Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Buick Enclave submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 25 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
I was driving and the other person ran the stop light and hit my car making me go in and hit another car from the other side.
THE REAR LIFT GATE GAVE OUT AND AND WILL NO LONGER GO UP OR DOWN AUTOMATICALLY OR STAY UP WHEN OPEN, THE DOOR WILL SHUT ON YOU.
THE POWER LIFTGATE DOOR OPENS 75% OF THE WAY WHEN I PUSH BUTTON OR MANUALLY BUT THEN STARTS TO CLOSES AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN HIT BY THE DOOR SEVERAL TIMES ALREADY DUE TO DOOR CLOSING. ALSO DAY LIGHT ON PASSENGER FRONT GOES ON AND OFF. IT WILL WORK FOR A FEW DAYS THEN NOT WORK FOR WEEKS. HAVE HAD LIGHT BULB REPLACED AND CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIFTGATE DROPPED DOWN AND STRUCK THE CONTACT ON THE HEAD. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED MARIO D'ADDARIO BUICK GMC (329 BRIDGEPORT AVE, SHELTON, CT 06484, (203) 242-0172) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.
LIFTGATE WILL NOT STAY OPENED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. UPON ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE REAR LIFTGATE WITH THE KEY FOBIK, THE LIFTGATE OPENED APPROXIMATELY 3/4 AND SLAMMED DOWN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. LAWRENCE HALL CHEVROLET BUICK GMC (1385 SOUTH DANVILLE DRIVE, ABILENE, TEXAS 79605, (325) 695-8800) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE) IN 2015. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 96,000.
CAME HOME FROM THE STORE , AS I WAS GETTING GROCERIES OUT OF THE BACK THE TAIL LIFTGATE CAME DOWN AND HIT ME IN THE HEAD. NOW WHEN ITS OPEN IT JUMPS UP AND DOWN.IT HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. VERY DANGEROUS
I WILL OPEN THE AUTOMATIC LIFT GATE ON THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE AND IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY COME DOWN. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND HAS FALLEN ON ME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE REAR LIFT GATE RELEASED AND OPENED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH CAUTION. THE LIFT GATE SAFETY LOCK WAS ENGAGED TO SECURE THE DOOR IN A CLOSED POSITION. AFTER A PERIOD, THE SAFETY LOCK FAILED TO OPERATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THERE WAS DUST AND WATER IN THE LIFT GATE SWITCH. THE LIFT GATE SWITCH AND RUBBER SEAL WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIFTGATE INDEPENDENTLY OPERATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LIFTGATE SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PRIOR TO THE RECALL, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,800.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN THE LIFT GATE WAS OPERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE) BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000. UPDATED 03/11/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE LIFTGATE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. *TR
MY WIFE WAS UNLOADING THE GROCERIES ONE DAY AND THE POWER LIFT GATE FELL ON HER BACK WITHOUT WARNING. SHE HAD A VERY BAD BRUISE AND SKIN ABRASION FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. I WAS SURPRISED THAT OUR LIFT GATE STRUTS HAD FAILED WITH ONLY 54K MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE NEXT DAY I CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000. WHEN I ASKED WHEN I COULD BRING IT IN FOR REPAIR THEY SAID THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS. THAT WAS IN EARLY JULY. IT IS NOW NOV. 18TH AND WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR NEARLY 5 MONTHS AND I CANNOT EVEN GET AN ANSWER FOR WHEN IT CAN BE FIXED. IN FACT, I CAN'T EVEN PAY TO HAVE THIS FIX DONE. THE TRUNK IS VERY HEAVY AND IT NOW TAKES 2 PEOPLE TO LOAD AND UNLOAD. THIS IS EXTREMELY INCONVENIENT AND DANGEROUS WHEN SHE IS BY HERSELF WITH MY 2 YOUNGER KIDS SINCE WE USE THE TRUNK EVERY DAY. THE POWER LIFT GATE IS SUPPOSED TO OPEN WITH THE PRESS OF THE KEY FOB AND WAS ONE OF THE MAIN FEATURES THAT MADE US PURCHASE THE VEHICLE. WE FEEL THAT 5+ MONTHS IS COMPLETELY UNREASONABLE TO WAIT FOR A FIX FROM GM. WE CANNOT EVEN TRADE IT IN BECAUSE NO DEALER CAN RESELL IT WITH A HATCH THAT DOES NOT STAY OPEN. WE ARE NOW LEFT IN LIMBO WITH AN SUV THAT OFFERS NO UTILITY. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THIS RECALL EFFECTS 686,287 UNITS OF ITS LAMBDA PLATFORM CROSSOVERS WHICH INCLUDES THE 2008-2012 BUICK ENCLAVE, 2009-2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, 2007-2012 GMC ACADIA, AND 2007-2010 SATURN OUTLOOK. GM SHOULD AT LEAST OFFER COMPENSATION FOR BUILDING SUCH A MAJOR DEFECT AND THEN TAKING SO LONG TO FIX IT. WE ARE HAPPY WITH THE BUICK ENCLAVE ASIDE FROM THIS PROBLEM BUT IT HAS DEFINITELY LEFT A SOUR TASTE IN OUR MOUTHS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE LIFTGATE WAS OPENED, THE LIFTGATE INDEPENDENTLY CLOSED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LIFTGATE STRUT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATE THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,606. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAILGATE OF THE VEHICLE CLOSED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER:15V415000 (STRUCTURE); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.
