2016 Buick ENCLAVE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
141 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
45,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 25 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 110 of 141 complaints (78.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 4.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 2.8% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 2.1% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 2.1% |
| Braking behavior | 2 | 1.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 110 |
| Engine | 9 |
| Power Train | 9 |
| Electrical System | 7 |
| Unknown Or Other | 7 |
| Seat Belts | 3 |
| Steering | 3 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 2 |
Air Bags: 110; Engine: 9; Power Train: 9; Electrical System: 7; Unknown Or Other: 7; Seat Belts: 3; Steering: 3; Fuel/Propulsion System: 2
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 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 8 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 10; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 8; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (10). 116 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 |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 32 |
| 2024 | 67 |
| 2025 | 10 |
| 2026 | 3 |
2016: 6; 2017: 2; 2018: 6; 2019: 6; 2020: 3; 2021: 2; 2022: 4; 2023: 32; 2024: 67; 2025: 10; 2026: 3
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 6 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 4 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 3 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 10914858 · 2016-10-08 (October 8, 2016)
TRANSMISSION WON'T SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR AND REVERSE GEAR DOES NOT WORK.
Owner-reported narrative. 8,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10914858 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11054874 · 2017-12-15 (December 15, 2017)
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 27,125 MILES. WHILE AT A STOP SIGN AT A BUSY INTERSECTION, WENT TO PROCEED AND HAD NO POWER TO MOVE. ENGINE WAS RUNNING FINE. GOT VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY FOUND 3-5 REVERSE SNAP RING GROOVE HAD SHEARED OFF AND METAL WENT THROUGHOUT THE TRANSMISSION. DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THEY HAD FOUR SIMILAR ISSUES IN THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
Owner-reported narrative. 27,125 miles reported. Look up ODI 11054874 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11240442 · 2019-07-29 (July 29, 2019)
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.
Owner-reported narrative. 51,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11240442 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11329687 · 2020-06-19 (June 19, 2020)
CAR IS LEAKING FROM UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE UNDER THE DASH (BY YOUR FEET) AND ON THE PASSENGER SIDE UNDER THE DASH (BY YOUR FEET) I LIVE IN FLORIDA AND IT OFTEN RAINS. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT MOLD AND RUST OR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM IN GM VEHICLES. (GOOGLE SEARCH) SO WHY ISN'T GM RECALLING IT? *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11329687 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10909587 · 2016-09-26 (September 26, 2016)
BROUGHT THE CAR IN EARLIER THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE CAR WAS STALLING. THEY TOLD ME IT MAY HAVE BEEN A LOSE CABLE, BUT LIKELY WAS NOTHING. IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS THE CAR HAS STALLED 3 TIMES WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN 3 DAYS AGO AND THEY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. YESTERDAY IT STALLED AGAIN AND MY WIFE CAME VERY CLOSE TO GETTING REAR-ENDED WITH THE KIDS IN THE CAR. THIS IS A CAR THAT IS 1 YEAR OLD WITH 5.500 MILES ON IT. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING AND THE CAR COMPANY IS NOT HELPING ME WITH THIS. HELP!
Owner-reported narrative. 5,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10909587 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11452224 · 2022-02-16 (February 16, 2022)
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that while accelerating from a complete stop uphill, with his children in the middle rear passenger’s seats, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact shifted to neutral and allowed the vehicle to roll downhill to the side of the road. The contact turned off the vehicle for 10 minutes. The contact restarted the vehicle and was able to continue to drive to his destination; however, the failure reoccurred that night, upon accelerating uphill from a comple…
Owner-reported narrative. 118,949 miles reported. Look up ODI 11452224 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11098619 · 2018-05-29 (May 29, 2018)
I HAVE A 2016 BUICK ENCLAVE - THE HAVE EXCEEDED MY WARRANTY BY APPROXIMATELY BY APPROXIMATELY 7,000 MILES NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEGUN MAKING SQUEALING SOUND MAINLY WHEN TURNING. TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE CONFIRMED A LEAK FROM THE POWER STEERING HOSE. HE FOUND THAT THERE IS A PUBLISHED SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THE ISSUE. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY OR A RECALL.
Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11098619 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11270518 · 2019-10-23 (October 23, 2019)
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.
Owner-reported narrative. 71,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11270518 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10905913 · 2016-09-12 (September 12, 2016)
I WAS DRIVING WITH MY FAMILY IN OUR NEW 2016 BUICK ENCLAVE WHEN I WENT TO PASS SOMEONE ON A CITY STREET AND THE ENGINE WENT INTO FULL ACCELERATION. I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES AS HARD AS I COULD BUT IT DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. I HAD TO PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL AND TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. LUCKLY THERE WEREN'T MANY CARS AROUND ME AT THE TIME. I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE STARTED RIGHT AWAY AND I NOTIFIED ON STAR SOS AND THEY NOTIFIED THE POLICE. IT WAS TOWED TO A BUICK DEALER WHERE THEY ARE LOOKING AT IT NOW. THIS …
Owner-reported narrative. 644 miles reported. Look up ODI 10905913 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11482861 · 2022-09-04 (September 4, 2022)
When stopped on a incline and you step on brake the transmission will go out of gear ,then when you start off you have to hold brake till transmission engages, it is really scary , I have almost rolled back into another car several times . Went back to place we bought the car new , they said it must be a safety feature, it is not ! My wife is scared to even drive , love the car except for this !
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11482861 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11229464 · 2019-07-04 (July 4, 2019)
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 RUNN…
Owner-reported narrative. 69,499 miles reported. Look up ODI 11229464 at NHTSA ↗