2008 Buick Enclave Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2008 Buick Enclave has the highest complaint index (100) of all 18 model years, ranking worst overall, with 536 complaints, 6 recalls, and a median failure mileage of 81,850 miles. It carries an Avoid verdict.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 100/100
- #1 of 18 Enclave years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 536
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 6
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 13
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 10
- Injuries
- 41
- Top issue
- Transmission & Powertrain
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 18.5
- 16 city / 23 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 41 / 0
Top 2008 Buick Enclave problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain139 (26%)
- Airbags113 (21%)
- Steering99 (18%)
- Engine96 (18%)
- Structure & Body85 (16%)
- Electrical System76 (14%)
- Other44 (8%)
- Brakes37 (7%)
- Visibility & Wipers30 (6%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires15 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Steering wheel jerks or suddenly seizes at low speeds, sometimes while turning, leading to loss of control.
- Engine emits black smoke or a burning odor and then stalls without warning, in some cases followed by a fire.
- Airbags fail to deploy in front or rear-impact crashes despite prior airbag-related recall repairs.
- Timing chain slips around the median failure mileage, causing erratic acceleration paired with rough transmission shifting.
- Vehicle rolls out of park unexpectedly while parked with the engine off.
- Electrical burning smell precedes stalling or, in some cases, an under-hood fire at higher mileage.
2008 Buick Enclave recalls
6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V782000Oct 7, 2021Airbags555 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
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.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
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.
- NHTSA 15V415000Jun 30, 2015Structure & Body691,144 vehicles
Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured January 3, 2007, to February 29, 2012, 2009-2012 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured July 6, 2008, to March 9, 2012, 2007-2012 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured September 15, 2006, to February 29, 2012, and 2007-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured August 17, 2006, to March 18, 2010. The affected vehicles, equipped with the power liftgate option, have gas struts that hold the power liftgate up when open. These struts may prematurely wear and the open liftgate may suddenly fall.
Risk: If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power liftgate actuator motor control unit so that the motor will prevent the rapid closing of the lift gate, free of charge. The recall began on November 15, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 15240.
- NHTSA 14V118000Mar 17, 2014Airbags1,176,407 vehicles
Air bags:side/window
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia and 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bag (SIAB) wiring harnesses may result in the SIAB and seat belt pretensioners not deploying in the event of a crash.
Risk: Failure of the side impact air bags and seat belt pretensioners to deploy in a crash increase the risk of injury to the driver and front seat occupant.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected harness connections with soldered connections, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2014. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463. GM's number for this recall is 14030. Note: Vehicles repaired as part of Customer Satisfaction Campaign 10085 and special coverage 10335 have already had the subject condition repaired and therefore are not included in the safety recall.
2008 Buick Enclave fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 16 MPG
- Highway
- 23 MPG
- Combined
- 18.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,500
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2008 compared with other Enclave years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2008 Buick Enclave reliable?
- Among Enclave model years, 2008 ranks worst, with a complaint index of 100 and 536 owner complaints, more than any other year in the lineup.
- What are the most common problems with the 2008 Buick Enclave?
- Transmission & Powertrain complaints lead at 139 (26% share), followed by Airbags at 113 (21%) and Steering at 99 (18%), based on NHTSA complaint data.
- Does the 2008 Buick Enclave have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2008 Enclave, covering airbags, structure/body, and electrical system components, including a driver's airbag inflator explosion risk.
- At what mileage do 2008 Enclave problems typically occur?
- The median mileage at failure across all reported problems is 81,850 miles, though Brakes issues show a higher median of 93,500 miles.
- How does the 2008 Enclave compare to other years?
- The 2008 model has the highest complaint index (100) of all years tracked, while later years like 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 carry a Best verdict with indexes at or below 24.