THE POWER LIFTGATE DOES NOT STAY OPEN (THE VEHICLE WAS STATRIONARY, TURNED OFF, AND PROPERLY PARKED). INSTEAD IT CATCHES AND THEN FORCEFULLY CLOSES ON WHOEVER/WHATEVER MAY BE RIGHT BELOW IT. UPON TRYING TO STOP THE LIFTGATE FROM CLOSING IT WILL NOT REMAIN IN THE OPEN POSITION AND CONTINUES TO FORCEFULLY CLOSE. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE LIFTGATE IS OPENED. THIS IS PART OF A RECALL (GM SAFETY RECALL 15240). DOCUMENTATION RECEIVED AS PART OF THE RECALL INDICATES PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO FIX THIS ISSUE. REPEATED CALLS & MESSAGES TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED. NATIONAL TRAFFIC HIGHWAY SAFETY CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER IS 15V415
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V415000 (STRUCTURE); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. WHILE PLACING ITEMS INSIDE THE VEHICLE, THE LIFTGATE SLAMMED CLOSED AND HURT THE CONTACT'S BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO MAKE A SQUEAKY NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING GEAR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000. UPDATED 08/19/14*LJ UPDATED 07/06/2017 *CT
GAS GAUGE WASN'T WORKING ON MY 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE ESPECIALLY WHEN WEATHER WAS COLD. GAS GAUGE WOULD SHOW LESS THAN WAS IN THE TANK. HAPPENED ONCE OR TWICE IN 2012, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE. THEN, SEVERAL TIMES IN WINTER OF 2013- SO, I FINALLY TOOK IT IN DEC 2013 AFTER GETTING A MESSAGE IN THE CAR OF A SENSOR FAILURE. THEY QUOTED $517.27 TO FIX IT AND SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE TIME THAT DAY. TOOK BACK IN EARLY JAN. WARRANTY JUST EXPIRED BY 3000 MILES, SO I ARGUED IT SHOULD BE COVERED. DEALERSHIP MADE ME PAY $100 TOWARDS IT. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR. I HAVE HAD IT HAPPEN ONCE AGAIN SINCE, SO I AM WONDERING IF THEY FIXED THE RIGHT PART, ALTHOUGH I WOULD WANT TO SEE IT HAPPEN AGAIN TO BE SURE BEFORE I COMPLAIN AGAIN, ALTHOUGH WAITING TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS A PROBLEM WAS WHAT GOT ME OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN I ORIGINALLY TOOK IN IT TO HAVE FIXED. AS I SEE THE RECENT RECALL IN MAY 2014 OF ONLY THE 2013 BUICK ENCLAVE MODELS FOR THE SAME GAS GAUGE ISSUE, I AM FRUSTRATED. OBVIOUSLY, THE PROBLEM IS MORE PERVASIVE THAN JUST THE 2013 MODELS. SAFETY OF THIS MODEL SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE. NOW, I SAW THERE IS AIRBAG RECALL, ALTHOUGH I HAVEN'T BEEN NOTIFIED YET. I HAD WATER PUMP ISSUE FAIL THE WEEK AFTER I HAD IT CHECKED FOR RECALL NOTICE AND THEY HAD SAID IT WAS FINE AND DIDN'T NEED FIXED. SCARY AS I GOT NOTICE ALL OF A SUDDEN THAT CAR WAS SHUTTING DOWN AND IT DID - LUCKILY, I WASN'T ON THE FREEWAY AND COULD PULL OFF QUICKLY, BUT I WAS STILL STRANDED WITHOUT WARNING. FRUSTRATING AFTER I JUST TOOK IT IN FOR THIS RECALL ISSUE AND WAS TOLD IT WAS FINE. I'VE ALSO HAD THE LIFTGATE ISSUE (RELEASE SWITCH FAILED), ISSUE WITH DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, AND A/C ISSUE - ALL IN A CAR THAT ISN'T THAT OLD. *TR
TURNED CORNER ON IRONWOOD46615 AND REAR ENDED CAR THAT STOPPED SUDDENLY. CRUSHED MY FRONT END BACK TO PUNCTURING THE RADIATOR. NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND NO SEAT BELT ON IMPACT. MY KNEES HIT THE DASH UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL. NO ONSTAR AS NO AIRBAG DEPLOYED. HOLDING STEERING WHEEL WAS MY ONLY DETERRENT TO HITTING FORWARD. REPAIRS COST $5000.+ AND GM DEALER INSISTED AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT WERE FUNCTIONING. KNEES STILL HURT. AND SEEN DOCTOR ABOUT KNEES AND GOING AGAIN SOON. I AM REPORTING THIS AFTER HEARING THAT THERE ARE RECALLED ON SEAT BELTS AND AIRBAGS ON DRIVER SIDE. *TR
