YearToAvoid

2010 Buick Enclave Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

80/100

#4 most-complained of 16 Enclave years

The 2010 Buick Enclave has a Complaint Index of 80 with 273 complaints, 6 recalls, and Steering as the top problem area (46% of complaints). It ranks 4th worst of 16 model years and carries an Avoid verdict relative to other Enclave years.

Complaints
273
Recalls
6
Crashes / fires
5 / 1
Injuries / deaths
6 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
18.5
16.5 city / 23 hwy

Top 2010 Buick Enclave problems

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

  1. Steering126 (46%)
  2. Engine82 (30%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain33 (12%)
  4. Electrical System24 (9%)
  5. Other19 (7%)
  6. Brakes18 (7%)
  7. Structure & Body14 (5%)
  8. Fuel System11 (4%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (4%)
  10. Airbags6 (2%)

What owners report

  • Owners report unintended acceleration where the vehicle speeds up without pedal input, in one case failing to slow down despite braking on a highway.
  • Steering and power steering assist reportedly fails or degrades, with owners describing repeated unresolved dealer visits.
  • Vehicle rolls backward on inclines even with brake pressure applied, sometimes nearly causing a collision, at very low mileage.
  • An engine compartment fire was reported at 12,500 miles that totaled the vehicle.
  • Front seats reportedly collapsed in a rear-impact crash, causing occupant injuries.
  • The digital speedometer display was reported as unreadable due to poor lighting and font contrast, switching to kilometers.
2010 Buick Enclave complaints: complaints filed per quarter322010 Q12012 Q22014 Q32016 Q32018 Q32020 Q32023 Q22025 Q4
350 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q1 to 2025 Q4; peak 2014 Q3 (32).

2010 Buick Enclave recalls

6 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 21V246000Apr 8, 2021Airbags108 vehicles

    Air bags:critical fasteners

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached.

    Risk: Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, realign or replace the weld nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202321200.

  3. 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.

See all 6 recalls for the 2010 Buick Enclave →

2010 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.

2010 compared with other Enclave years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Avoid80273618.5
2011Avoid87212618.5
2012Caution73132618.5

All Buick Enclave years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2010 Buick Enclave reliable?
NHTSA data shows the 2010 Enclave has a Complaint Index of 80 and ranks 4th worst among 16 model years, earning an Avoid verdict relative to other Enclave years.
What is the top problem area for the 2010 Buick Enclave?
Steering complaints make up 46% of all reports (126 of 273), with a median mileage at failure of 68,000 miles.
Does the 2010 Buick Enclave have recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 6 recalls affecting the 2010 Enclave, covering airbags, seat belts, and structure/body components, with none classified as do-not-drive.
How does the 2010 Enclave compare to other years?
The 2010 model's Complaint Index of 80 is higher than 2013 (47, Good) and 2019 (20, Best), but lower than 2014 (100, Avoid), placing it among the worse years for this model.

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.