YearToAvoid

2015 Buick Enclave Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

60/100

#7 most-complained of 16 Enclave years

The 2015 Buick Enclave has a Complaint Index of 60, ranking 7th worst of 16 model years, with a Caution verdict. Airbags account for 61% of its 171 complaints, and it has 5 recalls, none marked do-not-drive.

Complaints
171
Recalls
5
Crashes / fires
7 / 0
Injuries / deaths
6 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
18.5
16.5 city / 23 hwy

Top 2015 Buick Enclave problems

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

  1. Airbags105 (61%)
  2. Electrical System16 (9%)
  3. Engine16 (9%)
  4. Brakes15 (9%)
  5. Other13 (8%)
  6. Steering12 (7%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires9 (5%)
  8. Seat Belts6 (4%)
  9. Structure & Body5 (3%)
  10. Lane Departure4 (2%)

What owners report

  • Brakes reportedly failed to slow or stop the vehicle, in one case causing acceleration instead of deceleration when the pedal was applied.
  • Some owners report the vehicle rolling forward or backward after being placed in Park with doors unlocked.
  • Steering has reportedly locked up suddenly while driving, leading to loss of control in at least one case.
  • Airbags and seat belt pretensioners reportedly failed to activate during a crash despite high impact force.
  • Owners describe a seat belt that locked up and would not release, with no emergency release button available.
  • Some owners report a vibration, wind noise, and steering shimmy at highway speeds that dealers could not resolve.
2015 Buick Enclave complaints: complaints filed per quarter342015 Q32017 Q22019 Q12020 Q22022 Q12023 Q32024 Q42026 Q3
213 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2015 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2024 Q1 (34).

2015 Buick Enclave recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V334000May 10, 2023Airbags995,085 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia 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. GM began mailing final owner letters February 23, 2024 and will continue mailing through December 2025. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232404980.

  2. NHTSA 22V246000Apr 14, 2022Airbags2,687 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia 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 drivers air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 23, 2023. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300; Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222366190.

  3. 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.

See all 5 recalls for the 2015 Buick Enclave →

2015 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.

2015 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
2013Good4769418.5
2014Avoid100292718.5
2015Caution60171518.5
2016Caution53141417.5
2017Caution67179317.5

All Buick Enclave years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Buick Enclave reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2015 Enclave a Complaint Index of 60 and a Caution verdict, ranking 7th worst among 16 model years of the Enclave. It performs better than the 2010, 2011, and 2014 model years, which are rated Avoid.
What is the biggest problem with the 2015 Buick Enclave?
Airbags are the top problem area, making up 61% of the 171 complaints filed, with a median failure mileage of 97,000 miles.
Does the 2015 Buick Enclave have a recall?
Yes, NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2015 Enclave. Four involve the airbag system, including a driver's airbag inflator that may explode during deployment, and one covers tires manufactured in a specific date range.
How does the 2015 Enclave compare to other years?
With a Complaint Index of 60, the 2015 Enclave ranks better than 2010 (80), 2011 (87), 2012 (73), and 2014 (100), but worse than 2013 (47), 2016 (53), 2018 (33), 2019 (20), and other later years rated Good or Best.
What is the fuel economy of the 2015 Buick Enclave?
EPA rates the 2015 Enclave at 18.5 mpg combined (16.5 city / 23 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,500.

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.