YearToAvoid

Buick Best and Worst Years by Model

14 Buick models, 8,636 NHTSA owner complaints and 126 recall campaigns for model years 2005–2025. Pick a model to see which years to avoid and which are the safest bets.

Buick models ranked by owner complaints

Sorted by popularity. Years to avoid / best years come from each model’s own Complaint Index.

Verdicts are based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, compared within each model. This is not a reliability rating. How the Complaint Index works.

ModelYearsComplaintsRecallsYears to avoidBest yearsTop issue
Buick Enclave2008–20252,495282008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 20142019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024Airbags
Buick Encore2013–2022600132015, 2017, 20192020, 2021, 2022Engine
Buick Envision2016–202524282017, 2023, 20242016, 2018, 2019Electrical System
Buick LaCrosse2005–20192,120242006, 2008, 2010, 20112015, 2017, 2018, 2019Electrical System
Buick Verano2012–2017440112012, 20142015, 2017Electrical System
Buick Regal2005–2020641172011, 2012, 2013, 2018—Electrical System
Buick Lucerne2006–201194362006, 20082010, 2011Electrical System
Buick Envista2024–2025862——Electrical System
Buick Encore GX2020–202522742020, 20212022, 2025Electrical System
Buick LeSabre2005–2006800——Electrical System
Buick Rendezvous2005–20072701——Electrical System
Buick Rainier2005–20072328——Electrical System
Buick Cascada2016–201953120162019Engine
Buick Terraza2005–200820732005—Brakes

Buick model years with the most complaints

Raw complaint counts (not adjusted for age or sales). Click through for the breakdown.

  1. 2008 Buick Enclave · 536 complaints · 6 recalls Avoid
  2. 2006 Buick Lucerne · 330 complaints · 4 recalls Avoid
  3. 2005 Buick LaCrosse · 315 complaints · 4 recalls Caution
  4. 2006 Buick LaCrosse · 299 complaints · 3 recalls Avoid
  5. 2014 Buick Enclave · 292 complaints · 7 recalls Avoid
  6. 2011 Buick Regal · 279 complaints · 4 recalls Avoid
  7. 2010 Buick Enclave · 275 complaints · 6 recalls Avoid
  8. 2007 Buick LaCrosse · 250 complaints · 3 recalls Caution
  9. 2008 Buick LaCrosse · 250 complaints · 2 recalls Avoid
  10. 2009 Buick Enclave · 220 complaints · 8 recalls Avoid

How we rank Buick years

For each model we compare its own model years using the Complaint Index: complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and “Do Not Drive” recalls reported to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. The top quarter of a model’s years is marked Avoid, the bottom quarter Best. Because NHTSA publishes no sales data, models are not ranked against each other. Full details in the methodology.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.