Is the 2010 Buick Enclave a bad year?
275 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 74, 7.4× a quiet Enclave year.
Keep it, but watch the engine
Half of the engine complaints for this year were filed at 74k–125k miles, where you are now.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2010 Enclave owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 92,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 74 (27%) | 74k–125k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 34 (12%) | 47k–107k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Electrical system | 23 (8%) | 31k–107k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Body structure | 12 (4%) | 28k–98k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 11 (4%) | 49k–101k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Speed control | 9 (3%) | 35k–129k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Air bags | 6 (2%) | 37k–98k miles · around this mileage | — |
| SteeringSTANDS OUT | 126 (46%) | 59k–85k miles · mostly behind | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Brakes | 12 (4%) | 15k–80k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Stability control | 8 (3%) | 57k–80k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Suspension | 7 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 92,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 275 complaints: 5 mention a crash · 1 mentions a fire · 5 report an injury · 3 say the car was towed.
1 complaint was filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2025.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Check engine light came on while driving on the interstate highway, the vehicle lost power, reducing the speed to 35 MPH in a 70 MPH interstate.
The power steering will work for about the first 3 minutes of getting into the car and then it will go out everytime I am below 20 mph.
I was driving at 75 MPH and my engine shut off; car began to slow, fuel dropped, power steering went out, brakes didn't work.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 92,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2010 Buick Enclave: 6
The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached. Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
The affected vehicles, equipped with the power liftgate option, have gas struts that hold the power liftgate up when open. These struts may prematurely wear and the open liftgate may suddenly fall. If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.
In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cable that connects the seatbelt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue and separate over time. If the steel cable becomes fatigued and separates, the seatbelt may not properly restrain the seat occupant increasing the risk of an injury in a crash.
In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bag (SIAB) wiring harnesses may result in the SIAB and seat belt pretensioners not deploying in the event of a crash. Failure of the side impact air bags and seat belt pretensioners to deploy in a crash increase the risk of injury to the driver and front seat occupant.
The second row seat side trim shield restricts the upward rotation of the safety belt buckle when the seat back is returned to a seating position after being folded flat. If the buckle contacts the seat frame, additional effort is required to return the seat to a seating position. The safety belt may not restrain the occupant as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Buick: 443
Repair instructions Buick sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2010 Buick Enclave. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal…
Internal Engine Noise or Damage After Oil Filter Replacement
Inspection/diagnosis/correction information on a cold start misfire and/or rough idle and DTC P0300 that may also be set
Driveline Clunk Noise and what is acceptable and what is considered normal operation
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
Neighbouring years
2009 Enclave: 220 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine · 2011 Enclave: 213 complaints, keep it.
Every Buick Enclave year
2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Enclave years side by side
Other Buick models: Buick Century · Buick Encore · Buick Encore GX · Buick Envision · Buick LaCrosse · Buick LeSabre · Buick Lucerne · Buick Park Avenue · Buick Rainier · Buick Regal · Buick Rendezvous · Buick Terraza · Buick Verano. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2010 Buick Enclave a bad year?
275 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 74, 7.4× a quiet Enclave year. At 92,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the engine. Half of the engine complaints for this year were filed at 74k–125k miles, where you are now.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Buick Enclave?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: engine (74), transmission and drivetrain (34), electrical system (23), body structure (12), fuel system (11). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 74k–125k miles.
How many recalls does the 2010 Buick Enclave have?
6 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 21V-782), Air bags (NHTSA 21V-246), Body structure (NHTSA 15V-415), Seat belts (NHTSA 14V-266) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.