Summary
The Buick Enclave has 15 recalls covering 2008 through 2020, with the most serious being a driver-side airbag inflator defect on 2008-2017 models where the inflator can explode during deployment and send metal fragments into the cabin, posing a risk of serious injury or death.
The airbag inflator concern is the most consequential issue across the production run and appears in several overlapping filings covering various year ranges within the 2008-2017 window, all describing the same underlying failure mode: the driver's frontal airbag inflator ruptures in a crash rather than inflating properly, with fragments that can strike the driver or other occupants.
Turning to the 2020 model year, certain vehicles have a cracked right-side frame rail in the engine compartment, which can reduce how well the structure absorbs energy in a frontal crash. On 2014 models, a separate electrical concern involves the chassis electronic module, which can short internally and stall the vehicle without warning.
On restraint systems, 2009-2014 models have a seatbelt cable that can fatigue and separate, leaving the belt unable to restrain an occupant in a crash. The 2008-2013 model years have a wiring issue in the seat-mounted side airbag harnesses that can prevent both the side airbags and front seatbelt pretensioners from firing in a crash. Side curtain airbags on 2010-2017 models may not be properly secured to the vehicle and can fail to deploy correctly when needed. On 2012 models, the roof rail airbags may not be properly attached, with the same result. Also on 2012, certain driver-side airbag inflators from a specific production lot are subject to the same rupture risk described above.
The 2009-2010 models have a second-row seat back that, when returned from the flat position, can trap the seatbelt buckle against the seat frame and prevent the belt from functioning as a restraint. Going back to 2011, certain vehicles have a wiper arm nut that can loosen if snow or ice restricts wiper movement, leaving one wiper inoperative.
