The joy of buying an SUV should not deprive you of making proper research so you don’t end up spending money on the SUV that will continue giving you one issue or the other. Therefore, in this article, we will be discussing the Buick Enclave years to avoid and why you should avoid them
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), the Buick Enclave year to avoid is the 2008 Buick Enclave model because it comes with transmission problems, airbag problems, stretched timing chain issues, and electrical system issues, power steering issues, etc.
Buick Enclave Years to Avoid
The 2008 Buick Enclave is the year to avoid and the major reason is that 2008 was when they started making the Buick Enclave which made it normal to have all the problems it had. But as time went on, the company was able to fix the issues with the recent year of the car.
Reasons Why You Should Avoid 2008 Buick Enclave
The reason why you should avoid any Buick Enclave made in 2008 is because of:
1. Transmission Problems
What is a car without a transmission? or, what is a car with a faulty transmission? You will not be able to enjoy driving the car coupled with other psychological and emotional problems it will give you.
Imagine trying to run an emergency errand with your 2008 Buick Enclave only for the transmission to start having issues on the way? Well, you can avoid this by going for other recent years of the Buick Enclave.
So you should know, the owners of 2008 who have reported the transmission problems did not do so immediately.
According to them, they started having the transmission issue around 90,000 miles. It’s not as if you will start experiencing the issues immediately you purchase the car except you are buying a used one that is close to or over 90,000 miles.
So, it is better to watch out for the mileage of the Buick Enclave 2008 you want to buy. Chances are that if you purchase one that is close to 90,000 miles, sooner or later, you will start fixing transmission issues.
If you however decide to purchase one that is over 91,000 miles without knowing, sooner or later, it will develop a transmission problem.
However, while the transmission problem may not be hard to fix, it may be expensive for you to fix. It can cost between $3,00 to $4,000 to fix the transmission problem.
2. Electrical System Problems
Having electrical problems can be disturbing because it may make you be frequenting a repair shop all the time.
I remember back then when I owned a Peugeot 307 SW, the most problem I had with the car was electrical problems.
While electrical system issues might not sound too problematic for you, they can make your car look worthless. An electrical issue has the power to prevent your car from starting.
3. Power Steering Issues
Just like the 2008 Jeep Wrangler that had several steering issues, the 2008 Buick Enclave also has steering issues which can make it hard for you to use the steering.
I’ve had power steering issues before with my Lexus and it wasn’t a cheap thing to fix. So, why spend $1,000 to $2,000 to fix power steering issues when you can go for other years of Buick Enclave and save yourself the stress? Well, the decision is left for you to make.
4. Airbag Deployment Issues
Driving a car without airbags or with airbag issues is not encouraging at all. The problem with the 2008 Buick Enclave is that the airbag may not deploy when needed.
It is not as if there is no airbag on the car, but it may fail to deploy when required and that is the last thing you want to happen.
Imagine having a minor accident where you hit your face on the steering wheel and lose a tooth simply because an airbag that is supposed to deploy to save you in such an incident failed to do its job.
5. Buick Enclave Stretched Timing Chain
The timing chain in the Buick Enclave is obvious that it wears out around 40,000 miles instead of 150,000 to 200,000 miles.
A stretched timing chain is not something that can be managed, the reason is that it will cause your vehicle not to run as it should which can be very annoying.
However, it may cost between $1,500 to $2,500 to fix the timing chain. Therefore if you are buying a used 2008 Buick Enclave that is over 40,000 miles, the truth is that, is either the previous owner has had the issue and fixed it, or chances that it might occur sooner after the purchase.
6. Check Engine Light Warning
While check engine light warning is normal to happen to any car whenever it develops a problem, it is more common in the 2008 Buick Enclave.
While you may choose to ignore it, seeing it there can cause a headache that you won’t even know when you will get to the repair shop to fix it.
The 2008 Buick Enclave has 6 recalls so far, 1 investigation, and 518 complaints by those using the vehicle.
Other Years to Avoid Are:
2009 and 2011 Buick Enclave
While 2008 had the power steering issues, it was obvious that the company did not fix the steering issues in 2009 and 2011, or perhaps they did but it did not work.
You can choose to buy these years having in mind that sooner or later, you will be fixing power steering issues, or go for other years where the problem never existed.
2010 Buick Enclave
The 2010 Buick Enclave has been reported to have a safety belt issue, especially the seat belt in the second row of the SUV. The seat belt is said to not be able to refrain you from hitting your head someone should a crash occur.
The 2010 Buick Enclave was also reported to also have the timing chain issue 2008 had which can lead to engine failure.
2011 Buick Enclave
The 2011 Buick Enclave had airbag and liftgates issues which Buick is supposed to have fixed since the problem started in 2008.
The 2010 Buick Enclave also has seat belt issues as a result of the flexible steel cables getting tired to actually refrain someone from hitting his head somewhere during a crash.
2014 Buick Enclave
The 2014 Buick Enclave had transmission jerking issues, air conditioning issues, as well as timing chain failure. These were someone of the reason that led to the 6 recalls that were made that year.
It is important to note that the fact that other years were not mentioned does not mean you will drive those years without having any issues. But to give you a head up on what you’re to expect.
Final Thoughts
Remember that these problems were not formulated. It is a real problem people had with their cars. A real report made by those using the Buick Enclave. So, you can go ahead and purchase one to your own detriment. Choose wisely.
Also, the fact that the Buick Enclave years have these problems doesn’t mean it can’t be fixed. You can make the purchase and fix them or choose to buy other years that were not mentioned in this article to have an issue to enjoy.