Problems · by component

2008 Buick Enclave engine problems

72 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Buick Enclave cite engine, 13% of all 536 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
72
13% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Sunroof messing up electrical system clogs up easily radio and everything else don't work right electrical all messed up because it clogging sunroof crankshaft won't relearn”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 2, 2022Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11467201
“The contact owned a 2008 Buick Enclave. The contact stated while driving at 20 MPH, a warning message indicating that the vehicle was overheated illuminated. The contact pulled into a nearby parking lot. The contact then opened the hood of the vehicle by engaging the power release button inside of the vehicle. The contact saw black smoke and flames coming out from underneath the hood. The contact immediately exited the vehicle. The contact attempted to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher but was unsuccessful. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. A fire department report was filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle remained at the scene. The local dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the VIN was not included in a recall associated with the failure. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V240000 (Electrical System). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 17, 2022EngineFire reportedODI 11465024
“TL* THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER OWNS A 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER DAUGHTER'S BOYFRIEND WAS DRIVING UP A HILL AT AN UNKNOWN RATE OF SPEED, A FLAME HAD IGNITED FROM THE ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING. HER BOYFRIEND EXITED THE VEHICLE, CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND SAW THAT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. A FELLOW MOTORIST WITNESSED THE SITUATION AND ASSISTED HER DAUGHTERS BOYFRIEND BY GIVING HIM A FIRE EXTINGUISHER WHICH THE BOYFRIEND USED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER HAD THE VEHICLE INITIALLY TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME WHERE IT WAS THEN TOWED TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DUE TO A "MECHANICAL DEFECT" AND WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE FOR A REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER NOR THE DEALER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 95,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 3, 2021EngineFire reportedODI 11398993
“THE ENGINE BLEW OUT TODAY. CAUGHT FIRE. SCARED THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF MY DAUGHTER. THE CAR MADE A JERKING MOTION AND NOISE WHILE ON THE HWY. THEN FLAMES WERE SHOOTING OUT....PULLED IT OVER IMMEDIATELY AND TURNED OFF. IT WAS SMOKING. THE POLICE OFFICER SAID THE LOWER PART OF THE ENGINE BLEW OUT ...IT LITERALLY WAS MISSING PIECES OF METAL.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 15, 2020EngineFire reportedODI 11364494
“STEERING MAKES A CLICKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN HITTING MINOR BUMPS IN THE ROAD AND INTERMITTENTLY THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE HAS A RATTLING NOISE WHEN FIRST STARTED AND RECENTLY THE ABS/TRACTION CONTROL SERVICE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN FIRST STARTED. ALSO THE VEHICLE HAS DECREASED HORSEPOWER AND THE MILEAGE LCD SCREEN HAS BEEN ACTING UP AND NOT ALWAYS SHOWING THE PRNDL AND ALSO THE TRANSMISSION ACTS UP WHEN SHIFTING INTO 3 AND 6 GEAR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 18, 2020Unknown or other, Service brakes, EngineODI 11318597
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY MADE AN ABNORMAL LOW GEAR NOISE. THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS EMITTING FIRE FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, SHE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND NOTICED A CLOUD OF BLACK SMOKE, WITHIN A FEW SECONDS LATER THE VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS PUT OUT BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SMOKE INHALATION BUT WAS NOT HOSPITALIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 17, 2020EngineFire reportedODI 11300138

Showing 6 of 72 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.