repaired · 2023 Q4
Air bags: frontal
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
2011 Buick EnclaveProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 213 owner complaints about the 2011 Buick Enclave, most often about the steering. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-246 the manufacturer reports only 40% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 12, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2011 Buick Enclave has problems
213 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
41Steering2 crash/fire/injury
38Air bags10 crash/fire/injury
38Power train2 crash/fire/injury
35Engine4 crash/fire/injury
25Structure9 crash/fire/injury
21Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
14Vehicle speed control
11Electronic stability control (ESC)
9Fuel/propulsion system
4513 other systems3 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 41 | 2 |
| Air bags | 38 | 10 |
| Power train | 38 | 2 |
| Engine | 35 | 4 |
| Structure | 25 | 9 |
| Electrical system | 21 | 2 |
| Vehicle speed control | 14 | 2 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 11 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 9 | 1 |
| 13 other systems | 45 | 3 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2011 Buick Enclave recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2023 Q1
Air bags: critical fasteners
Risk. Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
repaired · 2018 Q2
Body: hatchback/liftgate
Risk. If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.
repaired · 2015 Q4
Seat belts
Risk. If the steel cable becomes fatigued and separates, the seatbelt may not properly restrain the seat occupant increasing the risk of an injury in a crash.
Show 2 more recalls
repaired · 2016 Q2
Air bags: side/window
Risk. Failure of the side impact air bags and seat belt pretensioners to deploy in a crash increase the risk of injury to the driver and front seat occupant.
no report yet
Windshield wiper/washer: linkages
Risk. IF THIS OCCURS, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Buick.
Mileage at failure
When do steering problems start?
60kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 33 steering complaints. 82% were reported before 100,000 miles.
1under 30k miles27under 100k miles6100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Steering
9 owners mentioned a cost$1,500median
Middle half: $1,200 – $2,200
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2011 vs. every other Enclave year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Enclave median. How we score
'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2011 Buick Enclave safety ratings
2011 Buick Enclave SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (15.5% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2011 Buick Enclave, and the recalls they led to.
- Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable FailureLed to recall 21V-245
- Seat Belt Anchor Cable FailureNo recall
In owners' words
What Enclave owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
At low speed all power steering is lost. Almost ran into a parked car. When pulling from a driveway onto the roadway almost hit another car head on. My wife will no longer drive the car because of this.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON A SLIGHT INCLINE WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD ROLL BACKWARDS DOWN THE HILL. DURING THE FAILURE, THE BRAKES AND POWER STEERING ALSO BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS…
2011 BUICK ENCLAVE MAKES A WHINING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING, TURNING AND SLOWING DOWN. DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT CAR IS "COLD" AND NEEDS WARMING UP BECAUSE TEMPERATURE HAS CHANGED. HOWEVER, MY CAR WAS MAKING THIS NOISE JUST NOT AS BAD DURING THE SUMMER. I ASKED IF IT WAS THE POWER STEERING PUMP OR…
Own a 2011 Enclave?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.