YearToAvoid

2009 Buick Enclave Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

94/100

#2 most-complained of 18 Enclave years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2009 Buick Enclave has 220 owner complaints and 8 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 94 out of 100 — #2 highest of 18 Enclave model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is steering (108 complaints, 49% of the total). Complaints report 3 crashes, 6 fires, and 11 injuries.

Complaints
220
Recalls
8
Crashes / fires
3 / 6
Injuries / deaths
11 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18.5
16.5 city / 23 hwy

Top 2009 Buick Enclave problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Steering108 (49%)
  2. Engine51 (23%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain33 (15%)
  4. Electrical System23 (10%)
  5. Brakes16 (7%)
  6. Other13 (6%)
  7. Structure & Body12 (5%)
  8. Airbags9 (4%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires8 (4%)
  10. Seat Belts7 (3%)
2009 Buick Enclave complaints: complaints filed per quarter252009 Q22011 Q32013 Q32015 Q22017 Q12018 Q42020 Q32023 Q2
285 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q2 to 2025 Q3; peak 2014 Q4 (25).

2009 Buick Enclave recalls

8 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. NHTSA 14V266000May 20, 2014Seat Belts1,339,355 vehicles

    Seat belts

    General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through May 14, 2014, Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured June 6, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured April 9, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through March 18, 2010. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cable that connects the seatbelt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue and separate over time.

    Risk: If the steel cable becomes fatigued and separates, the seatbelt may not properly restrain the seat occupant increasing the risk of an injury in a crash.

    Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair and replace the lap pretensioner, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. An interim notice will be mailed to owners in July 2014. A second notice will be mailed to owners once parts become available. The recall for the 2009-2010 model years began on July 11, 2014. The interim letter for the 2011-2014 model years were distributed on July 11, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-462-8782 (GMC), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). General Motors recall number for this campaign is 14187.

See all 8 recalls for the 2009 Buick Enclave →

2009 Buick Enclave fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16.5 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.

2009 compared with other Enclave years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2008Avoid100536618.5
2009Avoid94220818.5
2010Avoid82275618.5
2011Avoid76212618.5

All Buick Enclave years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Buick Enclave a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Buick Enclave ranks #2 of 18 among Enclave model years (Complaint Index 94/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 220 complaints and 8 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Buick Enclave?
The most reported problem areas are steering (108 complaints), engine (51 complaints), and transmission & powertrain (33 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 73,648 miles.
Does the 2009 Buick Enclave have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2009 Buick Enclave, most recently reported 2021, covering airbags, structure & body, seat belts, and electrical system.
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Buick Enclave?
EPA rates the 2009 Buick Enclave at 18.5 MPG combined (16.5 city / 23 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,500. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

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.