The 2016 Buick Enclave is associated with 140 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 4 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database. The most frequently reported component area is Air Bags, accounting for 107 reports (76% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning 3.6l 6-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 17 to 18 MPG combined.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 140 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 4 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Air Bags (107 / 76%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 2 crash / 0 fire / 3 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 17–18 MPG (2 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
| Variant | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Highway | Combined | EV Range | Est. Annual Fuel Cost |
| Enclave FWD | 3.6L 6-Cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic 6-spd | 15 MPG | 22 MPG | 18 MPG | — | $3,400 / yr |
| Enclave AWD | 3.6L 6-Cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic 6-spd | 15 MPG | 22 MPG | 17 MPG | — | $3,600 / yr |
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.
| Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant | Overall Rating | Frontal Crash | Side Crash | Rollover Rating | Rollover Risk |
| SUV FWD | | | | | 16.900000000000002% |
| SUV AWD | | | | | 15.5% |
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2016 Buick Enclave models.
View complete 2016 Buick Enclave crash test & safety breakdown →
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.
View all 2016 Buick Enclave problems & component breakdown (19 categories) →
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Defect Summary: 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.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Defect Summary: 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.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
Affected Component: SEATS
Defect Summary: 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.
Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
View all 2016 Buick Enclave recalls & campaign history (4 campaigns) →