Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. 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. 41 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.
The 25 most recent of 41, in the owner's own words
At low speed all power steering is lost. Almost ran into a parked car. When pulling from a driveway onto the roadway almost hit another car head on. My wife will no longer drive the car because of this.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL BACKWARDS DOWN THE HILL. DURING THE FAILURE, THE BRAKES AND POWER STEERING ALSO BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER CARL BLACK CHEVROLET BUICK GMC (11500 EAST COLONIAL DR, ORLANDO, FL 32817) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
2011 BUICK ENCLAVE MAKES A WHINING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING, TURNING AND SLOWING DOWN. DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT CAR IS "COLD" AND NEEDS WARMING UP BECAUSE TEMPERATURE HAS CHANGED. HOWEVER, MY CAR WAS MAKING THIS NOISE JUST NOT AS BAD DURING THE SUMMER. I ASKED IF IT WAS THE POWER STEERING PUMP OR IF I NEEDED FLUID. THEY INFORMED ME THEY CAPPED OFF THE FLUID DURING EACH OF MY SERVICE VISITS BUT THE NOISE IS STILL THERE. NOW I'M GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR A SECOND OPINION AFTER READING OTHER PEOPLE'S ISSUES WITH THEIR ENCLAVE. MY ISSUE IS ALWAYS DURING START UP, TURNING AND STOPPING WHICH IS A HUGE PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN ESCALATING FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS. IT'S WORST NOW.
I WAS DRIVING YESTERDAY AND STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. I STARTED TO PULL OUT FROM THE STOP SIGN MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN AND LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND AC SHUT DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE TURN BY PULLING HARD AND THEN IT STARTING WORKING RIGHT AGAIN. VERY UPSETTING. TOOK CAR TO BOKMANS IN OLEAN, NY. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT NOW.
ALL RECALLS AND UP-TO-DATE RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE POWER STEERING IS HARD TO TURN HATCHBACK COMING UP WHEN SHE'LL WIPER VEHICLE IS HARD TO PULL RATTLING NOISE
AT SLOWER SPEEDS WHILE NOT ACCELERATING OR ON UNEVEN SURFACE, THE POWER STEERING FAILS REVERTING TO MANUAL STEERING. MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE IS NO WARNING WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED. THIS FAILURE CAUSED THE STEERING TO TIGHTEN AT SLOW SPEEDS MAKING THE CAR EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND SAFETY HAZARD. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER, I WAS TOLD THAT POWER STEERING PRESSURE INLET HOSE AND POWER STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY NEEDED REPAIR. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE ADDITIONAL REPAIRS WERE THE RESULT OF THE FAILED PUMP. GM IS DENYING COVERAGE OF THE ADDITIONAL REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY. THE POWER STEERING PUMPS SHOULD BE RECALLED WITH ALL DAMAGED PARTS REPLACED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. WHEN DRIVING OVER A PUDDLE OF WATER OR UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE, THE STEERING FAILED, VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS AND GAUGES FLASHED, AND THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER. THE DEALER (BOB WEAVER AUTO, 2174 WEST MARKET STREET, POTTSVILLE, PA 17901, 570-628-3610) WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
RACK AND PINION FAILURE AND LEAKING WHILE DRIVING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER (LUTHER GMC, 3202 36TH ST S, FARGO, ND) DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING GEAR WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.
LOUD WHINING NOISE AND LEAKING FROM RACK/PINION PUMP. HEWLETT CHEVY/BUICK DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGES PUMP IS COVERED UNDER SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT BUT WON'T PERFORM REPAIR UNTIL PUMP AND RACK ACTUALLY GO OUT...PUTTING MY FAMILY IN DANGER.
THE POWER STEERING FAILS WHEN THE CAR IS NOT ACCELERATING. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AFTER BACKING UP OR FROM A COMPLETE STOP. I NEED TO REPLACE THE PUMP AND RACK AND PINION SYSTEM AS WELL AS GET THE SYSTEM FLUSHED DUE TO METAL SHAVINGS THAT HAVE SHEARED OFF OF A PART WITHIN THE SYSTEM. THE TOTAL REPAIR WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $2200.00.
DIFFICULTY TURNING WHEEL- POWER STEERING FEELS LIKE IT IS FAILING AND MAY NOT MAKE COMPLETE TURN. WHEEL BECOMES STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO TURN.
