Slowing down to stop for red light the car speeded up by itself. I had to press very hard on the brakes to stop the car . *tr
2011 Buick Enclave cruise control problems
severe Owners of the 2011 Buick Enclave have filed 10 NHTSA complaints about the cruise control at roughly $600 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See cruise control across all vehicles →
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
| Model year | cruise control complaints |
|---|---|
| 2008 Enclave | 6 |
| 2009 Enclave | 7 |
| 2010 Enclave | 7 |
| 2011 Enclave (this page) | 10 |
| 2013 Enclave | 3 |
| 2015 Enclave | 6 |
2crashes
What stands out
Of the 6 model years of Buick Enclave we track for cruise control problems, this one carries the most owner complaints on file — 10.
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 14 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Ten owners report cruise control and powertrain problems with the 2011 Enclave. The clearest pattern is cruise control malfunction: button presses produce opposite-direction speed changes—pressing to slow down jumps speed 5 to 15 mph, and vice versa. One owner documented this happening multiple times over months, with dealers unable to duplicate it. Three owners report accelerator pedal sticking or becoming unresponsive while cruise control was engaged or during acceleration, with brakes losing effectiveness. Two specifically describe being unable to stop the vehicle and resorting to shifting into Neutral. Two more report unintended acceleration from a stop or low speed, resulting in a crash and near-crash. A separate group reports engine entering limp mode—reduced-power operation with check engine lights and traction control warnings, limiting speed to 15-30 mph. One dealer blamed bad fuel; another suggested the vehicle was operating normally. None of these complaints received dealer diagnosis or repair, and manufacturer response has ranged from "nothing wrong" to complete non-engagement.
Failure modes owners describe
Cruise control speed increment/decrement malfunction
Cruise control button presses cause unexpected and unintended speed changes—accelerating when trying to decelerate and vice versa. Speed jumps range from 5 to 15 mph in a single or few button presses. Behavior is intermittent and occurs at various speeds. Dealers cannot reproduce the issue.
When: 750 miles to 36,000 miles; occurs intermittently during active cruise control use
Symptoms owners cite: Pressing cruise control button to decrease speed results in speed increase instead; Pressing cruise control button to increase speed results in speed decrease instead; Speed jumps 5, 10, or 15 mph after a few seconds delay; RPM gauge fluctuations during events; Vehicle fluctuates 4-5 mph around set speed on hills (slower uphill, faster downhill)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer stated unable to duplicate problem; advised operating as intended; no warranty action or repair offered
Accelerator pedal sticking / unresponsive to cruise control and brake inputs
Accelerator pedal becomes stuck in depressed position or fails to respond to brake application. Cruise control buttons become inoperative. Brakes lose effectiveness or do not slow vehicle. Drivers forced to shift to Neutral to avoid collision.
When: 2,000 to 79 mph cruise speed scenarios; occurs during acceleration or while maintaining cruise control
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator pedal stuck in partially depressed position; Accelerator pedal would not release despite brake pedal input; Cruise control buttons unresponsive during event; Brakes stiff and ineffective at slowing vehicle; Brake pedal would not slow vehicle or release accelerator; Unintended acceleration to 87 mph and inability to control
Repairs/costs cited: One vehicle shifted to Neutral to stop safely; physical damage repaired but underlying cause not diagnosed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer unable to diagnose failure; Buick customer support stated nothing wrong and would take no action until more incidents occur
Unintended acceleration at stop or low speed
Vehicle accelerates on its own when stopped or at low speed without driver input to accelerator. Driver unable to stop vehicle using brakes or cruise control buttons. Results in crashes or near-crashes.
When: 36,000 miles; occurs at stop sign and during town driving at 25 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle accelerated independently at stop sign; Inability to control vehicle during event; Vehicle speeded up by itself while slowing for red light; Required very hard brake pressure to stop vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: One vehicle crashed into side of house; vehicle neither diagnosed nor repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer not made aware of failure
Engine power reduction and limp mode activation
Check engine light illuminates and engine enters reduced-power mode, limiting vehicle speed. Traction control disengages or service message appears. Backfiring occurs in some instances.
When: At highway speeds (60 mph) and town driving (25 mph)
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illumination; Dashboard message 'ENGINE SPEED IS REDUCED' displayed; Vehicle speed limited to 30 mph or below; Stability track light activation; Traction control shut off with 'SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL' message; Vehicle unable to exceed 15 mph; Occasional backfiring
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer suggested bad fuel as possible cause and advised continuing to drive to empty tank
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2011 Buick Enclave?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2011 Buick Enclave?
It's a meaningful issue. 10 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Based on the 10 complaints filed, cruise control issues most often appear around 58,046 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control 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 cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control 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.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Buick/Enclave.
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. Some links on this page are affiliate links.