IF IT WAS COMING FROM PUMP OR HOSE AND IT WAS FROM THE PUMP. SO HAD TO REP…

Read full complaint

WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND WENT TO TURN INTO THE GAS STATION. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN IT WAS A LOUD WHIRRING SOUND. I TOOK IT BACK TO WHERE I BOUGHT IT. I HAVEN'T EVEN OWNED THE CAR FOR 30 DAYS YET. THEY SAID POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING. THEY CHECKED TO SEE IF IT WAS COMING FROM PUMP OR HOSE AND IT WAS FROM THE PUMP. SO HAD TO REPLACE POWER STEERING PUMP. GOT MY CAR BACK LAST NIGHT AND THE STEERING STILL FEELS OFF IT ISN'T MAKING THE WHIRRING NOISE NOW. IT IS SO HARD TO EXPLAIN. IT FEELS BOUNCY WHEN YOU MAKE A RIGHT TURN I GUESS YOU COULD CALL IT. THE CAR MAKES A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN TURNING AS WELL AND THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHY.

NHTSA ODI #11281697

71,300 miles · Oct 23, 2019
Steering

POWER STEERING HAS STARTED FAILING WHEN TURNING, MAKING IT EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. SEEMS WORSE AT SLOW SPEED. HAPPENS WHENEVER AND WHEREVER I TRY TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. WILL DRIVE OKAY WHEN GOING STRAIGHT. MADE APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE. I SUSPECT POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDS REPLACED, BUT JUST GUESSING.

NHTSA ODI #11270518

51,000 miles · Jul 29, 2019
Air BagsElectrical System

2016 BUICK ENCLAVE HAD A SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT/MESSAGE ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD CONTINUOUSLY. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST & THE ISSUE IS THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. WHEN THE TECHNICIAN MOVES THE WIRING HARNESS THE LIGHT COMES & GOES. ADDITIONALLY, I FOUND SERVICE BULLETINS…

Read full complaint

2016 BUICK ENCLAVE HAD A SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT/MESSAGE ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD CONTINUOUSLY. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST & THE ISSUE IS THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. WHEN THE TECHNICIAN MOVES THE WIRING HARNESS THE LIGHT COMES & GOES. ADDITIONALLY, I FOUND SERVICE BULLETINS TALKING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM FOR VARIOUS GM PRODUCTS.

NHTSA ODI #11240442

69,499 miles · Jul 4, 2019
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other

MY CAR WAS REPAIRED BY A DEALERSHIP IN TEXAS. FIRST THEY SAID IT WAS A FUEL INJECTOR. THEY REPLACED THAT. THEN THEY SAID THAT THAT DIDN'T WORK SO THEY SAID I HAD A CRACKED HEAD. THEY REPLACED THAT. I BROUGHT IT HOME TO SHREVEPORT, LA. AND IT HAD GAS FUMES COMING OF OF THE A/C VENTS. THE DEALERSHIP HERE IN BOSSIER CITY THAT THEY …

Read full complaint

MY CAR WAS REPAIRED BY A DEALERSHIP IN TEXAS. FIRST THEY SAID IT WAS A FUEL INJECTOR. THEY REPLACED THAT. THEN THEY SAID THAT THAT DIDN'T WORK SO THEY SAID I HAD A CRACKED HEAD. THEY REPLACED THAT. I BROUGHT IT HOME TO SHREVEPORT, LA. AND IT HAD GAS FUMES COMING OF OF THE A/C VENTS. THE DEALERSHIP HERE IN BOSSIER CITY THAT THEY PUT IN A BROKEN PART. THEY SUPPOSEDLY FIXED THE PROBLEM. I PICKED THE CAR UP AND IT STILL HAD GAS FUMES. I TOOK IT BACK. THEY SMELLED IT. KEPT IT FOR 2 DAYS. THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM SO THE KEPT DRIVING IT AND RUNNING IT UNTIL THEY COULDN'T SMELL IT ANY LONGER. I PICKED IT UP AGAIN AND I STILL SMELL IT. I BROUGHT IT BACK BUT THEY ARE DENYING THAT THEY DO. EVEN LIED TO GM CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT THEY RODE AROUND WITH ME. I HAD A HORRIBLE HEADACHE WHEN I RETURNED HOME WITH THE CAR. IT'S BEEN PARKED FOR OVER A WEEK. I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE IT SCARED IT WILL CATCH ON FIRE OR MY CHILDREN AND I WILL GET SICK. PLEASE HELP ME. I HAVE TRIED WORKING WITH GM BUT THEY ARE NO HELP. THEY GIVE ME THE RUN AROUND. THE MECHANICS HAVE ALSO LIED SO MANY TIMES REGARDING MY CAR TO GM CUSTOMER SERVICE. I NEED SOMEONE IN MY CORNER. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE THE DRIVE MY CAR SINE 5/16/2019. IT WENT TO THE 1ST DEALERSHIP ON 5/18/2019. I DROVE ABOUT A TOTAL OF 1.5 SINCE.

NHTSA ODI #11229464

35,000 miles · Jun 26, 2019
Unknown Or Other

SERVICE SIDE DETECTION SYSTEM LIGHT HAS BEEN ON AND WILL NOT TURN OFF. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE ON THESE AND OTHER GM VEHICLES AND CANNOT BE OVERRODE AND IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX.

