CSR

Buick · NHTSA safety record

2016 Buick Enclave

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

140

Complaints

2

Crashes

0

Fires

5

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2016 Buick Enclave have filed 140 safety complaints with NHTSA between January 2016 and July 2026. The most complained-about system is the air bags, named in 110 of them (79%). The typical failure was reported at 45,000 miles, the median across the 25 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Complaints halved year on year: 7 in the twelve months to 2026-Q1, against 44 in the twelve before.

NHTSA has issued 4 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (4)

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

23V334000 · May 10, 2023

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

General Motors, LLC · up to 995,085 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

21V782000 · October 7, 2021

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

General Motors, LLC · up to 555 vehicles across all model years covered

SEATS

15V833000 · December 11, 2015

The defect
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.
The risk
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.
The 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.

General Motors LLC · up to 2,633 vehicles across all model years covered

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

15V609000 · September 29, 2015

The defect
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.
The risk
A wiper motor that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
The 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.

General Motors LLC · up to 29,295 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 140.

AIR BAGS 110 79%
POWER TRAIN 9 6%
ENGINE 8 6%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 7 5%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 7 5%
SEAT BELTS 3 2%
STEERING 3 2%
STRUCTURE 3 2%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 1%
EQUIPMENT 1 1%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 1%
WHEELS 1 1%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2024 at 67.

2016 2024 2026
2016 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

3 injured · crash · towed · 13,000 miles

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

NHTSA complaint 11114255, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY:TAILGATE:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS

1 injured · 4,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BUICK ENCLAVE. WHILE GETTING CARGO OUT OF THE VEHICLE, THE TAILGATE CLOSED AND LOCKED AND FAILED TO RETRACT AND REOPEN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR HAND INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.

NHTSA complaint 10875386. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEAT BELTS

1 injured

Child became entrapped in 3rd row seatbelt, seatbelt was unable to be released from locked position and it wrapped so tight around the child his airway was cut off, it wouldn’t come from around him, and had to be cut off.

NHTSA complaint 11434440. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

crash · towed

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 complaint 11114338. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Traction stabilization light comes on very frequently and vehicle loses power, step on gas and it sputters can’t get out of any one’s way, they throw parts at it and never fixes. From feedback off internet a big problem 2008-2017 enclaves

NHTSA complaint 11749129. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
I am seeing that these have been repaired, when in fact it has not been repaired.

NHTSA complaint 11720753. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER

193,000 miles

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Buick Enclave on November 25, 2025 from an independent dealer. It was later discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. At the time of purchase, the Odometer reading was 102,068. After contacting Endurance Warranty Company, the contact was informed that the Odometer mileage was 193,000. No other agency was contacted regarding the mileage discrepancy.

NHTSA complaint 11702282. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
We have had spark plugs fixed twice in the past 4 months and they keep faltering. Both mechanics changed them

NHTSA complaint 11682503. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Enclave. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA complaint 11682235. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Enclave. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA complaint 11680318. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Buick Enclave

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 36 0
2022 13 1
2021 25 2
2020 56 6
2019 42 1
2018 64 0
2017 179 3
2015 171 5
2014 292 7
2013 68 4
2012 132 6
2011 211 6
2010 275 6

Other 2016 Buick models

Every Buick on this site — 60 vehicles, 172 recall campaigns and 1 open investigation .

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst