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Buick Enclave Owners Give Us Your Report

273 messages,  Last post on May 24, 2013 at 1:39 PM

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What is this discussion about? Buick Enclave, Car Buying, SUV

Messages Page 23 of 29

#212 of 273 I hate my Buick Enclave! by nurseplanck

Nov 18, 2008 (3:01 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (May 09, 2007 10:41 am)
I bought my Buick Enclave in March, 2008. I have had nothing but problems with it! First, my rear air wasn't working. They said it was low on freon. Then, I had oil (or what looked to be oil) on my driveway. They said that there was an inch of oil built up on the skid plate and that was why it had leaked on the driveway. I made the dealership come and clean my driveway! Two days later though I had spots on my driveway again. This time, they said it was a transmission leak. We drove on a long trip going 70 on cruise most of the way. The best gas mileage that we ever got was 20.5. A far cry from there estimated mileage! We are averaging 15.5 mpg in the city. The next issue was that the rear air stopped working again! They said that the issue was a needed reprogram this time. A week later, my car died in my driveway while warming up. It ran long enough to defrost the windshield however. On the same day, I lost traction on the road four times! My traction control never kicked in! At this point, I'm driving a rental as I feel my Enclave is unsafe to drive. Oddly enough they put me in an Acadia which seems to have problems shifting. I am waiting to see if GM will buy back my Enclave as a lemon! I tell everyone I know to not buy an Enclave and to not buy from Andy Mohr. This has truly been a nightmare!

#213 of 273 Re: I hate my Buick Enclave! [nurseplanck] by tinyelvis

Nov 25, 2008 (8:39 pm)

Replying to: nurseplanck (Nov 18, 2008 3:01 pm)
Yup, you got a lemon alright. I'd demand a new one.
 
My Enclave has 28,000 miles on it in just under 15 months. My ownership experience has been stress-free. No leaks. No drips. No squeaks. All the bells and whistles work like they are supposed to, and I have every option available on my CXL. I did have the rear hatch switch bite the dust, but it was replaced in less than 25 minutes. The dealer offered me a loaner car if I didn't want to wait!
 
The car rides smoother than a limo. It's quieter on the inside than all but the most expensive luxury automobiles. The transmission is geared for maximum mileage. On the highway driving at 4-6 mph over the posted speed limit, I routinely pull down 25 and 26 MPG's in my 2-hour round trip to see mom. If I can stretch 520 miles out of 21 gallons of gas in a 5000 lb vehicle, call me granny.
 
Remember if you are a prosepctive buyer, ALL CARS HAVE LEMONS that roll off the assembley line. That's what lemon laws are for. Be aggressive!
 
With this recent downturn in the economy, I have the opportunity to trade in my Enclave and buy anything in the $45-$55,000 bracket. There just isn't a car out there that can match the luxurious interior amenities, quiet and supple ride, huge storage, unbeatable gas mileage and seating for 7 like my Enclave. I've spent hours on Edmunds.com researching the competition and they all fall short. Mercedes R class? Comparably equipped it's $12 grand more, and don't forget Mercedes famous $250 oil changes. Audi Q7? Also at least $10 grand more, and who wants to pay for premium unleaded when gas goes back up to $4.00 a gallon? I even looked at BMW, Audi, VW and Mercedes station wagons, but they only seat 5. You want to tell one of my kids which one can't bring a friend?
 
If you are in the market for a 7 or 8 passenger car and can't justify the huge engine and poor mileage of large SUV's, you owe it to yourself to drive an Enclave.

#214 of 273 Enclave battery woes. by evanob

Mar 08, 2009 (7:54 am)

We had the "wiper fluid heater fuse" recall work completed 2 weeks ago, but just yesterday our battery was completely dead and required recharging . Could the defect have damaged the battery? Did the recall work affect the battery? Our 2008 Enclave was purchased in November 2007.

#215 of 273 Re: Enclave battery woes. [evanob] by kcorey

Mar 08, 2009 (12:07 pm)

Replying to: evanob (Mar 08, 2009 7:54 am)
Just a thought...the "cigarette lighter" outlets are always active, that is, they don't go off when the ignition is off. So, if you have something plugged in...nav unit, battery charger, DVD player, etc.,...it will always be on, thus running the battery down. The same is true for the 110 volt outlet. Remember, there are 4 "cigarette" outlets.

#216 of 273 Re: Enclave battery woes. [kcorey] by evanob

Mar 08, 2009 (8:20 pm)

Replying to: kcorey (Mar 08, 2009 12:07 pm)
Checked that, but nothing was plugged in. The car is supposed to have an advanced power management system to prevent just this problem and to extend battery life. If you leave a courtesy light on it will turn off. The system also will adjust energy management while the car is running and even make the car idle faster to recharge the battery according to the manual, which makes our problem all the more perplexing.

#217 of 273 Re: Enclave battery woes. [evanob] by tourguide

Mar 09, 2009 (7:55 am)

Replying to: evanob (Mar 08, 2009 8:20 pm)
Does your car have NAV?
 
There is a TSB for Enclave's that have the Delphi NAV units where the power to those is left running and drains the battery. The software update solves the problem for everyone I have heard of with this problem.

#218 of 273 Re: Enclave battery woes. [tourguide] by evanob

Mar 09, 2009 (8:29 am)

Replying to: tourguide (Mar 09, 2009 7:55 am)
Thanks. I will look for that TSB. I do have the NAV system.

#219 of 273 Re: Enclave battery woes. [evanob] by tourguide

Mar 09, 2009 (8:42 am)

Replying to: evanob (Mar 09, 2009 8:29 am)
You're welcome.
 
Your dealer should be able to look it up for you too. I've heard of plenty of people having this update applied.

#220 of 273 34K Today With No Problems & Still Turning Heads by tinyelvis

Mar 13, 2009 (2:40 pm)

Wow. 18 months of ownership and 34,000 miles. This vehicle never ceases to impress me.
 
The good: It still rides like a dream. All the bells and whistles work. There are no signs of wear, even on the leather seats (ok, the unlock symbol on the key fob is wearing off). Had it in this week for the 30k service, there is still 5mm of brake pad all around. No squeakes, rattles, hisses or other intrusions. I think it's broken-in. I think it's very well built.
 
TIP: Have your tires inflated with nitrogen. Mine were when I bought the car, and it appears I have at least half the tread left.
 
The bad: Warranty work has been limited to reflashing the tranny, replacing the rear-hatch door switch, and a faulty outside temperature sensor. I had a piece of industrial foam rubber inserted under the front seat cushions to correct the seating angle. My only complaint is when I went to get snow tires this year (I'm FWD), there were two manufacturers who made this size, and both were sold out for the season.
 
T-T-T-That's All, Folks!
 
I bought a touch-up paint bottle from the dealer for $12 to hide a couple of nice scratches I've acquired on the hood.
 
I'd like to see some type of brush-like material to protect the floor seat channels from filling up with kid debris.
 
Boy do I not miss the Toyota Sequoia!

#221 of 273 Re: Enclave battery woes. [evanob] by kcorey

Mar 13, 2009 (2:56 pm)

Replying to: evanob (Mar 08, 2009 8:20 pm)
The advamced power management system does turn off all interior lights automatically, but...it does not disconnect power from the power outlets, that is, the 4 "cigarette lighter" outlets and the 110 volt outlet.

Messages Page 23 of 29

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