2012 Buick Enclave: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
132 NHTSA owner complaints · 6 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Buick Enclave's year to avoid is 2014, an AVOID at 30 on 292 complaints, of which 205 are in the Air Bags category; the 2025 car is also an AVOID at 48, but on 36 complaints and low evidence. The years to buy are 2013 (83 on 69 complaints) and 2018 to 2024, where scores run from 77 to 92 on between 7 and 64 complaints a year. Read the full note on the model page. 2012 specifically: a year the record favours — 132 complaints, score 72/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave: the years to avoid, including 2012 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 132 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 9.43
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Fuel pump, throttle body, and High pressure fuel pump. Car makes door lock noises and’s completely cuts off while driving over 20 times now on highway and all. Have gotten several things repaired in addition to these listed things and after repairing car works fine for a few months then needing to be replaced again. No codes are being given other then abs, traction control warning and stabilitrak
Steering wheel airbag warning. Seat belts fraying. The underneath welding for the support bar, potentially the rear axel, came unwelded.
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 was taken to a local mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. Additionally, while opening the rear li…
Recalls: 6 campaigns (4 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 21V782000 | Air Bags:Frontal | 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. |
| 21V246000 | Air Bags:Critical Fasteners | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached. |
| 12V151000 | Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Linkages | GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, BUICK ENCLAVE, AND GMC ACADIA VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO,… |
| 14V118000 | Air Bags:Side/Window | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia and 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bag (SIAB) wiring harnesses may result in the SIAB and seat belt pretensioners not… |
| 14V266000 | Seat Belts | General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through May 14, 2014, Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured June 6, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured April 9, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through… |
| 15V415000 | Structure:Body:Hatchback/Liftgate | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured January 3, 2007, to February 29, 2012, 2009-2012 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured July 6, 2008, to March 9, 2012, 2007-2012 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured September 15, 2006, to February 29, 2012, and 2007-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 18 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,400
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine24 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Structure24 complaints · typical job: Body, subframe or corrosion repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,070–$2,920
- Air Bags21 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Unknown Or Other19 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Electrical System19 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Steering17 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
Other Buick Enclave years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Buick Enclave?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (24 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2012 Buick Enclave a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 72/100, computed from 132 NHTSA complaints and 6 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2012 Buick Enclave's most common problem?
24 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2012 Buick Enclave sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2012 Buick Enclave cost to run per year?
About $5,999 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $29,995 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2012 Buick Enclave have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for the 2012 Buick Enclave, 4 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 07/10/2021. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2012 Buick Enclave really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 132 complaints, 6 recalls on record
- 132 NHTSA complaints on record (9.4/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (9.3/yr)
- 6 recall campaigns, 4 touching safety-critical systems