2019 Buick Enclave Owner Complaints

The problematic 9 speed transmission failed at 72,000 miles on [XXX]. GM required a flush due to the significant shudder problems in the transmissions. This was performed on this vehicle at 32,000 miles. GM knows the is issues. The car brought to Gerald Jones GM in Graniteville, SC and GM/Buick customer service was contacted 5/22/26 and after. The transmission failed when traveling on busy highway in Aiken, SC on [XXX]. The money spent for these cars with failed transmission design/construction and the safety risk to all traffic must be addressed by NHTSA. GM customer is horrific in there determination to cover up this colossal issue and safety risk. No one holds them accountable. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11755753

Incident

Jun 27, 2026

Formal Complaint – 2019 Buick Enclave Rear A/C Evaporator Failure I am filing a safety complaint regarding repeated refrigerant leaks and rear A/C evaporator failure on my 2019 Buick Enclave. My vehicle has 72,000 miles and has experienced two A/C system failures within 60 days. The first Freon leak was repaired under a GM special warranty. Only two months later, the system failed again, and the dealership diagnosed a rear evaporator core leak requiring a $3,000 repair. This is not normal wear. GM has documented this defect in bulletins PIT5335, PIT5335A, and 16‑NA‑046, which describe rear evaporator corrosion caused by blower‑motor copper brush dust contaminating the evaporator. My vehicle is experiencing the same failure pattern. This defect presents safety concerns including: • Loss of cooling in high‑heat conditions, affecting driver alertness • Moisture or fogging that can impair windshield visibility • Air‑quality risks from refrigerant leaks and potential mold • System failure during highway travel, impacting driver comfort and concentration The rapid recurrence of the failure after a GM‑covered repair indicates a systemic defect, not a maintenance issue. GM refuses to cover the second repair despite acknowledging the defect in its own bulletins. I have owned four new GM vehicles since 1998, including two I kept for ten years each, with no A/C failures. This repeated defect is financially burdensome and potentially hazardous. I request NHTSA investigate rear A/C evaporator failures in Buick Enclave models, determine whether a safety recall is warranted, and review whether GM’s special warranty coverage should be expanded to address repeat failures.

NHTSA ID

11752440

Incident

May 7, 2026

2019 Buick Enclave (GM) w/ 29481 miles, consistently serviced and in excellent working order. In city traffic about 45-50MPH, no warning lights until total electrical/power failure - no power, no steering, no electrical/lights. Car is owned by [XXX] mother-in-law ([XXX]). Her daughter ([XXX]) was driving. Had [XXX] been driving, there would have been a wreck. [XXX] was able to coast into a corner gas station/garage. Buy next day mechanic was able to isolate failure to alternator. Since we performed the repair at the closest mechanic, I do not know what GM knows. I see on internet a high volume of alternator failures in Enclaves. It doesn't seem an alternator failure should be so abrupt, without warning and with such dire immediate impact. GM has said they 'may' have been able to help with the cost of the repair if we had had it done at an authorized service center. Frankly, this feels like a trap (and Nissan did exactly this to me 2 years ago - asking me to tow into their service center and then saying 'oops, sorry, no warranty ... ). GM should buy their failed alternator back and study why it failed and why that failure had this impact to the vehicle. The repair was made with a GM part - honestly, not sure if that's good or bad, but there is no excuse for GM to not own their part failure. No one other than the mechanic has inspected the car. He would probably be glad to speak to NHTSA. No prior warning lights, messages, symptoms. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11751653

Incident

Jun 30, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that while driving at 30 to 40 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering. The vehicle was hard to shift. The TPMS was illuminated. The contact indicated the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V668000 (Power Train). The local dealer was contacted, who informed about the diagnostic fees. The contact called another local dealer, Starling Buick GMC Stuart Parts, and Starling Buick GMC Stuart Service, at 2445 SE Federal Hwy, Stuart, FL 34994, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to a transmission center, which confirmed the failure was due to the torque converter. The manufacturer was contacted, who confirmed there was no recall or warranty coverage. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11742026

Incident

Jun 4, 2025

Mileage

80,000 mi

The contact owns a 2019 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that while driving in traffic at 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The horn and wipers turned on unexpectedly. The contact stated that the vehicle lost power steering functionality and was inoperable and the vehicle jerked. The doors failed to unlock, and the air conditioner was inoperable on a hot day, and the contact had symptoms of hyperventilation. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the windows failed to roll up or down. Eventually, the vehicle failed to turn off, and the owner disconnected the battery. A towing company was called to tow the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

NHTSA ID

11730218

Incident

Apr 9, 2026

Mileage

72,000 mi

The car hesitates when accelerating. It feels like its going to die. Also, the car has shut off randomly with the display saying "not in right conditions to start". The dying has happened a few times.

