Steering loses power (locks up) at low speeds. i struggled to turn at all. if my wife was driving she would have crashed, she would not have been strong enough to control the car. *jb
Power steering making noise, front left side suspension making rattling sound. *tr
I was driving my buick enclave and i was going about 10 miles turning into traffic and it locked in me i was scared to death!!! i had my kids in the car i only had this car for 30 days i took it back to the dealer am they said it is the steering rack and the steering pump if everyone is having the same problem that mean this parts are defective and should be recalled please help. *tr
Lost total steering at low speed, luckily i was in and open area and not in close quarters like a parking lot. *tr
Steering locked up while turning at low speed, almost hit another car in the process. buick knows this is an issue on the enclave platform, still, no recall. if i did get into an accident and a fatality occurred, litigation would have been in order. is this what buick is waiting for? someone to get injured, this is a safety issue. the original sticker price for my 2008 buick enclave was north of $40,000, wow and they can't get something as simple as a steering rack and pump right? this needs to be a recall, i just had to pay $2800 to get this fixed, and not really sure if it will or will not happen again in the future. i just can't believe there is no recall for this, apparently buick does not care one bit about their customers and definitely does not want repeat business. i will tell everyone i know to avoid buick at every expense and never, never, never buy an enclave. i am also considering selling the enclave and buying something that is worth it and safe. *tr
Steering rack system had to be replaced due to steering issues while driving. when we took it in to the dealer we were told that it needed to be replaced as it wasn't safe to drive in that condition. we were told that the steering could fail or lockup. *tr
Steering starts to fail when i drive at low speeds. it locks up causing me to make sudden reactions. i have a very hard time making a turn or pulling in or out of a parking space. it is a danger to my family and to other drivers. *tr
Steering loses power (locks up) at low speeds. *tr
During wet weather, the power steering seems to shut down and making it very hard to steer the car. this has happened many times over the past two years. it seems to happen after just starting out and driving thru a small puddle of water and after a few miles seems to operate normally. this is the same complaint i have seen from other owners and needs to be considered for a recall because this is an accident waiting to happen. we had one close call, how ever do to the low speed was able to stop the car in time. somehow water must be getting into the steering components. *tr
While turning into parking spots or in an intersection while at low speeds the steering becomes extremely difficult if not impossible. *tr
Steering would click, grind & knock while driving, particularly when turning. we took our enclave to an independent shop where they found that the rack and pinion assembly had to be completely replaced. it was a safety concern, so we had the independent shop replace the rack and pinion assembly immediately. i've contacted gm as well as the local dealership several times regarding this issue. asking for reimbursement of repair costs since this is a design flaw by gm, not a consumer driving issue. i have 60k miles on my 2008 enclave and all maintenance has been kept up to date on this vehicle and we are the original owners. i was told that they would in no way reimburse me because one i took the vehicle to an independent shop not a dealership and two my bumper to bumper warranty is out and rack and pinion assembly is under bumper to bumper not the power train warranty which is available to us for the next year (approx). i told gm that there are several postings on the internet (including nhtsa.gov) regarding rack and pinion issues with the enclave. i was told that the internet was free and anyone could post on there. my response back was i personally know two enclave owners that this happened to and their repairs were covered by buick because their warranty hadn't expired. gm told me there is no recall to date. i find this to be disappointing as there obvious design flaw issues with the enclave. i am getting the run around and on my latest call with a supervisor at gm i was told that he would pass the information to his manager, but i probably wouldn't get a call back because they are more hr they don't handle customer issues. i was told to send a letter to gm via usps. the enclave is unsafe to drive as the steering can lock up at any time. i believe that this should be investigated more closely and as a result i believe a recall will be done. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 buick enclave. the contact stated that while turning the steering wheel, a loud sound was heard from the steering column. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where the technician diagnosed that the rack and pinion was deteriorating. no repairs were performed on the vehicle. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 45,000 and the current mileage was 55,000.
My wife and i, with our 2 kids were driving on the highway and the transmission just stopped working. we were stranded on the highway for hours and wound up having to replace the transmission. my wife was driving. good thing there wasnt a lot of traffic on the highway. that was last year. now this whinning noise thats been going on for a while has gotten louder and louder. i looked up online and there are hundreds if not thousands of complaints on this issue with the rack and pinnion. this should be a recall. *js
Turning the steering wheel at low speeds is very hard. i bought this 08 buick enclave for my wife and she hates it because is so hard to get out of parking places and not to mention is a safety issue.
While turning into parking spots or in an intersection while at low speeds the steering becomes extremely difficult if not impossible. *tr
Power steering would grind, occurred for over 20,000 miles, and dealer could not diagnose the problem on several instances of being in for maintenance. steering would be sluggish at times but not easily reproduced for dealer service. independent shop found massive leakage in the rack and pinion system on both sides as well as complete leakage from the rear differential. independent shop indicated both were significant safety issues requiring immediate repair; they also were surprised at the dealer's inability to diagnose the issue. *tr
Transmission failed 3 weeks out of powertrain warranty and required a rebuild then failed again about a year later. steering pump and cooling motor failed during warranty period and were replaced and then both failed 18 months later (out of warranty) stabilitrac and check engine lights keep turning on after the dealer has repaired it 3 times (turns on about 30 minutes away from dealer each time). nhtsa really needs to take action against buick and gm regarding the 2008 enclave, it is a lemon and people are being ripped off over it and put at serious risk because of its' short comings. *tr
Loss power steering while turning off highway. had to drive in manual steering mode. power steering came back but has remained intermittent. steering fluid is fine. dealer stated issue related to previous seen issue with enclave steering requiring gear replacement at 1500 cost. *tr
The steering is now making a loud moaning noise. will be taking to dealer to try to fix. reading many reports online that this is a wide spread issue. *tr
The steering on my car is almost impossible when i am driving under 15 mph. places such as parking lots, backing out of my driveway, etc has become dangerous for me to maneuver. i am very concerned for my safety. i took it to the shop today and they're telling me it's a known issue but there is no recall...it's going to cost me over $2,000 to fix. the power steering pump and rack need replaced. it's completely ridiculous for buick to not stand behind this! *tr
At low speeds, the power steering seizes up, making the car virtually impossible to steer. *tr
Attempted to make a right hand turn from a shopping mall driveway into oncoming traffic. the steering system failed and would not allow the driver to turn the steering wheel. power to the system returned within 5-10 seconds, but the vehicle was narrowly avoided by cars traveling the roadway being entered. *tr
Transmission completely went out. also for about 1 year , the power steering has made a loud squeaking noise and the dealer said it couldn't be fixed. *tr
Loss of power steering during turns. *tr
Intermittent problem with power steering. the steering becomes extremely difficult at times, making this a very hazardous situation. *tr
Entering parking lot power steering failed. parked, returned to vehicle and it was working. since that time multiple failures have occurred without any warning. very dangerous, vehicle is out of warranty and dealer and independent mechanic states the pump and rack require replacing. there are a number of similar incident reported on the internet affecting 2008, 2009, 2010 enclaves. recognizing that gm is now owned by the federal government, i suspect that there is little motivation for this agency to investigate the issue, but many believe it has significant safety implications. i am not one to complain, but as an aeronautical engineer this has all the ear marks of a design flaw. reading the internet entries it appears that for $2k+ the pump and rack are replaced and then x miles down the road you are back to square one. don't know if this issue applies to the chevy traverse and gm acadia, but suspect the whole family is sick with this problem. *tr
This car has a whinning noise coming from the steering column that gets louder the more drive it. i have contacted the buick care dept and they indicated it is a known problem but they will not fix it. they had me take my car to the buick place where i purchased the vehicle and they come up with about 1900.00 to fix this and say that it is a known problem with the buick steering that some housing is too close to the steering column and it creates the noise and steering problems and that buick and everyone else is aware of it and that they should issue a recall but do not. in addition i have engine stalling problems where there is lack of power upon sudden acceleration. this happens frequently. *tr
