2008 Buick Enclave problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (98) · Steering (89) · Air Bags (72)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Buick Enclave model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
450 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (4)
Air Bags:frontal 2021-10-07 · campaign 21V782000 · 555 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Structure:body:hatchback/Liftgate 2015-06-30 · campaign 15V415000 · 691,144 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured January 3, 2007, to February 29, 2012, 2009-2012 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured July 6, 2008, to March 9, 2012, 2007-2012 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured September 15, 2006, to February 29, 2012, and 2007-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured August 17, 2006, to March 18, 2010. The affected vehicles, equipped with the power liftgate option, have gas struts that hold the power li
Risk: If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power liftgate actuator motor control unit so that the motor will prevent the rapid closing of the lift gate, free of charge. The recall began on November 15, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 15240.
Air Bags:side/Window 2014-03-17 · campaign 14V118000 · 1,176,407 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia and 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bag (SIAB) wiring harnesses may result in the SIAB and seat belt pretensioners not deploying in the event of a crash.
Risk: Failure of the side impact air bags and seat belt pretensioners to deploy in a crash increase the risk of injury to the driver and front seat occupant.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected harness connections with soldered connections, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2014. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463. GM's number for this recall is 14030. Note: Vehicles repaired as part of Customer Satisfaction Campaign 10085 and special coverage 10335 have already had the subject condition repai
Electrical System 2010-06-04 · campaign 10V240000 · 1,365,070 vehicles
Defect: GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 BUICK, LUCERNE; CADILLAC DTS; HUMMER H2; MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 BUICK ENCLAVE; CADILLAC CTS; MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; GMC ACADIA, SIERRA, YUKON, YUKON XL; SATURN OUTLOOK; AND MODEL YEAR 2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED WASHER FLUID SYSTEM (HWFS). A RECALL WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2008 TO ADD A FUSE TO THE CONTROL CIRCUIT HARNESS TO ADDRESS THE P
Risk: IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HEATED WASHER MODULE TO IGNITE AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR.
Fix: DEALERS WILL PERMANENTLY DISABLE AND REMOVE THE HEATED WASHER FLUID MODULE. AN UPDATED PAGE FOR THE OWNER MANUAL WILL BE PROVIDED AND INSERTED IN THE OWNER MANUAL TO DOCUMENT THAT THE FEATURE HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY DISABLED AND REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 AND HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT
Service bulletins (1,117)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-07-27 · PIT6002C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this is to advise about a part concern
Unknown Or Other 2025-09-09 · 13598 · Other
new vehicle monitoring programs section in ivh
Unknown Or Other 2025-08-07 · PIC5650M · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. technician may find diagnostic trouble codes b3055, b3060, b3935, c0750, c0755, c0760, c0765, and/o
Unknown Or Other 2025-07-18 · PIP5601C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from tac.
Unknown Or Other 2025-05-30 · PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about the use of j-35616-64b and mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
Unknown Or Other 2025-05-30 · PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about the use of j-35616-64b and mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
Showing the 6 most recent of 1,117 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-11-04 · Unknown Or Other“dealer jeff wyler chevrolet replaced car cabin battery & failed to vent battery gas hose to the vehicle exterior. hose is laying in well of battery compartment & filling the vehicle with hydrogen gas. general motors has been informed & car is not safe to drive. dealer installed a date altered dead cell battery (fully documented) creating a toxic &…”
2025-05-22 · Structure:body:hatchback/Liftgate:support Device/Strut · 200,000 mi“the contact owns a 2008 buick enclave. the contact stated that the vehicle had failed to start intermittently. the contact stated that upon attempting to turn off the vehicle, the vehicle failed to turn off. the contact stated that her husband, who was a mechanic, had inspected underneath the hood and noticed that the wiring harness underneath the …”
2025-04-21 · Unknown Or Other“electric issues, the recall for the sunroof was not disclosed and was not inspected properly…water and debris get clogged and goes into the in the engine. …”
2024-08-12 · Air Bags“1st incident was 6/29/24 my driver seat airbag deployed. 2nd incident happened 8/3/24 when the airbag on the driver side deployed the whole side from the front to the back of the trunk.…”
2024-05-07 · Steering“i was driving fine until i slowed down and tried to turn, the steering wheel was hard to turn and making a grinding noise. it works fine going on the highway. i noticed this was a big issue with the enclave and wondering why this isnt recalled? ive spent enough money on this that i didnt have and cant afford another expense. i do not have a warrant…”
2024-05-02 · Electrical System“i didn’t have any accidents but i when to many mechanics shops and each saying that it is an electrical problem with my 2008 buick enclave cxl 3.6 also an issue with the airbag on the dash it showing service airbag soon i brought this car a couple of years ago and the airbag light was on when i brought it. vin [xxx] i can be reach at [xxx] [xxx…”
2023-10-11 · Structure · 53,000 mi“the contact owns a 2008 buick enclave. the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she noticed that water was leaking inside the vehicle through the sunroof. upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that there were several unknown point of entry of water, and mold had developed in the parts of the vehicle that were mostly…”
2023-07-15 · Power Train“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 …”
2022-09-24 · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:catalytic Convertor“apparently the catalytic converter has gone defective. plus, the backup camera stopped working. …”
2022-08-05 · Air Bags“my airbags driver side and the passenger front all exploded while sitting in my driveway nobody in the vehicle…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.