ENCLAVE IS MAKING CREAKING NOISES WHEN TURNING, SOMETIMES THE STEERING PAUSES WHILE DRIVING, LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID. THIS IS THE THIRD ENGINE ON THIS VEHICLE, SO MILEAGE ON THIS ENGINE ROUGHLY 25,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHANGE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 01/11/2017*CT TIMING CHAIN WAS REPAIRED BY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. REAR LIFTGATE FAILED. AFTER NEGOTIATIONS WITH GM LIFTGATE WAS REPAIRED AS PER PRIOR RECALL. THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED. UPDATED 9/7/18*JB
POWER STEERING AND RACK IS LEAKING. I SEE THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE. ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR IS $1400. THE STEERING IS VERY HARD AND VERY UNSAFE. THERE ARE 3 KIDS UNDER 10 IN THIS FAMILY. GM IS PUTTING THEM AT RISK.
SQUEALING NOISE IN STEERING SYSTEM , WHEN PUT PRESSURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL IT BEGINS TO VIBRATE, THERE ARE MINUTE METAL SHAVINGS IN THE STEERING FLUID,LOCAL FM DEALER SAYS THIS IS NOT PART OF THEIR RECALL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL REQUIRED ADDITIONAL EFFORT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A HYDRAULIC LEAK IN THE GEAR HOUSING OF THE POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,583.
POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION SEALS ARE LEAKING AT 75000 MILES AS NOTED AT GM DEALER DURING ROUTINE SERVICE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT GM NEEDS TO ADDRESS THROUGH A RECALL
NOTICED A WHINING NOISE IN MY STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS "NORMAL". NOT BEING SATISFIED WITH THIS TOOK IT IN AND INSISTED THEY CHECK IT. I WAS THEN TOLD THE RACK AND PINION IS FAILING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE COST WOULD BE $2000. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW AND IT ONLY HAS 41,000 MILES ON IT. I FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE PAID BY GM SINCE THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT AND VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. I WILL NO LONGER BUY ANYTHING BUILT BY GM IF THIS IS HOW THEY TREAT THEIR CUSTOMERS. I PAID $53,000 AND I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE THIS CAR FOR A FEW MORE YEARS. I GUESS NOT.
WENT TO MY DEALER FOR NOISY STEERING AND WAS INFORMED THE STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING AFTER 34,000 MILES. WAS TOLD REPAIR WOULD BE 1700.00. AFTER READING FORUMS ONLINE FOUND OUT THIS COULD CAUSE ME TO LOOSE MY POWER STEERING. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL .
MY 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE "POWER STEERING RACK" WAS FOUND LEAKING FLUID DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AT MY DEALERSHIP, BURNS GMC, BUICK DEALER IN MARLTON, N.J.. MY 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE ONLY HAS 57000 MILES ON IT. IT COST ME $1200.00 TO GET REPAIRED. THERE IS A "CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT" FILED AGAINST GM FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. GM SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES LISTED IN THE LAW SUIT AND REPAIR THEM FREE OF CHARGE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR SOMEONE TO LOOSE THE STEERING OF THEIR VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ONE OF THESE VEHICLES.
OVER TIME OUR 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE EXPERIENCED A WHINING NOISE AT IDLE AND LOWER SPEEDS, PARTICULARLY WHEN TURNING. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS DUE TO A LEAKING/DEFECTIVE POWER STEERING PUMP AND POTENTIALLY THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS VEHICLE IS APPROXIMATELY 3 YEARS OLD AND APPROXIMATELY 50K MILES - DISAPPOINTED TO DISCOVER THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT CURRENTLY COVERED UNDER WARRANTY/RECALLS. I WOULD NOT EXPECT TO ENCOUNTER AN ISSUE OF THIS MAGNITUDE WITH A CAR AT THIS POINT IN THE LIFE CYCLE - THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY CONCERN IF THIS ISSUE PROGRESSES TO A SITUATING WHERE THE STEERING TOTALLY FAILS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED, IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,664.
I TOOK MY 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE WITH 27,000 MILES INTO MY LOCAL BUICK DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED AND ADVISED THAT THE STEERING RACK WAS LEAKING AND THAT THE ESTIMATED REPAIR COST IS $1780. I CHOSE NOT TO HAVE THE REPAIR DONE AT THAT TIME, BUT NOW SEE THAT MANY ENCLAVE OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED POWER STEERING FAILURES DUE TO THIS DEFECT. SOME OF THESE FAILURES OCCURRED IN TRAFFIC AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN ACCIDENTS. NOW THAT I AM AWARE OF THIS I WILL TAKE THE CAR TO BE REPAIRED IMMEDIATELY. BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY FAILURES WITH POTENTIALLY SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES, THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA FOR A POSSIBLE RECALL. I SUSPECT THAT THIS WOULD ALSO AFFECT GMC ACADIA AND CHEVY TRAVERSE MODELS.
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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