2016 Buick Enclave: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
141 NHTSA owner complaints · 4 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. 2016 specifically: 141 complaints on record, score 67/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Used Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave: the years to avoid, including 2016 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 141 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 14.1
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Traction stabilization light comes on very frequently and vehicle loses power, step on gas and it sputters can’t get out of any one’s way, they throw parts at it and never fixes. From feedback off internet a big problem 2008-2017 enclaves
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Buick Enclave on November 25, 2025 from an independent dealer. It was later discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. At the time of purchase, the Odometer reading was 102,068. After contacting Endurance Warranty Company, the contact was informed that the Odometer mileage was 193,000. No other agency was contacted regarding the mileage discrepancy.
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Enclave. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. T…
Recalls: 4 campaigns (2 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. |
| 23V334000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module | 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. |
| 15V833000 | Seats | 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. |
| 15V609000 | Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured August 18, 2015 to September 24, 2015. Due to a manufacturing defect, the windshield wiper motor may overheat when used. |
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 17 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,600
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.
- Air Bags110 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Power Train10 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine9 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System8 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other7 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Seat Belts3 complaints · typical job: Pretensioner or retractor replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$800
Other Buick Enclave years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Buick Enclave?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Air Bags (110 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2016 Buick Enclave a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 67/100, computed from 141 NHTSA complaints and 4 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2016 Buick Enclave's most common problem?
110 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2016 Buick Enclave sit in the Air Bags group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement: about 2.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $600–$1,700 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 2016 Buick Enclave cost to run per year?
About $5,937 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $29,688 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 2016 Buick Enclave have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for the 2016 Buick Enclave, 2 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 2016 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 — 141 complaints, 4 recalls on record
- 141 NHTSA complaints on record (14.1/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (9.3/yr)
- 4 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems