NHTSA — Air Bags: Frontal: Sensor/Control Module Problems

CarComplaints.com Seal Of This Might Hurt

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.

9.6

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
770 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 seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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2008 Buick Enclave Owner Comments

problem #5

Jul 142009

Enclave

  • 50 miles

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

A little after we purchased the vehicle in July 2009, the passenger airbag sensor light would malfunction and indicate that no passenger was sitting in seat even though they were. We moved the seat, we bounced in the seat and the sensor still did not detect passenger. We took the car to dealer several times and were told that there was nothing wrong. We took the car to dealer 04/16/2014 to have the sensor check and they have reprogrammed the sensor, however, this cost us $103.17. Dealer service advised us that if the sensor malfunctions again, they would have to replace it, however we would have to pay for labor and part. I just came across this website and decided to file a complaint because upon looking in your complaint database, it seems that other Enclave owners have experienced the same thing yet, GM has not recalled the car which is obviously a flaw in their electrical systems.

- Roanoke, VA, USA

problem #4

Dec 242007

Enclave 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 3,500 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that the air bag light illuminated when an adult sat in the front passenger seat, which indicated that the passenger side airbag, would not activate. The vehicle has been repaired. The current and failure mileage was 3,500 miles.

- Lendon, CA, USA

problem #3

Sep 102007

Enclave 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
The front passenger air bag light frequently indicates that the airbag is off when my 110 pound wife is in the seat. I have noted the same complaint from other Enclave owners on an Enclave web site (www.enclaveforum.net/index.php?topic=449.0 ).

- Bakersfield, CA, USA

problem #2

Sep 272007

Enclave 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 300 miles
Purchased new 2008 Buick Enclave on May 24, 2007. We immediately noted the "on/off" front passenger air bag light on the dash was inconsistent when my 5' 7" 118 lb. Wife sat in the front passenger seat. About 40% of the time the light indicates that the air bag is off, but sporadically it shows that the system is on. June 1st, on my first dealer visit with this vehicle, I reported this problem and was advised that this was possible and we should view a seat sensing video. After several phone calls and visits to my dealer, royal Buick of tucson (who have been more than helpful and concerned) the service manager called Buick and was told that we were the only one in the us having that problem and the Buick district manager said the system checked out okay but my wife's build was not designed for that car. We were told that the system was operating within the "parameters" set by the manufacturers for people of my wife's size. Also, they said, these "parameters" were established by federal law. Fast forward to 9-25-07, the sensor manufacturer sent an engineer to tucson and spent 2 hours having my wife get in and out of the front seat to establish a more realistic database or algorithm for people her size. Buick or the seat manufacturer sent another seat right from the assembly line to replace our seat for their analysis. As of today 9-27-07 this new seat has a failure mode of 60% in the last three days (15 seat entries and 9 times the airbag failed to arm) we paid $40,000 for a car with an air-bag safety system that was designed to protect both front and rear passengers, but yet it would not protect an adult of my wife's size when riding as a front-seat passenger. Had we known this fact, we would not have purchased the vehicle at any price. Safety is our biggest concern when buying a new vehicle. This complaint is the same as number 10202517 with a few added details.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #1

Aug 312007

Enclave 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 1 miles
Purchased a brand new 2008 Buick Enclave on May 10, 2007. Subsequently, we noted that the "on/off" front passenger air bag light on the dash was inconsistent when my 5' 4", 115 lb. Wife set in the front passenger seat. More often than not the light indicates that the air bag is off, but occasionally it shows that the system is on. We first talked with the salesman and he said this didn't sound right and I should bring the car in when it was showing the system was off while my wife was riding as a passenger. In August, we took the car to the dealer, bill kobach, in topeka, Kansas with my wife setting in the seat and the light was indicating that the air bag was "off." The service manager said they were having some problems with the "on/off indicator light, " but I should leave the car with them so that they could check the system. Later, they called and said the system checked out okay and they had called detroit about it. They were told that the system was operating within the "parameters" set by the manufacturers for people of my wife's size. Also, they said, these "parameters" were established by federal law. We find it inconceivable that we we paid $45,000 for a car with an air-bag safety system that was designed to protect both front and rear passengers, but yet it would not protect an adult of my wife's size when riding as a front-seat passenger. Had we known this fact, we would not have purchased the vehicle at any price. Safety is our biggest concern when buying a new vehicle.. updated 01/09/08. Updated 12/12/07

- Topeka, KS, USA

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