NHTSA ID

11708807

Incident

Dec 27, 2025

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection? The issue appears to be related to the auto start-stop system and/or an EVAP-related component, as the vehicle will sometimes completely shut off instead of restarting when stopped. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? When the engine shuts off, the vehicle loses all power, including steering and brake assist. This has happened at red lights, stop signs, and in school zone traffic. I have to restart the vehicle while stopped in active traffic lanes, which puts me and others at high risk of being hit. I am a single mom with 3 young children. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. A Buick dealership inspected the vehicle earlier this year. They observed the stalling issue but could not identify a single cause. They suggested possible repair attempts, but the issue has continued. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? It has only been inspected by a Buick dealership service department. No other agencies have inspected it. Were there any warning lights, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure? When did they first appear? No warning lights or messages appeared when it first happened. The problem began before I replaced the battery, and replacing the battery did not resolve the issue. Additional Description: When I come to a stop—at red lights, stop signs, or in traffic—the vehicle’s auto start-stop system activates like normal, but instead of restarting, the engine will completely shut off. I then lose power steering and braking support and must restart the car in the middle of the roadway. It is unpredictable and unsafe. Sometimes it’s instantly but today I sat there for 15 minutes waiting. I took it straight to autozone and everything tested good.

NHTSA ID

11696554

Incident

Oct 30, 2025

I purchased my vehicle in 2020. In 2022 I experienced an issue where my car stopped in the middle of the road without warning. Despite several attempts to try and move the vehicle off of the road the police were notified and my vehicle was towed. The vehicle gave an error code that conditions not met for driving. One office tried to put the vehicle in neutral but the wheels locked and the shifter was locked as well. The battery has been replaced 3 different times since I have owned the vehicle. A mechanic friend of mine (who is a trainer for GMC) hooked his computer up to it and found no issues. He did find a loose wire which he the reconnected. I was able to drive my car for 6 months before the same thing happened, same situation the vehicle just stopped in the middle of the road only this time I couldn't turn the vehicle off, we had to manually disconnect the battery and again the police came out due to traffic hold up. My car was towed twice afterwards as I could get the car running for a few minutes before another error. To date my car has been sitting in my driveway since March of this year, this time it won't hold a charge and will not even start. Im not sure if this is an engine or an electrical issue. I did call 2 Buick dealerships that told me that it would take about 5 hours to diagnose the issue where I would be charged per hour at the mechanic hourly rate. At this point I think my vehicle needs to be recalled, even if I could get it repaired I dont feel safe driving it. Thankfully it stopped on a minor freeway and no major incidents occurred.

NHTSA ID

11683367

Incident

Nov 17, 2022

This is the third time in less the last couple of months that the air conditioning system on this 2019 Buick Enclave has failed. The vehicle consistently blows only hot air, regardless of whether it is in motion or stationary. The problem does not fluctuate with changes in speed or drive duration. In addition, there is a consistent noise coming from the dashboard area that resembles a hydraulic hinge or actuator.

NHTSA ID

11675444

Incident

Feb 5, 2025

Anc module is faulty after HVAC condensation entered the unit causing it to not work making all speakers nonfunctioning

NHTSA ID

11673083

Incident

Jun 1, 2025

The 2019 Buick Enclave was taken in for transmission fluid flush & check. The dealer came back and stated that the torque converter needed replacement. The car was still under mileage warranty but just past the roll-off-line date by a month. There are numerous issues all over the internet related to The Enclave torque converter issues. Even a service bulleting PIP5608J that covers these exact issues. It is a wide spread safety issue. If the transmission fails, what is the outcome at high speeds? It has just over 69,000 miles. Todays transmissions should last 150,000 miles minimum. Unacceptable!

NHTSA ID

11654555

Incident

Apr 14, 2025

The contact owns a 2019 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that while at a stop light the Auto START/STOP feature malfunctioned. The contact stated that after releasing the brake pedal, the vehicle turned off instead of restarting the engine. The contact stated that several minutes had passed before being able to restart the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V668000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 60,000.

NHTSA ID

11639285

Incident

Oct 1, 2024

Mileage

60,000 mi

This vehicles exhaust system has two brackets that broke off the exhaust due to bad welds. There is TSB out for one of the brackets where they replace one cheaper pipe but no mention of the other. This TSB is for multiple years same issue, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Yet I was told mine is not included by dealer over the phone. There are literally thousands of complaints stretched across multiple sites with the brackets breaking off and exhaust leaking into the car after. This issue is right at the back of engine. It’s leaking exhaust right into the cabin from the venting system to the point we get sick now. It’s $800 I was told to fix the 2 pipes that are faulty. Just bought this 2 years ago and have owned many GM vehicles in last 35 years not one has ever had any issue with the exhaust system. And the one pipe that broke and cost $420 for just the part is also on back order cause they have replaced way more then normal and it’s also the part that’s not under any TSB yet.

NHTSA ID

11633013

Incident

May 1, 2023

Start/stop function malfunctioned in the middle of the road, this has happened multiple times before and after replacing starter and battery, looked at by several mechanics. If I stop the car at a light or in traffic my car will dint turn back on or let me shift. Thus a safety issue because I could have been hit as it stopped in a busy road and people had to move around my vehicle. Engine light came on after failure and ceased the engine and i couldn’t move to the intersection. I also just got an oil change. They first appeared a few months ago and I had already gotten work done on it and it keeps happening

NHTSA ID

11622411

Incident

Oct 29, 2024

One day, I looked over at my seat and there were literally two tears in the leather. I immediately looked to see if something had ripped them. The only thing I put over there is a small cloth lunch sack so there’s no way that that could’ve done it. there was NOTHING SHARP on the seat. I am also very good about keeping my leather maintained and car maintained . It needs to be repaired before it gets worse.

