THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON... (4) RECALLS FOR OTHER MALFUNCTIONS..., THE CURRENT RE-CALL - 10/2014 ON SIDE AIR BAGS, THAT WAS TAKEN CARE OF. THE ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUED TO STAY ON ...THE DEALERSHIP FOUND THE PROBLEM... THE GAS TANK...A BRAND NEW GAS TANK WAS NEEDED. HOW CAN THAT BE, THE CAR IS ( 6 ) YEARS - SIX . THE MILEAGE ( 64,000 ).. RECORD SHOWS CONSISTENT CAR SERVICES, GOOD CARE FROM THE INIT…
2008 Buick Enclave powertrain problems
moderate 119 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500
Complaints
119
Recalls
0
Crashes
2
Avg fix
$2,500
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
The contact owns a 2008 Buick Enclave. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the traction control warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was appr…
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY RPM'S WERE GOING UP BUT CAR WAS HARDLY MOVING. WE COULD HAVE BEEN HIT! AFTER CHECKING ON-LINE THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM FOR THE 2008 ENCLAVE. WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL? I BELIEVE NO-ONE WANTS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH A COSTLY PROBLEM BUT SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT.....WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY. I WILL NOT STOP HERE....I AM HOPING SOMEONE WILL ACTUALLY READ AND R…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS AND THEN STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND DIAGNOSED AS THE TRANSMISSION NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFE…
THE CAR STARTED TO HAVE TROUBLE SHIFTING INTO GEARS, ESPECIALLY OVERDRIVE. THEN IT WOULDN'T GO INTO REVERSE. THE 3-5 REVERSE WAVED PLATE BROKEN, REPLACED 3-5 REVERSE HOUSING, REPLACE 3-5R PISTON AND DAM ASSEMBLY, REPLACE ALL SEALS AND GASKETS, REPLACE FRONT COVER PISTON SPRING ASSEMBLY, AND TRANSMISSION FLUID FILTER.......$3,173 LATER I WAS OUT THE DOOR NOT HAPPY. I WAS OUT OF TOWN ON VACATION …
WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY ON A TRIP, THE TRANSMISSION OF MY 2008 BUICK ENCLAVE STARTED SKIPPING/SHIFTING ROUGHLY WHEN ACCELERATING/UPSHIFTING. SOON THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO FASTER THAN 30 MILES AN HOUR AND SEEMED STUCK IN 2ND GEAR. I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AS SOON AS I WAS ABLE TO. BY THEN, IT COULD NOT GO ON REVERSE EITHER. AT THE REPAIR SHOP, THE TRANSMISSION WAS DISASSEMBLED, WITH A BROKEN WAVE PLA…
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2008 Buick Enclave?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 119 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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