2020 Buick Enclave: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
56 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. 2020 specifically: a year the record favours — 56 complaints, score 77/100. 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 2020 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 56 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 9.33
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The mounting bracket welded to the front exhaust pipe (near the flex section) broke off due to weak factory welds. As a result tearing a hole in my exhaust pipe and potentially leading to exhaust fumes leaking into the cabin of the vehicle. In my opinion this defect should be addressed as a safety issue if not repaired.
Front exhaust pipe separated from its mounting bracket causing a consistent rattle. This condition is exactly as described in "N222385510 - Special Coverage Front Exhaust Pipe", released in May 2023. Exhaust components in this vehicle are materially the same as the covered 2021 vehicles and thus this vehicle should be similarly covered. Issue has been confirmed by a dealer and is available for further inspection.
The contact owns a 2020 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle lost motive power and was coasted to the shoulder of the roadway. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed tha…
Recalls: 6 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 20V684000 | Tires | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse vehicles and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with Continental tires that were overcured. |
| 19V643000 | Structure:Frame And Members | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse vehicles. The right-hand frame rail in the engine compartment may be cracked. |
| 20V639000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, Cadillac XT6, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The fuel pump's jet nozzle may have a plastic burr remaining from the manufacturing process, possibly causing a blocked nozzle and an insufficient fuel supply to the engine. |
| 21V115000 | Tires | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year… |
| 20V668000 | Power Train:Automatic Transmission | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts. |
| 20V446000 | Air Bags:Side/Window:Curtain:Inflator | General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5 and XT6, Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 and Traverse and GMC Acadia and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 vehicles. |
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 20 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $3,100
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.
- Engine15 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other12 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Electrical System9 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train8 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Fuel/Propulsion System5 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Service Brakes4 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Buick Enclave years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Buick Enclave?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (15 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2020 Buick Enclave a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 77/100, computed from 56 NHTSA complaints and 6 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2020 Buick Enclave's most common problem?
15 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2020 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 2020 Buick Enclave cost to run per year?
About $4,787 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $23,935 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 2020 Buick Enclave have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for the 2020 Buick Enclave, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 05/11/2020. 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 2020 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 — 56 complaints, 6 recalls on record
- 56 NHTSA complaints on record (9.3/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (9.3/yr)
- 6 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems