2018 Buick Enclave Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2018 Buick Enclave has a complaint index of 29, ranking 13th of 18 model years, and earns a Good verdict. Brakes are the top complaint area with 21 complaints (33% share) and a median failure mileage of 23,000, but there are no recalls on record for this year.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 29/100
- #13 of 18 Enclave years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 64
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 0
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 5
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 1
- Top issue
- Brakes
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 20.5
- 17.5 city / 25.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
Top 2018 Buick Enclave problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Brakes21 (33%)
- Engine15 (23%)
- Transmission & Powertrain15 (23%)
- Electrical System10 (16%)
- Other8 (13%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras4 (6%)
- Fuel System4 (6%)
- Airbags2 (3%)
- Steering2 (3%)
- Structure & Body2 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Brakes fail to stop the vehicle promptly or at all, sometimes on cold starts with the engine at high idle.
- A red 'service brake assist' message appears on the dash along with a grinding noise and reduced braking power.
- The vehicle rolls forward unexpectedly when shifted into reverse.
- The automatic engine stop-start feature shuts the engine off while stopped and is slow to restart, causing stalling and hesitation.
- Airbags deploy in low-speed impacts, raising owner concern about whether deployment was appropriate.
- The sunroof has shattered suddenly while driving on the highway.
2018 Buick Enclave recalls
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
2018 Buick Enclave fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 17.5 MPG
- Highway
- 25.5 MPG
- Combined
- 20.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,175
- 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.
2018 compared with other Enclave years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Buick Enclave reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2018 Enclave has a complaint index of 29, the 13th-highest of 18 model years, and carries a Good verdict relative to other Enclave years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2018 Buick Enclave?
- Brakes are the top complaint area with 21 complaints (33% share) and a median failure mileage of 23,000. Engine issues and transmission & powertrain issues each account for 15 complaints (23% share).
- Does the 2018 Buick Enclave have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2018 Enclave in this data, including no do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2018 Enclave compare to other Enclave years?
- The 2018 model's complaint index of 29 is well below high-complaint years like 2008 (100) and 2014 (88), though still higher than the Best-rated 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 model years.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Buick Enclave?
- The 2018 Enclave is EPA-rated at 20.5 mpg combined (17.5 city / 25.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,175.