Head-to-head reliability
Buick Enclave vs Buick Envision
How the Buick Enclave and Buick Envision compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Buick Enclave vs Buick Envision: The Enclave has 452 complaints and 14 recalls over 10 years, while the Envision has 217 complaints and 10 recalls. The Enclave also has more crash-related reports (24 vs. 8). The Envision shows fewer issues per year. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Buick Enclave or Buick Envision more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Buick Enclave
The Buick Enclave is a large three-row SUV that has averaged about 45 complaints per year over the past decade, with 452 total complaints and 14 recalls. The most common owner-reported issues involve air bags failing to deploy in crashes, sudden brake failure, and engine stalling or hesitation. These patterns suggest that while many Enclaves may serve reliably, a notable number of owners have faced serious safety-related problems that could affect daily driving and crash protection.
Buick Envision
The Buick Envision is a compact SUV that has averaged about 22 complaints per year, with 217 total complaints and 10 recalls. Owners most frequently report electrical glitches, brake problems, and sudden engine power loss. The lower complaint rate and fewer crash-related reports suggest it may be a less troublesome choice, though the issues that do appear can still be safety-relevant.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Buick Enclave | Buick Envision |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 452 | 217 Better |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 14 | 10 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 24 | 8 Better |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 45.2 | 21.7 Better |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 20 | 9 Better |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Buick Enclave
- 01AIR BAGS153
- 02SERVICE BRAKES60
- 03ENGINE60
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM58
- 05POWER TRAIN53
Owners report air bags failing to deploy in front and rear impacts, even when seatbelts also fail to lock. This is a critical safety concern because it could increase injury risk in a crash.
Complaints describe sudden brake failure with warning lights like 'Brake Assist Failure' and 'Service ESC,' as well as grinding noises. These symptoms suggest potential loss of braking assistance, which can make stopping difficult.
Reports include engine stalling at highway speeds, loss of power, and hesitation from the auto stop-start feature. Such failures can leave drivers stranded or unable to accelerate when needed.
Owners cite electrical failures causing headlights and brake lights to stop working, plus random tailgate opening. These issues affect visibility and could lead to unexpected safety hazards.
“The contact owned a 2025 Buick Enclave. While the contact’s daughter was driving through an intersection on a green light at an undisclosed speed, a truck crashed into the front driver’s side of the vehicle. Upon impact, the air bags failed to deploy. The con…”
“Motor vehicle accident 12/9/2023 in which I was struck from behind by fast moving vehicle, and forced into vehicle directly in front of my vehicle. No driver airbag deployment, nor did my seatbelt lock, as verified by responding officer.”
Buick Envision
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM63
- 02SERVICE BRAKES46
- 03ENGINE33
- 04POWER TRAIN29
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER28
Complaints include loss of all sound (including safety chimes) and sudden engine stall with 'Reduced Engine Power' warnings. These electrical faults can disable safety alerts and cause unexpected loss of power.
Owners report brake pedal going to the floor or becoming extremely firm, with 'Service Brake Assist' warnings. This can make stopping distances dangerously long.
Reports include sudden engine stall while turning and excessive oil consumption before the first recommended oil change. These problems can lead to stalling in traffic and potential engine damage.
Complaints describe loss of power, sluggish acceleration, and whining noises, sometimes requiring sensor replacements. Such issues can affect drivability and may indicate underlying transmission or engine problems.
“We have two problems what we would call safety issues. First, all the sound in the vehicle was lost which included safety belt warning alarm, turn signal bells, door open alarms, etc. We were told by the dealership that it was a faulty amplifier. Secondly, th…”
“Description of Safety Defect: While operating the vehicle at approximately 25-30MPH and make a right turn, the vehicle experienced a sudden and total loss of power/engine stall, accompanied by a "Check Engine" light and a "Reduced Engine Power" notification.…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Buick Enclave — 14 recalls
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Traverse and 2021-2022 Buick Enclave vehicles. The harness connector to the left or right side roof rail air bag may have incompatible electrical terminals, which could prevent the air bags from deploying in a crash.
The risk: Roof rail air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the harness connector to the roof rail air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave vehicles. During service by dealers, certain vehicles may have received incorrect air bag calibration software that may affect frontal airbag deployment.
The risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will update the air bag calibration software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 29, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Traverse and 2021-2022 Buick Enclave vehicles. The harness connector to the left or right side roof rail air bag may have incompatible electrical terminals, which could prevent the air bags from deploying in a crash.
The risk: Roof rail air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the harness connector to the roof rail air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-…
The defect: 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. Th…
The risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increa…
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267,…
Buick Envision — 10 recalls
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2024 Buick Envision vehicles. The vehicles are missing the label that states the tire size, pressure, and the loading information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Se…
The risk: Missing tire and load rating information may result in driving with improperly inflated tires or an overloaded vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will install the label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 1, 2024. Owners may contact Buick Customer Service at 800-521-7300.
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Cadillac CT4 and CT5; 2021-2023 Buick Envision; and 2022-2023 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The daytime running lights (DRLs) may not deactivate wh…
The risk: DRLs that do not deactivate as intended may result in a glare, reducing visibility, and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: The body control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2023. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Chev…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Cadillac CT4 and CT5; 2021-2023 Buick Envision; and 2022-2023 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The daytime running lights (DRLs) may not deactivate wh…
The risk: DRLs that do not deactivate as intended may result in a glare, reducing visibility, and increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: The body control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2023. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Chev…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Buick Envision, Cadillac CT4, CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Corvette, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles. The communications gateway module incorrectly processes a loss of communication with the sensing diagnostic module (SDM),…
The risk: The air bag malfunction indicator light may fail to warn the driver of a problem with the air bag, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: The communications gateway module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521…
Buyer analysis
Buick Enclave or Buick Envision: which should you buy?
The Buick Envision has fewer issues per year (about 22 complaints) compared to the Enclave (about 45 complaints), and also fewer crash-related reports (8 vs. 24). In practice, this means an Envision owner is less likely to experience a serious safety-related failure, though both models have notable brake and engine complaints.
Key differences
- The Enclave has more than double the annual complaint rate of the Envision (45.2 vs. 21.7), with air bag failures being its top complaint category.
- The Envision's most common complaints are electrical system issues, while the Enclave's are air bag and brake problems.
- Crash-related complaints are three times higher for the Enclave (24 vs. 8), and injuries reported are also higher (20 vs. 9).
- Both vehicles have brake complaints, but Enclave owners describe sudden brake failure with warning lights, while Envision owners report a firm or non-responsive brake pedal.
- Check for any history of air bag warning lights or prior crash damage, as air bag non-deployment is a frequent complaint.
- Test the brakes thoroughly for grinding, softness, or warning messages like 'Brake Assist Failure' or 'Service ESC'.
- Listen for any loss of audio or warning chimes, which could indicate a faulty amplifier affecting safety alerts.
- Check for oil consumption by verifying the dipstick level and asking about oil change history, as some owners report low oil before the first service.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for any open recalls on the NHTSA website using the VIN.
- Have a mechanic inspect the brakes, including pedal feel and any warning lights, on both models.
- For the Enclave, specifically ask about air bag deployment history and check for any related recall repairs.
- For the Envision, test all electrical functions, including audio, warning chimes, and lights, and check for engine hesitation.
- Take a test drive that includes highway speeds and turning to check for stalling, power loss, or unusual noises.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Buick Enclave | Buick Envision |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 38 | 8 |
| 2024 | 7 | 10 |
| 2023 | 21 | 24 |
| 2022 | 13 | 25 |
| 2021 | 26 | 23 |
| 2020 | 59 | 10 |
| 2019 | 42 | 23 |
| 2018 | 65 | 13 |
| 2017 | 179 | 81 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Buick Enclave or Buick Envision in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Buick Enclave vs Buick Envision
- Buick Enclave total complaints
- 452
- Buick Envision total complaints
- 217
- Buick Enclave total recalls
- 14
- Buick Envision total recalls
- 10
- Buick Enclave avg complaints/year
- 45.2
- Buick Envision avg complaints/year
- 21.7
- More reliable overall
- Buick Envision
- Buick Enclave top complaint area
- AIR BAGS
- Buick Envision top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM