2013 Buick Enclave Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
GoodComplaint Index
47/100
#9 most-complained of 16 Enclave years
The 2013 Buick Enclave ranks 9th out of 16 model years with a Complaint Index of 47, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Enclave years. NHTSA lists 69 complaints, 4 recalls, and 3 crashes, led by electrical system issues (23% of complaints).
- Complaints
- 69
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 3 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 7 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 18.5
- 16.5 city / 23 hwy
Top 2013 Buick Enclave problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System16 (23%)
- Engine15 (22%)
- Transmission & Powertrain13 (19%)
- Brakes12 (17%)
- Steering12 (17%)
- Airbags10 (14%)
- Other9 (13%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires5 (7%)
- Fuel System3 (4%)
- Seat Belts3 (4%)
What owners report
- Driver or side curtain airbags failed to deploy in low-speed frontal impacts, sometimes causing injury.
- Side curtain airbags have deployed unexpectedly during normal turns, striking occupants in the head.
- The heater/electrical system has overheated, in one case causing a burn injury.
- Infotainment and backup camera units shut down abruptly while reversing, sometimes with a loud popping sound.
- Vehicles have suddenly dropped into reduced engine power mode at highway speed, cutting speed sharply.
- Vehicles have failed to start with no fault found by dealers on inspection.
2013 Buick Enclave recalls
4 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 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.
- 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.
2013 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.
2013 compared with other Enclave years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2013 Buick Enclave reliable?
- Relative to other Enclave model years, the 2013 ranks 9th out of 16 with a Complaint Index of 47 and a "Good" verdict, meaning it fares better than most other years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2013 Buick Enclave?
- NHTSA complaint data shows the Electrical System as the top problem area (23% of complaints), followed by Engine (22%), Transmission & Powertrain (19%), Brakes (17%), and Steering (17%).
- Does the 2013 Buick Enclave have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2013 Enclave, covering airbags (two separate campaigns), seat belts, and wiring harness connections; none are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2013 Enclave compare to the worst Enclave years?
- The worst year is 2014 with a Complaint Index of 100 and an "Avoid" verdict; 2013's index of 47 is well below that, putting it among the better years for the model.
- At what mileage do 2013 Enclave problems tend to show up?
- Median mileage at failure across sample data ranges from 32,624 miles for electrical issues up to 95,000 miles for fuel system issues, with an overall median mileage at failure of 53,500 for the model year.