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:
42,271 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

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2008 Buick Enclave:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2008 Buick Enclave Owner Comments

problem #5

May 292022

Enclave

  • miles

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

Traction control and abs. Acceleration jerking

- Knoxville, TN, USA

problem #4

Jan 012008

Enclave 6-cyl

  • 5,000 miles
TL-the contact owns a 2008 Buick Enclave. The contact state that the vehicle experienced several failures the transmission gear could not be shifted out of first gear, the engine compression failed, the suspension sway bar failed, the traction control failed, and the rear lift gate opened on its own. The dealer replaced the transmission and all other parts that failed however the failures were not corrected. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 5,000 and the current mileage was 117,000.

- La Grange, OH, USA

problem #3

Jul 022013

Enclave

  • 114,354 miles
I was driving and upon trying to press the brake the car jolted almost causing me to hit another car. The car said traction control off. I cautiously drove home with the same issue occurring but realize that the traction control kept going on and off constantly. When I read online about this issue I realized a lot of people with the same model and year are dealing with this issue no matter the mileage.

- Lauderdale Lakes, FL, USA

problem #2

Feb 212011

Enclave

  • 65,500 miles
Twice within a month, while traveling at 70mph, my vehicle suddenly and quickly slowed to approx 20mph all on its own, with traction control and engine warning lights turning on. Vehicle would not accelerate and stayed at 20 mph. Ability to steer and brake was hampered, but on both occasions I was lucky enough to be able to ease over to the shoulder without being hit or hitting anyone else. Both times the car was taken to the dealer for repair, but because the dealer could not recreate the problem, the only remedy done was to clean the connections to the traction control module. It is sheer luck that no one was hit or injured.

- Farmington Hills, 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

Not what you are looking for?