CarComplaints.com Notes: Buying the first model year of any vehicle is rarely a good idea. You become a guinea pig for the automaker and they are really not nice to guinea pigs.

The 2008 Enclave has a wide enough range of problems to issue a warning. There's transmission failure under 90k miles, new power steering units costing over $1,300, and enough engine complaints to NHTSA to scare anyone away.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
28,167 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2008 Buick Enclave brakes problems

brakes problem

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2008 Buick Enclave Owner Comments

problem #3

Apr 142009

Enclave

  • 22,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2008 Buick Enclave. The contact stated while driving at speeds of 25 mph, there was an abnormal knocking from the vehicle front end. The dealer replaced the tie rods to correct the failure. On a separate occasion, the power steering and water pump failed and the dealer replaced both components. The contact stated there were several failures in the vehicle including warped rotors and brakes at 22,000 miles and several unknown recall repairs. The contact received notification of NHTSA recall campaign id number: 10V240000 (electrical system) and was not satisfied with the $100 refund offered by the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 22,000 and the current was unknown. Updated 10/27/10.

- Newark, NY, USA

problem #2

May 012010

Enclave

  • 36,000 miles
If after within approximately 2-4 seconds after dropping my 2008 Buick Enclave into passing gear I need to perform an emergency stop, the vehicle continues to try to accelerate. It's as if the accelerator and brake are depressed at the same time. I took it to the dealer and they were able to experience the issue but when they checked with GM tech support the dealer was told a 2 or 3 second delay was normal and within specifications. This has happened approximately 5 times since I've had the car (late 2007) and has caused 2 near misses but no accidents.

- Washington, MI, USA

problem #1

Jan 282010

Enclave

  • 26,500 miles
Snowy conditions - about 2 inches on the ground; as I began to descend the hill near my home I tried to apply the brakes to keep a slow pace down the hill. Brakes failed and I began to slide down the hill. Steering was unresponsive; messages interchangeably flashed on the dashboard - 'service stabilitrak' and 'service traction control'. I had no control over the vehicle, and halfway down the hill jumped an 8" curb. Fortunate that the vehicle swerved to the right because there were parked cars to the left. Also, fortunate there were no people/children around, who could have been hit. $3000 damage to the underside of the vehicle. Very frightening to lose complete control of the car - I thought AWD, ABS, traction control and stabilitrak are supposed to help the driver maintain control of the vehicle in adverse conditions. Everything failed at once. Got the vehicle to the closest GM dealership; they ran diagnostics and surprise, everything checks out. They have no indication anything failed, so nothing further they can do except repair the physical damage. I experienced a complete failure of brakes, steering, traction, and electronic stability control and the dealership is telling me I did not - that the conditions were slick and that's what caused the accident. Isn't that when all of those safety features are supposed to engage? this is the first time I experienced a malfunction like this in this vehicle. Now I'm afraid to drive the vehicle, once it's fixed, esp. With other passengers. I may not even keep it.

- Wayne, NJ, USA

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