Recalls (4)
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2016 Buick Enclave. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Driver's Air Bag Inflator May Explode
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the driver's air bag module, free of charge. GM began mailing final owner letters February 23, 2024 and will continue mailing through December 2025. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232404980.
Driver's Air Bag Inflator May Explode
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the driver's air bag module, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 3, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 10, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212349040.
Third Row Seat Frame may be Incorrectly Welded
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- If the seat frame is not welded in the correct places, the seat may not perform as intended, and in the event of a crash, the seat occupant could be at an increased risk of injury.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third row left side lower seat frame, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 29, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 21930.
Front Windshield Wiper Motor may Overheat
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- A wiper motor that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor cover assembly, free of charge. Owners are advised not to use their front windshield wipers until the wiper cover has been replaced. If weather conditions prevent operation of the vehicle without using the windshield wipers, GM will make arrangements to pick up the vehicle for servicing. The recall began on September 30, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15780.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (141)
141 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The air bags is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 141 |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 110 | 78% |
| Power train | 10 | 7.1% |
| Engine | 9 | 6.4% |
| Electrical system | 8 | 5.7% |
| Unknown or other | 7 | 5% |
| Seat belts | 3 | 2.1% |
| Steering | 3 | 2.1% |
| Structure | 3 | 2.1% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 1.4% |
| Equipment | 1 | 0.7% |
How 2016 compares with other Enclave years
Best and worst Enclave years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 132 | 6 |
| 2013 | 70 | 4 |
| 2014 | 292 | 7 |
| 2015 | 171 | 5 |
| 2016 | 141 | 4 |
| 2017 | 179 | 3 |
| 2018 | 65 | 0 |
| 2019 | 42 | 1 |
| 2020 | 59 | 6 |
| 2021 | 26 | 2 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2016 Buick Enclave suv fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 18 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,700
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 507 g/mi
- EPA class
- Standard Sport Utility Vehicle
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 18 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.6 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 15 / 22 / 18 | $3,700 | 507 |
| 3.6 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 15 / 22 / 17 | $3,950 | 518 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Looking at a 2016 Enclave for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2016 Buick Enclave FAQ
How many recalls does the 2016 Buick Enclave have?
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns: 23V334000 (air bag), 21V782000 (air bag), 15V833000 (seat), 15V609000 (visibility). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2016 Buick Enclave problems?
Owners filed 141 complaints with NHTSA. Air bags (110), Power train (10), Engine (9) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2016 Buick Enclave get?
EPA rates the 3.6 L 6-cyl · 6-speed automatic version at 15 city, 22 highway and 18 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2016 Buick Enclave get?
NHTSA rated the 2016 Buick Enclave suv fwd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (16.9% rollover risk).
How does the 2016 Enclave compare with other years?
Among the 2012–2021 Buick Enclave model years at least five years old, the 2021 drew the fewest complaints (26) and the 2014 the most (292). The 2016 drew 141. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.