THE BACK AUTOMATIC LIFT GATE WAS ACTIVATED. THE LIFT GATE OPENED PROPERLY BUT WHEN IT WAS OPENED COMPLETELY THE LOCKING MECHANISM FAILED AND THE DOOR FELL CLOSED. LUCKILY I WAS NOT STANDING IN THE DOOR OPENING. I TRIED THE LIFT GATE ONCE MORE AND IT RESPONDED EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AND I TRIED TO STOP THE GATE FROM CLOSING AND COULD NOT, THE DOOR CLOSED EVEN THOUGH I WAS TRYING TOM HOLD IT UP. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE BUICK DEALER AND IT HAS BEEN REPAIRED. *TR
THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS HAVE A VERY SHARP PLASTIC EDGE STICKING OUT PAST THE METAL BODY OF THE DOOR. THIS HAS CAUSED INJURY TO THREE PEOPLE INCLUDING MYSELF. THE PLASTIC IS SO SHARP THAT IT HAS CUT DEEP WOUNDS INTO THE LEGS OF THE PERSON GETTING IN OR OUT OF THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE TRIED TO FIND OUT IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM AND NO ONE HAS BROUGHT THIS FORWARD FOR REVIEW. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. MAYBE THEY FIGURE THEY WERE CLUMSY AND IT WAS THEIR FAULT. I CUT THE CORNERS OFF AND SANDED THEM TO A SMOOTH FINISH TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *TR
I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY AND STARTED TO TOUCH THE FRONT WINDOW BUTTON DOWN BUT IT WAS THE REAR WINDOW BUTTON AND IMMEDIATELY THE WHOLE CAR STARTED THIS SHAKING AND VIBRATING. I WAS SHOCKED AND SHOOK-UP BY THIS EVENT AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE.LUCKILY, DOWN THE ROAD A BIT, I SAW A BUICK DEALERSHIP AND PROCEEDED TO IT. THE SERVICE MGR. TOLD ME BUICK IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WHICH HE CALLED "WIND ABATEMENT".ONE OF HIS ASSOCIATES EVEN ASKED ME IF HE COULD COME WITH ME SO HE COULD WITNESS THIS EVENT. SO WE DID GO BACK TO THE FREEWAY,LET REAR WINDOW DOWN, AND HE WITNESSED IT HIMSELF.THE BUICK DEALER DENIED ANY DEFECTS IN THE CAR AND ADVISED ME TO CRACK A FRONT WINDOW ABOUT AN INCH, THEN LET THE REAR WINDOW DOWN. THIS WHOLE EPISODE HAS LEFT ME IN A STATE OF SHOCK AND NOT KNOWING IF THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE.
I PURCHASED A NEW BUICK ENCLAVE ON OR ABOUT 4 FEB. 2011, ON OR ABOUT 12 APRIL 2011 I HAD THE BACK WINDOW DOWN WITHOUT KNOWING IT AS I HIT ABOUT 45 MPH THIS HORRIBLE NOISE APPEARED IN THE CAR. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD THINKING THAT THE ENGINE BLEW UP, BUT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. THE SOUND CAME FROM HAVING THE BACK WINDOW DOWN. I CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT IT. I LATER TOOK DECIBEL READINGS OF THIS AND THEY ARE AT 94 DB AT 45 MPH. AS SPEED IS INCREASED THE DECIBEL READINGS ALSO INCREASED. I COULD ONLY TAKE THE READINGS UP TO 60 MPH AS THE DECIBEL METER I HAD DID NOT GO ABOVE 120 DB. THIS WILL CAUSE HEARING LOSS AND POSSIBLY PERMANENT HEARING LOSS TO SMALL CHILDREN AND BABIES. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE FIXED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ALSO THE WHOLE CAR SHAKES AND IS VERY DISTRACTING TO THE DRIVER. STATUS UPDATE. 08/30/11
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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