2018 Buick Enclave Problems and Recalls (64 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2018 Buick Enclave is Brakes (22% of 64 owner reports). There are 0 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Brakes — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 64 complaints · 0 recalls

What problems show up on the 2018 Buick Enclave?

14 of 64 filings named Brakes (22% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Transmission / driveline (12 reports).

This snapshot lists no safety recalls for this year. That is not a clean bill of health. Still check the VIN at nhtsa.gov.

The 2017 has 179 reports on file; this year has 64. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2018 Buick Enclave

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov even if this page lists none.
  2. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  3. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  4. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Brakes. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Brakes 14 complaints · 21.9% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 5
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 1
  • Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) appears in 14 of 64 owner complaints (21.9%) in this vehicle snapshot. Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 14 complaints, 21.9% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 crash reports 14 · 21.9% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 12 complaints, 18.8% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 12 · 18.8% Engine (ENGINE): 11 complaints, 17.2% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 11 · 17.2% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 3 complaints, 4.7% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 3 · 4.7% Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION): 2 complaints, 3.1% of reports Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION) 1 crash reports 2 · 3.1% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 2 complaints, 3.1% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 · 3.1% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 2 complaints, 3.1% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 2 · 3.1% Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE): 2 complaints, 3.1% of reports Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 2 · 3.1% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 2 complaints, 3.1% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 2 · 3.1% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 15 complaints, 23.4% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 crash reports 15 · 23.4% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 14 21.9% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 12 18.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 11 17.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 3 4.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION) 2 3.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 2 3.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 2 3.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 2 3.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 2 3.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 15 23.4% 1 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2018. 2018-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2018-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2022-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2025-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2026-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 Owner reports Jan 2018 Apr 2026
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2018-Q1 Owner reports 2
2018-Q3 Owner reports 4
2018-Q4 Owner reports 4
2019-Q1 Owner reports 1
2019-Q2 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 3
2019-Q4 Owner reports 3
2020-Q1 Owner reports 3
2020-Q2 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 1
2020-Q4 Owner reports 4
2021-Q3 Owner reports 1
2021-Q4 Owner reports 2
2022-Q1 Owner reports 3
2022-Q3 Owner reports 1
2022-Q4 Owner reports 2
2023-Q1 Owner reports 1
2023-Q2 Owner reports 2
2023-Q3 Owner reports 2
2024-Q3 Owner reports 2
2024-Q4 Owner reports 1
2025-Q1 Owner reports 1
2025-Q2 Owner reports 2
2025-Q3 Owner reports 3
2025-Q4 Owner reports 5
2026-Q1 Owner reports 1
2026-Q2 Owner reports 8
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (0)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

No safety recalls are on file for this model year in this snapshot.

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 7 of 64 complaints · page 1 of 3
2026-06-17Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11744702
CrashFireInjuryDeath
2018 Enclave w/106k on the odometer and the catalytic convertor cracked. $2200 repair.
2026-06-08SUSPENSION
NHTSA ODI 11742783
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I am submitting this letter to formally report two ongoing issues with my 2018 Buick Enclave. First, I have experienced persistent problems with the emissions purge valve. My vehicle has repeatedly triggered diagnostic trouble code P0496, indicating a malfunction in the purge valve system. I am aware that this issue has been the subject of recall campaigns for other Buick Enclave models; however, my vehicle has not been included in any such recall, despite exhibiting the same symptoms. This malfunction has resulted in persistent check engine warnings and noticeable performance concerns, raising questions about emissions compliance and the overall reliability of my vehicle. Given that other vehicles of the same make and model year have been recalled for the same issue, I respectfully request that my vehicle be reviewed for inclusion in the recall. Second, I am formally reporting a malfunction involving the stabilizers. Recently, I have noticed unusual noises and instability when driving, particularly when turning or traveling over uneven surfaces, which indicates a potential stabilizer malfunction. These issues have persisted despite regular maintenance and inspections, affecting the handling and safety of the vehicle. I believe this may represent a manufacturing or design defect that could pose a risk to other owners of the same make and model. I respectfully request that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigate this matter further. I kindly ask the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to consider expanding the existing recall to encompass additional vehicles affected by this defect. Please advise if you require further information or documentation regarding my case. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2026-05-26Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11740184
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2018 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shut off and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the alternator was replaced 4 times before the dealer diagnosed that the failure was due to oil leaking onto the alternator and the battery. The contact stated that the alternator had been replaced 6 times in total. Additionally, the contact stated while pulling out of the parking lot and onto the road, the vehicle shut off. The messages "Electronic Control Module Failure", "Battery Saver Active", "Battery Charging System" and "Steering Assist Is Reduced- Drive with Care" were displayed. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with the Electronic Control Module (ECM) and alternator failures. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
2026-05-12Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11737422
CrashFireInjuryDeath
After two transmission flushes and being told by a Buick dealership's service technicians that nothing is wrong with the vechile's transmission, it has now failed completely at ~90k miles.
2026-05-11Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11737064
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Catalic converter weld broke both sides now
2026-05-05Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11735792
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Exhaust leak from broken front exhaust pipe. This has been a known defect in this make/model however the year of my vehicle was not included in the extended repair window and should have been. The exhaust leak was identified by the dealership when the vehicle was taken in for other maintenance. I had to pay for the repair myself and would like to be reimbursed due to this being a manufacturer known defect with the exhaust pipe. The exhaust leak caused unusual noises, a loud roaring, and reduced gas mileage. This was also a danger for carbon monoxide exposure.
2026-04-28VISIBILITY
NHTSA ODI 11734443
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The air conditioning system failure prevents proper windshield defogging, significantly reducing visibility in humid or rainy conditions. Additionally, cabin temperatures become excessively high, causing driver fatigue and impaired concentration. This creates an unsafe driving condition and increases the risk of a crash

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2018 Buick Enclave?

Owners named Brakes most often — 14 of 64 reports (22%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2018 Buick Enclave?

NHTSA lists 0 safety recall campaigns. This snapshot lists none, which is not a clean bill of health. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2018 Buick Enclave?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources