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2012 Buick EnclaveProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 133 owner complaints about the 2012 Buick Enclave, most often about the structure. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-246 the manufacturer reports only 40% of affected cars repaired.

2012 Buick Enclave
51
CarFlaw IndexSolid year3% below the Enclave median · #8 of 16 years by complaints
Safety recalls6Lowest repair rate 40%Owner complaints13325 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage76kStructure, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 31, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2012 Buick Enclave has problems

133 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Structure245
Engine241
Air bags216
Electrical system202
Steering170
Power train131
Fuel/propulsion system60
Service brakes61
Vehicle speed control31
12 other systems222

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

6 recalls

2012 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.

65%repaired · 2023 Q4

Air bags: frontal

Recall 21V-782 · Oct 7, 2021 · 555 vehicles · 361 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

40%repaired · 2023 Q1

Air bags: critical fasteners

Recall 21V-246 · Apr 8, 2021 · 108 vehicles · 43 repaired

Risk. Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

77%repaired · 2018 Q2

Body: hatchback/liftgate

Recall 15V-415 · Jun 30, 2015 · 691,144 vehicles · 534,626 repaired

Risk. If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

87%repaired · 2015 Q4

Seat belts

Recall 14V-266 · May 20, 2014 · 1,339,355 vehicles · 1,170,021 repaired

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.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 2 more recalls
91%repaired · 2016 Q2

Air bags: side/window

Recall 14V-118 · Mar 17, 2014 · 1,176,407 vehicles · 1,065,180 repaired

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.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Windshield wiper/washer: linkages

Recall 12V-151 · Apr 9, 2012 · 47,846 vehicles

Risk. IF THIS OCCURS, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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.

Best & worst years

2012 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

2012 Buick Enclave safety ratings

2012 Buick Enclave SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
  • 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 2012 Buick Enclave, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable FailureEA20002 · closed Aug 30, 2024
    Led to recall 21V-245
  2. Seat Belt Anchor Cable FailureRQ19003 · closed Aug 31, 2020
    No recall
In owners' words

What Enclave owners report

Recent structure complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The contact owns a 2012 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and hesitated while attempting to accelerate and depressing the accelerator pedal. During the failure, the check engine warning light momentarily illuminated. The vehicle…
Complaint 11645043 · Feb 26, 2025 · 118,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that after pressing the liftgate button to the open the rear liftgate, the liftgate door opened before suddenly falling downward and closing. During the incident the liftgate door had made contact with the owners head. The contact sustained…
Complaint 11526006 · Jun 8, 2023 · 105,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that while placing groceries into his vehicle, an abnormal noise began to emit from the rear liftgate. As the contact moved out of the way, the liftgate slammed down independently without warning. Upon investigation, the contact discovered…
Complaint 11468393 · Jun 9, 2022 · 100,000 miles

Own a 2012 Enclave?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.