NHTSA ODI #11222749

Mileage unknown · Feb 27, 2019
Equipment

2016 BUICK ENCLAVE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO BASIC ONSTAR SERVICE AND ONSTAR CHANGING THEIR BASIC PLAN. *AS *TR

NHTSA ODI #11179715

23,773 miles · Oct 21, 2018
Power Train

DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD NOT GET OUT OF FIRST GEAR. DECIDE TO GET VEHICLE HOME SO I TURNED AROUND AND FOUND THAT I DID NOT HAVE RESERVE ALSO. ON WAY BACK HOME TRANSMISSION MADE A LOUD CLUNKING SOUND AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WAS ABLE TO GET HOME AND PARK THE CAR. CALLED TOW TRUCK TO TAKE TO THE DEALERS. THIS VEHICL…

Read full complaint

DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD NOT GET OUT OF FIRST GEAR. DECIDE TO GET VEHICLE HOME SO I TURNED AROUND AND FOUND THAT I DID NOT HAVE RESERVE ALSO. ON WAY BACK HOME TRANSMISSION MADE A LOUD CLUNKING SOUND AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WAS ABLE TO GET HOME AND PARK THE CAR. CALLED TOW TRUCK TO TAKE TO THE DEALERS. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 23,773 MILES ON IT. DEALER HAD TO OVERHAUL 3-5-R CLUTCH HOUSING.

NHTSA ODI #11141649

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2018
Air BagsCrash

WE HAVE A VERY SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT OUR VEHICLE. WE WERE INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2018. A CAR RAN RIGHT INTO OUR REAR WITHOUT STOPPING AT ABOUT 45 MPH. WE WERE VERY SURPRISED OUR AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. WE SMELLED THE SMOKE USUALLY INVOLVED WITH THE AIRBAGS BEING DEPLOYED BUT NOTHING HAPPENED O…

Read full complaint

WE HAVE A VERY SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT OUR VEHICLE. WE WERE INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2018. A CAR RAN RIGHT INTO OUR REAR WITHOUT STOPPING AT ABOUT 45 MPH. WE WERE VERY SURPRISED OUR AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. WE SMELLED THE SMOKE USUALLY INVOLVED WITH THE AIRBAGS BEING DEPLOYED BUT NOTHING HAPPENED OTHER THAN A NOTIFICATION TO SERVICE THE AIRBAGS WHICH DID NOT EXIST PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. LUCKILY, WE HAD OUR SEATBELTS ON BUT STILL SUFFERED NECK AND BACK PAIN WHICH WILL BE FURTHER EVALUATED BY A DOCTOR. WE BELIEVE OUR AIRBAGS WERE DEFECTIVE AND ARE GRAVELY UPSET AT THIS OCCURRENCE.

NHTSA ODI #11114338

13,000 miles · Jul 28, 2018
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

WE WERE INVOLVED IN A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON I-79 IN PENNSYLVANIA WHERE WE WERE STRUCK FROM THE REAR WE WERE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC THE IMPACT WAS SEVERE IT KNOCKED THE REAR TIRE COMPLETELY OFF. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING IN THE VENTS OF THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELTS TIGHTEN UP S…

Read full complaint

WE WERE INVOLVED IN A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON I-79 IN PENNSYLVANIA WHERE WE WERE STRUCK FROM THE REAR WE WERE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC THE IMPACT WAS SEVERE IT KNOCKED THE REAR TIRE COMPLETELY OFF. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING IN THE VENTS OF THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELTS TIGHTEN UP SO MUCH THAT IT CAUSED BRUISING ON MY CHEST AND RIBS. MY CAR WAS TOTALED OUT BEYOND REPAIR. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. UPON OUR RETURN HOME I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM DIAGNOSTIC INDICATING THERE WAS A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS. I AM BEING TOLD THERE IS NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE THIS IS CONCERNING TO ME WHAT IF SOMEONE ELSE IS REAR ENDED AND THE AIR BAGS FAIL CAUSING DEATH OR INJURY. I BELIEVE MY VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

NHTSA ODI #11114255

Official recalls

4

23V334000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

May 10, 2023

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.

Consequence & remedy

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

Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag module, free of charge. GM began mailing final owner letters February 23, 2024 and will continue mailing through December 2025. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232404980.

21V782000 · Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Oct 7, 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.

Consequence & remedy

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

Remedy: 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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

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.

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

Remedy: 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.

Air Bags:frontal

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.

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

Remedy: 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.

15V833000 · Seats

Dec 11, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured November 6, 2015, to November 12, 2015. The affected vehicles have a the third row left lower seat frame that may have welds that are not in the correction location.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the seat frame is not welded in the correct places, the seat may not perform as intended, and in the event of a crash, the seat occupant could be at an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third row left side lower seat frame, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 29, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 21930.

15V609000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor

Sep 29, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured August 18, 2015 to September 24, 2015. Due to a manufacturing defect, the windshield wiper motor may overheat when used.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A wiper motor that overheats increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor cover assembly, free of charge. Owners are advised not to use their front windshield wipers until the wiper cover has been replaced. If weather conditions prevent operation of the vehicle without using the windshield wipers, GM will make arrangements to pick up the vehicle for servicing. The recall began on September 30, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15780.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.