2016 Buick Enclave Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Enclave years
- Far more complaints than other years 8th of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 141 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Buick Enclave. That ranks 8th out of 19 Enclave model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (110 complaints, 78%), typically at around 89,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 5 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 141owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 Buick Enclave problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 110 | 78% | 89,000 | “air bags contacted” (35%) | — |
| Power Train | 10 | 7% | 25,449 | — | — |
| Engine | 9 | 6% | 57,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 8 | 6% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 5% | 26,250 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 2% | 71,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 2% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 2% | 10,900 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 1% | 37,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 319 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 Buick Enclave recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag module, free of charge. GM began mailing final owner letters February 23, 2024 and will continue mailing through December 2025. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232404980.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2008-2017 Buick Enclave and 2013-2017 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag module, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 3, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 10, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212349040.
Seats
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured November 6, 2015, to November 12, 2015. The affected vehicles have a the third row left lower seat frame that may have welds that are not in the correction location.
Risk: If the seat frame is not welded in the correct places, the seat may not perform as intended, and in the event of a crash, the seat occupant could be at an increased risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third row left side lower seat frame, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 29, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 21930.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured August 18, 2015 to September 24, 2015. Due to a manufacturing defect, the windshield wiper motor may overheat when used.
Risk: A wiper motor that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor cover assembly, free of charge. Owners are advised not to use their front windshield wipers until the wiper cover has been replaced. If weather conditions prevent operation of the vehicle without using the windshield wipers, GM will make arrangements to pick up the vehicle for servicing. The recall began on September 30, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15780.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I purchased this used 2016 Buick Enclave in July 2026. Shortly after purchase, the vehicle began repeatedly jerking and hesitating while driving. During occurrences, Traction Control/StabiliTrak warnings appeared and the vehicle experienced loss of power and difficulty accelerating normally. I…
Traction stabilization light comes on very frequently and vehicle loses power, step on gas and it sputters canât get out of any oneâs way, they throw parts at it and never fixes. From feedback off internet a big problem 2008-2017 enclaves
I am seeing that these have been repaired, when in fact it has not been repaired.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Buick Enclave on November 25, 2025 from an independent dealer. It was later discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. At the time of purchase, the Odometer reading was 102,068. After contacting Endurance Warranty Company, the contact was informed…
We have had spark plugs fixed twice in the past 4 months and they keep faltering. Both mechanics changed them
Other Buick Enclave years
← 2015 Enclave · 2017 Enclave →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Enclave | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 Enclave | 38 | 0 |
| 2024 Enclave | 7 | 0 |
| 2023 Enclave | 21 | 0 |
| 2022 Enclave | 14 | 1 |
| 2021 Enclave | 26 | 2 |
| 2020 Enclave | 60 | 6 |
| 2019 Enclave | 44 | 1 |
| 2018 Enclave | 65 | 0 |
| 2017 Enclave | 179 | 3 |
| 2016 | 141 | 4 |
| 2015 Enclave | 171 | 5 |
| 2014 Enclave | 292 | 7 |
| 2013 Enclave | 70 | 4 |
| 2012 Enclave | 132 | 6 |
| 2011 Enclave | 213 | 6 |
| 2010 Enclave | 275 | 6 |
| 2009 Enclave | 220 | 8 |
| 2008 Enclave | 536 | 6 |
See all Buick Enclave problems by year, every Buick model, or the Buick VIN decoder.
Similar Buick models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Buick Enclave?
Owners most often report air bags, power train, engine problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 110 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Buick Enclave?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 Buick Enclave a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Enclave model years, the 2016 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.