2013 Buick ENCLAVE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
69 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
53,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: . 50 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 13 of 69 complaints (18.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 13 | 18.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 11 | 15.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 7 | 10.1% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 7.2% |
| Braking behavior | 5 | 7.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 13 |
| Power Train | 13 |
| Electrical System | 12 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 12 |
| Steering | 12 |
| Air Bags | 10 |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 |
Engine: 13; Power Train: 13; Electrical System: 12; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 12; Steering: 12; Air Bags: 10; Unknown Or Other: 8; Exterior Lighting: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 10 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 12 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 13 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 8 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 6 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 10; 25,000 to 49,999: 12; 50,000 to 74,999: 13; 75,000 to 99,999: 8; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 1
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (13). 19 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 9 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 13 |
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2026 | 3 |
2013: 1; 2014: 9; 2015: 4; 2016: 6; 2017: 7; 2018: 13; 2019: 8; 2020: 3; 2021: 5; 2022: 4; 2023: 3; 2024: 3; 2026: 3
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 13 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 11 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 7 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10644760 · 2014-10-15 (October 15, 2014)
RECENTLY, THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING. ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2014, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE "SERVICE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM" LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, WHICH INSTRUCTED ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN. WHEN I DROPPED THE VEHICLE OFF AT THE DEALERSHIP, THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAW THE SERVICE LIGHT. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS AND STATED IT WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. I PICKED THE VEHICLE UP THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 17, 2014. WITHIN HOURS OF PICKING UP …
Owner-reported narrative. 32,624 miles reported. Look up ODI 10644760 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10662485 · 2014-12-05 (December 5, 2014)
THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START ON 12/1/14. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP IN SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, AND THEY TOWED IT IN. THE BATTERY WAS FINE AND THEY TOLD MY WIFE THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT AND THAT IT WAS GOOD TO GO AND THEY GAVE IT BACK TO HER ON 12/2/14. ON 12/4/14 MY WIFE AND TWO YOUNG CHILDREN WERE DRIVING AND ABOUT TO GET ON THE FREEWAY 180 MILES AWAY ION SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, WHEN THE CAR STALLED AND FROZE UP WHILE GOING 40 MPH. POWER STEERING DID NOT WORK. SHE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CAR SHUT …
Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10662485 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10983876 · 2017-05-07 (May 7, 2017)
I PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE USED FROM HENNESSEY BUICK DEALERSHIP 9 MONTHS AGO AS CERTIFIED USED CAR. MAY 4 TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE 75 NORTH, AT SIXTY FIVE MILES PER HOUR/THE TRANSMISSION GIVE A LOUD BAND SOUND AND THE CAR STOPPED IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY. WITH TRAFFIC TRAVELING BOTH WAYS. THE DRIVE TRAIN STOP PULLING. HAD CAR TOWED BACK TO HENNESSEY AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION BLEW UP ALONG WITH THE ENGINES THIS CAR COST ME $ 32, AND I BELIEVE THAT GANG SHOULD REPLACE THIS CAR BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE AND CAUSED GREAT DANG…
Owner-reported narrative. 73,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10983876 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11081985 · 2018-03-29 (March 29, 2018)
WAVEPLATES HAVE STRESS FRACTURES WITHIN TRANSMISSION
Owner-reported narrative. 73,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11081985 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10628529 · 2014-08-26 (August 26, 2014)
WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION (AROUND 35-40 MPH) THE STABILITRAK, ABS, A/C, BLIND-SPOT MONITOR SHUTS OFF; SPEEDOMETER, GAS GAUGE, BATTERY GAUGE ON DASHBOARD ALL GO DOWN TO ZERO (EVEN WHEN CAR IS MOVING); ENGINE IS STILL RUNNING, BUT VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND WHEN ACCELERATOR IS APPLIED. IF ENGINE IS TURNED OFF AND ALLOWED TO REST A MINUTE OR TWO AND THEN RESTART IS TRIED, IT EITHER DOES NOT START AT ALL OR IT WILL START, BUT WILL NOT MOVE OVER 20 MPH (JUST ENOUGH TO GET OFF THE ROAD.) IF ALLOWED TO REST @10 MINUTES, ENGINE WILL START AGAIN, DASHBOARD I…
Owner-reported narrative. 14,660 miles reported. Look up ODI 10628529 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11096530 · 2018-05-17 (May 17, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE DEALER (CROWN ACURA GREENSBORO, 3908 W WENDOVER AVE, GREENSBORO, NC 27407, [phone removed]), WHO SOLD THE VEHICLE TO THE CONTACT, INDICATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID NEEDED TO CYCLE THROUGH THE SYSTEM. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO HESITATE AND RIDE EXTREMELY ROUGH AS IF IT WOULD STALL FREQUENTLY. AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE WITH FLOW BUICK GMC - GREENSBORO (1205 BRID FORD PKWY, GREENSBORO, NC 27407, [phone removed]) FOR DIAGNO…
Owner-reported narrative. 138,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11096530 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11099293 · 2018-06-02 (June 2, 2018)
REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TURN SIGNAL/BRAKE LAMPS KEEP BLOWING EVERY 5-6 MONTHS. ALMOST LIKE CLOCK WORK, THE PASSENGER SIDE LAMP BLOWS AND WITHIN 5-6 DAYS THE DRIVER SIDE LAMP BLOWS. HAVE TRIED DIFFERENT BRANDS/TYPES OF LAMPS TO NO AVAIL. ISSUE BEGAN IN 2016 AND HAVE REPLACED BOTH LAMPS 5-6 TIMES. PLACE APPROXIMATELY 4,000 - 5,000 MILES ON VEHICLE ANNUALLY. DEALER NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS BUT SEEMS TO BE A GM PROBLEM BASED ON OWNER COMPLAINTS ON MESSAGE BOARDS. NOT SURE IF RELATED TO AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE BUT HAVE ALSO REPLACED BOTH H…
Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11099293 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11219500 · 2019-06-12 (June 12, 2019)
I PURCHASED A NEW BUICK ENCLAVE IN 2013. AT 116,000 MILES, MY CAR ALL OF SUDDEN DECELERATED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD BUT IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 35 MPH. I MANAGED TO GET IT HOME BY TAKING STREET SIDE. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO TAKE INTO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY, IT WOULD START, SPUTTER AND THEN CUT OFF. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED ME THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THE DEALER ADVISED ME WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO INSTALL, IT BROKE. I LOOKED ON LINE AND READ THAT GM HAS BEEN MA…
Owner-reported narrative. 116,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11219500 at NHTSA ↗