NHTSA ID

11613302

Incident

Jul 1, 2024

On Sept 6th the check engine light came on. A diagnostic test showed it was code P0442 related to the canister purge valve /solenoid. It also showed that it was a permanent thing that had been on there a while but when I look up my Vin number there is no recalls for it, but there is for other 2019 Buick enclaves.

NHTSA ID

11613301

Incident

Sep 6, 2024

I found where there was a recall on 2019 Buick and mine was not listed. It is doing what I have read about the recall. The transmission is shuttering at low speeds.

NHTSA ID

11608653

Incident

Jul 12, 2024

The cooling fan motor assembly is shorting out internally & blowing the 70 amp fuse dedicated to that circuit. Mustreplace fan assembly and fuse to correct this concern

NHTSA ID

11568332

Incident

Jan 26, 2024

We were on a trip home from the Holidays about 400 miles away when we heard a huge explosion! The front sunroof exploded and rained glass all over us. It was a clear night with no other cars around. We had to pull over and find something to cover over the sunroof because it was so loud and shooting bits of glass all over us and our dog. We made it home. We are still waiting on insurance to fix it. This really scared us.

NHTSA ID

11568105

Incident

Dec 27, 2023

The contact owns a 2019 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that upon the start of the vehicle, a loud grinding noise would emit from the rear end of the vehicle. To correct the failure, the contact operated the vehicle in front-wheel drive instead of all-wheel drive. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for service, but the contact was given a diagnostic fee and declined. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the cause of the failure was linked to the rear differential. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

NHTSA ID

11564846

Incident

Jan 2, 2024

Mileage

87,000 mi

The contact owns a 2019 Buick Enclave. The contact stated while attempting to buckle the seat belt however, the seat belt failed to lock securely in the buckle. The contact inspected the buckle and became aware that an internal part of the buckle had detached, preventing the seat belt from being latched securely. The contact called the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 43,000.

NHTSA ID

11553256

Incident

Oct 31, 2023

Mileage

43,000 mi

There are a couple of issues causing our concerns about the car. 1. Alternator - The alternator was reported went bad after only 4 years of usage, the dealer refused to pay the fixing cost for this. Due to the failure of the alternator, the car lost all the power in the middle of the road with our entire family in the car during the night, very dangerous. The car suddenly stopped at the road with 50MPH speed limit. 2. Engine and Catalytic converter pipe - The engine light is on due to abnormal feeling of the engine power, the dealer could not fix the issue in weeks and no rental car provided and we were asked to drive the car home and waiting for order status of the parts. 3. Exhaust system failure - The dealer mentioned the welding of the connection is bad ( still under warranty ) but refused to fix it but ask the customer to pay for the replacement and labor.

NHTSA ID

11539079

Incident

Jun 13, 2023

Traveled and car begin to shake when I got to destination. The shift gears lights started going from neutral to Low gear and my speed began to drop down even when I was accelerating. The engine light came on and the stabilitrak light was on during times I stop at lights or stop lights only when in traffic but not on the highway. After seen by an auto service dealer, the stabilitrak light still comes on during stops at the light or stop signs and hesitation to accelerate with a heaviness to steer. There appears to be a dragging or pull when accelerating not very smooth. The service was with the transmission, however, no attempt to fix the stabilitrak and now I am to take it back in, not really enjoying my vehicle, my American vehicle, this really saddens me.

NHTSA ID

11511638

Incident

Feb 24, 2023

Stabilizer trak

NHTSA ID

11507599

Incident

Feb 15, 2023

The passenger side seat air bag exploded and burned my daughter’s back while she was getting into the car. The car was in park and auto started. My son was sitting in the back seat behind her while this happened. She has 1st and 2nd degree burns and thankfully my son is okay. The car has been sitting in my driveway since that day. I have contacted the dealership and GM as well as my personal insurance. GM is moving very slow and stated they would send someone to look at my vehicle within 7-10 days from yesterday . The investigation could take 30-60 days before we have an answer. We are currently on day 11 since this happened. Insurance doesn’t want to touch it until GM or the dealership looks at it and determines if it is a malfunction. The safety of my kids and family is definitely a priority and the fact that this happened is scary. The loudness of the explosion was like a gunshot inside the vehicle and the fire that came out of it is insane. Literally looked like a firework. With the airbag deployed I am sure the seatbelts are now compromised but either way I will not risk my life or anyone else’s and step foot in it. The car was looked at by local law enforcement and pictures were taken. The car is available for inspection but the dealership hasn’t called me back and GM is following their protocol and has no hurry. The airbag light had come on the week prior to this happening and had gone back off. I also had the tire pressure lights go on and back off twice in the past couple of months.

NHTSA ID

11502536

Incident

Jan 7, 2023