Research · Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2018 Buick EnclaveRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 0 safety recalls and 66 owner complaints for the 2018 Buick Enclave. Most complaints involve service brakes (20) and power train (16). The EPA rates it 20–21 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Combined MPG
20–21mpg
EPA · 2 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
0campaigns
NHTSA
Owner complaints
66
Top: service brakes
Fuel cost / yr
$2,950est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

NHTSA campaigns for this model year
0 recalls found in NHTSA data for the 2018 Buick Enclave as of Nov 8, 2026.
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

66 complaints filed with NHTSA · Feb 2018 – Oct 2026
  1. Service brakes20
  2. Power train16
  3. Engine13
  4. Electrical system10
  5. Fuel/propulsion system5
  6. Forward collision avoidance5
  7. Vehicle speed control2
  8. Suspension2
  9. Engine and engine cooling2

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

By model year

Complaints for each Enclave model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2008536
2009220
2010275
2011213
2012133
201371
2014292
2015171
2016142
2017179
201866
201945
202061
202126
202214
202322
20247
202539
20263
Crashes reported
5
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
1
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Service brakes

20 reports2 crashes
“Several times I have been stopped at a red light, and my parking break will come on without me engaging it. I was almost hit by other vehicles the last time my vehicle did this. People were blasting their horns and speeding around me because I was unable to move my vehicle. Because I had not manually engaged my parking break, my vehicle would not allow me to disengage the parking break until after it finally read that I engaged it. It took me 10 minutes of having to turn my car off and back on and trying to engage the parking break manually before the vehicle finally noticed it was engaged and would allow me to disengage my vehicle so that I could move it out of the way. This has now happened 3 separate times in the last month. It is an extremely dangerous situation and is making me become nervous to drive my own vehicle.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 24, 2025Service brakesODI 11695400

Power train

16 reports1 crash
“I am the original owner of this Buick Enclave Avenir. I have had two near accident occurences when the car started foring the breaks while I was accellarating on the highway and was not behind another vehicle. The car behind me nearly rerended me. On 10/17/26, my purge valve was replaced for the third time, making this the fourth purge valve the car has had. After getting gas, the car will not start, which is an indicator the part has gone bad and needs to be replaced. In June of 2025 I took my car to Anderson Buick over concerns while accellerating. They confirmed my transmission needed to be replaced. Our family shop suggested waiting until the end of summer since I wouldnt be driving daily and the replacement would cost nearly 10k. It could only be ordered through GM, making the part substantially higher in cost. When summer break ended and I needed to use my car daily we could not take the car to the dealer or our family shop because the part was no longer available. We could not get a clear time frame of when the part would be in stock, if at all. We had the transmission rebuilt with 166k miles. Nearly 4 months later the trasmission started to shudder…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 18, 2026Power train, Fuel/propulsion system, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11771938

Engine

13 reports
“Exhaust leak from broken front exhaust pipe. This has been a known defect in this make/model however the year of my vehicle was not included in the extended repair window and should have been. The exhaust leak was identified by the dealership when the vehicle was taken in for other maintenance. I had to pay for the repair myself and would like to be reimbursed due to this being a manufacturer known defect with the exhaust pipe. The exhaust leak caused unusual noises, a loud roaring, and reduced gas mileage. This was also a danger for carbon monoxide exposure.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 5, 2026EngineODI 11735792
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

2 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Engines
3.6L 6-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic 9-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive · All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 8, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Enclave FWD
Auto 9-spd, 6 cyl, 3.6 L · Front-Wheel Drive
182621$2,950416
Enclave AWD
Auto 9-spd, 6 cyl, 3.6 L · All-Wheel Drive
172520$3,100446
  • Enclave FWD
    Auto 9-spd, 6 cyl, 3.6 L
    18 city · 26 hwy · $2,950/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • Enclave AWD
    Auto 9-spd, 6 cyl, 3.6 L
    17 city · 25 hwy · $3,100/yr
    20
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 8, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Buick Enclave SUV AWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
15.0%
Overall
5 / 5
Buick Enclave SUV FWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
16.9%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 8, 2026Vehicle 12178Vehicle 12176
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2018 Enclave questions

How many recalls does the 2018 Buick Enclave have?

0 recalls found in NHTSA data as of Nov 8, 2026.

What are the most common 2018 Buick Enclave problems?

Owners filed 66 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are service brakes (20), power train (16), engine (13). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2018 Buick Enclave get?

The EPA rates the 2018 Buick Enclave at 20–21 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (2 versions rated).

How safe is the 2018 Buick Enclave?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2018 Buick Enclave 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 8, 2026