The vehicle loses power steering control at low speed. i have made several complaints to the dealer who can find no problem. the steering has gotten progressively worse and now i am afraid to drive the car. i fear that i am afraid myself or my wife may not be able to control the car. on the last trip to the dealer the problem was diagnosed as a steering gear and pinion issue which is over $1500.00 to repair. i feel that this is a safety issue for the automobile type and it is also a manufacture defect. please issue a safety recall for this item. *tr
Power steering is hard to turn at low speed
Power steering! issues with the power steering locking up while the car is in motion. major safety issue. it is the worst when turning into a parking spot, however when driving around a corner at normal speeds it is very hard to handle and changing lanes on the highway was also an issue. you can hear a roaring noise coming from the steering column. *tr
Steering column makes a clicking and squeaking sound when turning. also, when slowing down to turn and at complete rest, the power steering goes out, making it difficult to turn. we were told by the dealer in our area that there were several complaints on this issue and he thought a recall would be issued, soon. *tr
A terrible screeching noise led me to bring my car to the buick dealer for repair.... they replaced the steering gear, the steering pump, fluid, etc. with a cost to me of 1409.99. had i not heard the noise, i would have lost steering...... the car was just out of warranty.... far too early for this to have happened. *tr
the steering has been an ongoing event since the second year of having the model. i would lose control of the vehicle when turning left. it would have a mind of its own and not turn. i have run off the road and went into several ditches not being able to turn (tech service date 6/20/12 rack and pinion binding causing stiffness in steering--replaced steering gear and flushed system). we almost had a head on collision when i turned it in again with the same issue demanding something be done. (5/10/13 correction-replace leaking steering gear and failed p/s pump, fill system, bleed sys and verify operation). difficulty steering and loud popping noise while turning left (service date 4/18/14- found internal leak form power steering rack -replaced rack and bleed system and aligned vehicle. drove out of the the dealership and noticed a/c not working and same noise coming from the front while turning left. took it back in (5/5/14-found left front axle shaft to be popping needs to replace at owners expense. the dealership had the vehicle for 20+ days and did not fix. airbag warning light illuminated so i took the vehicle into the dealer (6/29/10--poor connection at sir harness--diagnosed and repaired. received a recall notice in the mail-took vehicle into the dealer (4/18/14--correction completed). airbag warning light illuminated again. took vehicle to the dealership (5/5/14-intermittent short in passenger presence module, checked an rechecked -- corrections needs from passenger presence module at customers expense i was called to picked vehicle up as is after 20+ days. dealership would not fix. *tr
Grinding noise when turning steering wheel *kb
Vehicle was making a right hand turn into a parking lot at approximately 15 mph when the steering wheel jerked to the right. the resulting jerking movement/feedback resulted in the operator under steering the vehicle and striking a large boulder on the shoulder of the parking lot entrance. the vehicle sustained moderate damage to the bumper, skirting and right front fender. this vehicle had it's power steering rack replaced less than 12 months prior for the same performance issue. in the summer of 2010 gm redesigned the power steering racks for all lambda platform vehicles (buick enclave, gmc acadia, saturn outlook, and chevy traverse) presumably as a result of complaints lodged by customers directly through dealers or general motors.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 buick enclave. the contact stated that while driving 15 mph, the steering wheel seized. the contact stated that the failure recurred approximately 25-40 times. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection where they advised that the steering pump needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was notified and stated that there was no recall on the vehicle. the failure mileage was 30,000. the consumer stated he heard a clicking noise whenever he turned the steering wheel. the dealer replaced the power steering pump, power steering gear, steering column . the consumer stated he would loose power steering assist when driving and the steering wheel would lock up. , there was excessive play in the steering. the consumer hit a pillar, when the steering locked up, and caused damage to the vehicle. the dealer replaced several components within the steering several times. the key would get stuck in the ignition. updated 01/28/13
I was driving my enclave and i pulled into a parking lot i lost power steering. i called on star and they said it was not something they could diagnose. suggested i check the ps fluid...i did and it was just below the min line. i added fluid, it got better but i could still sense some problem. svc shop said there was a leak, needed to replace the rack and pinion. bringing to dealer next. i've seen several complaints/articles about pw pump problems, leaks. i have 60,200 miles. seems like this is a big safety issue (what if i lost ps on the highway), why isn't gm doing something about it? *tr
