Buick Enclave Years to Avoid
Avoid: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014 · Best: 2021, 2023 — based on 2,470 NHTSA complaints across 18 model years (2008–2025), severity-weighted and adjusted for time on the road; 2015–2022 average: 1.81 complaints per 1,000 sold.
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 2,470 NHTSA complaints, the Buick Enclave years to avoid are 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014 — the worst logged up to 4.6× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by electrical failures. Updated November 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of November 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict | Problems & recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 536 | 299 | 6 | AVOID | — |
| 2009 | 220 | 175 | 8 | AVOID | — |
| 2010 | 275 | 227 | 6 | AVOID | — |
| 2011 | 211 | 134 | 6 | AVOID | — |
| 2012 | 132 | 72 | 6 | CAUTION | — |
| 2013 | 68 | 38 | 4 | SOLID | — |
| 2014 | 289 | 63 | 7 | AVOID | — |
| 2015 | 170 | 41 | 5 | SOLID | 2015 Enclave problems → |
| 2016 | 140 | 22 | 4 | SOLID | 2016 Enclave problems → |
| 2017 | 178 | 18 | 3 | SOLID | 2017 Enclave problems → |
| 2018 | 64 | 51 | 0 | SOLID | 2018 Enclave problems → |
| 2019 | 39 | 27 | 1 | SOLID | 2019 Enclave problems → |
| 2020 | 52 | 32 | 6 | CAUTION | 2020 Enclave problems → |
| 2021 | 24 | 12 | 2 | BEST | 2021 Enclave problems → |
| 2022 | 12 | 6 | 1 | N/A | 2022 Enclave problems → |
| 2023 | 18 | 6 | 0 | BEST | 2023 Enclave problems → |
| 2024 | 7 | 4 | 0 | N/A | 2024 Enclave problems → |
| 2025 | 35 | 23 | 0 | SOLID | 2025 Enclave problems → |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Buick Enclave. Full methodology.
Enclave problems by model year
Each year has its own page with the complaint components, NHTSA recall campaigns, service-bulletin count, a comparison with the year before and after, and what to check on a used one.
Common Buick Enclave problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Buick Enclave are electrical. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Airbag recall parts unavailable
· Buick Enclave 2015–2017Corroborated by 21 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 28 electrical complaints across 2015–2017.
Why these years stand out
2008 Buick Enclave: 536 owner complaints on federal record, 299 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Buick Enclave.
2009 Buick Enclave: 220 owner complaints on federal record, 175 of them severe, plus 8 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Buick Enclave.
2010 Buick Enclave: 275 owner complaints on federal record, 227 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Buick Enclave.
2011 Buick Enclave: 211 owner complaints on federal record, 134 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Buick Enclave.
2014 Buick Enclave: 289 owner complaints on federal record, 63 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Buick Enclave.
Know what to pay for the right Buick Enclave — then negotiate it
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FAQ
What years of the Buick Enclave should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Buick Enclave years to avoid are 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by electrical issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture.
What are the best years for the Buick Enclave?
The 2021 and 2023 Buick Enclave show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Buick Enclave verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Buick Enclave's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Buick Enclave before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Buick Enclave reliable?
The Buick Enclave's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 2,470 NHTSA owner complaints, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014 rate "avoid", while 2021 and 2023 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above.
What are the most common problems with the Buick Enclave?
The most-reported problem area for the Buick Enclave is electrical. Confirmed failures include airbag recall parts unavailable. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Buick Enclave across every model year on record. Retrieved November 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered (the per-1,000-sold figure above divides 2015–2022 complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales); a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Buick Enclave, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.