Steering unit emits growling noise when turning the wheels. there is feedback thru the steering wheel. i have had the power steering fluid changed at 10,000 mile intervals and that seems to help, but the service station that changes my oil tells me that the unit needs to be replaced! he has seen the same issue on the gmc acadia and saturn suv as well. also, we continue to have wet carpet on the passenger side due to the sun roof leaking. *tr
My 2008 buick enclave became unable to control in the rain at 55 mph. took to dealer after 3 day run around was told that there was a bulletin on this vehicle that the steering position sensor became wet and started boosting steering control. they replaced sensor and inner fenders (to keep moisture off sensor) this vehicle was the most dangerous thing i have ever tried to control. how can anything stay dry under the hood of a car in the rain?? *tr
Snowy conditions - about 2 inches on the ground; as i began to descend the hill near my home i tried to apply the brakes to keep a slow pace down the hill. brakes failed and i began to slide down the hill. steering was unresponsive; messages interchangeably flashed on the dashboard - 'service stabilitrak' and 'service traction control'. i had no control over the vehicle, and halfway down the hill jumped an 8" curb. fortunate that the vehicle swerved to the right because there were parked cars to the left. also, fortunate there were no people/children around, who could have been hit. $3000 damage to the underside of the vehicle. very frightening to lose complete control of the car - i thought awd, abs, traction control and stabilitrak are supposed to help the driver maintain control of the vehicle in adverse conditions. everything failed at once. got the vehicle to the closest gm dealership; they ran diagnostics and surprise, everything checks out. they have no indication anything failed, so nothing further they can do except repair the physical damage. i experienced a complete failure of brakes, steering, traction, and electronic stability control and the dealership is telling me i did not - that the conditions were slick and that's what caused the accident. isn't that when all of those safety features are supposed to engage? this is the first time i experienced a malfunction like this in this vehicle. now i'm afraid to drive the vehicle, once it's fixed, esp. with other passengers. i may not even keep it. *tr
The vehicle repeatedly stalls at random times. this includes at high speed, in the middle of the eisenhower tunnel on i-70, to driving down the street. repeated visits to the dealership reveal no "codes" so it continues to be ignored. my wife will not drive it anymore so i do. the dealership says "trade it in" but we feel like we would be passing a coffin onto another family. my family has been killed nearly twice from stalling in tunnel and high traffic. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 buick enclave. the contact stated while driving at speeds of 25 mph, there was an abnormal knocking from the vehicle front end. the dealer replaced the tie rods to correct the failure. on a separate occasion, the power steering and water pump failed and the dealer replaced both components. the contact stated there were several failures in the vehicle including warped rotors and brakes at 22,000 miles and several unknown recall repairs. the contact received notification of nhtsa recall campaign id number: 10v240000 (electrical system) and was not satisfied with the $100 refund offered by the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 22,000 and the current was unknown. updated 10/27/10. *lj
I was driving on randall road traveling about 50 mph. i slowed to enter a right turn lane and the steering began to shudder when i moved the steering wheel. i braked aggressively and was able after much effort to maneuver the enclave into a parking space. i phoned my husband and upon arrival found that the steering wheel would not move with the engine running. he phoned the dealer and buick assistance. after 3 hours the car was loaded on a truck and taken to the dealer. the service person stated that the cooler line had developed a pin hole leak and lost fluid to the power steering system. i am still waiting since the steering pump was also damaged. no mention of replacing the rack and pinion (my husbands help with that term). i do not feel comfortable driving a car that the steering locks up if the power steering system fails. this could have been a fatal outcome under different circumstances because i could not steer the car. this is the third safety related problem since it was delivered december 31, 2007. the driver windshield wiper came loose (husband fixed) and the right rear strut weld failed leaking oil all over the garage floor and making the car feel loose driving it to the dealer for repairs. we have also noticed the passenger seat belt sign does not always work. i do not trust this car. the only bright spot is the dealership has been very responsive. *tr