Problems with 2009 Buick Enclave STEERING

On january 2, 2014, my wife noticed that her car had a steering issue when turning. at low speeds, the steering becomes hard to turn, as if it was binding. i was informed by a mechanic that most likely it was the rack and pinion. i had that replaced, but still the issue exists. another auto tech currently is investigating the same issue and believes and believes it is the electronic brake control module, which tells the car to energize a solenoid that assists in steering at slow speeds. this is an issue, for my car does not have a huge amount of miles. what happens if my wife is unable to steer out of the way of a driver who is coming close to hitting her? and she is unable to do so? she might get hurt or even killed. somebody is going to get sued...either the dealership where i bought the car, or gm itself for knowing about this issue, but refuses to recall the cars. my question is...how many people have to complain, hurt, or killed, because gm refuses to fix this issue? and from what i seen online, there are tons of complaints about this steering issue! where are the bureaucrats who are in charge of transportation? this is not an isolated issue. it is nation wide. i plan on asking my local papers and news organizations about this issue and see if they can do a story about this and get consumers informed about gm products. maybe gm will issue a recall when it hits them in their profits. *tr

Loss of power steering at low speeds. initially occurred occasionally, but frequency has increased to the point where it now occurs almost daily. prior to steering failure, i did notice a funny sound when the steering wheel was turned to far right or left. at first i thought this was just my car, but it would appear that it is a pretty widespread issue judging by the number of complaints lodged, which i am sure represent just a fraction of the owners who have experienced this issue. given the serious safety issue involved, i am very surprised there has not been a recall since gm seems to be issuing recalls for much less serious issues. *tr

We intermittently lose power steering at low speeds. so far we have not hit anything, but have come close at intersections, in parking lots, and in driveways. i am not sure when it first happened. maybe about a year ago. at the beginning, it was once in a while. now just about every trip we have an incident. power steering reservoir is full and pump appears to be working properly. when i told the dealer of the issue i am having, they recommended changing the pump and gear at an approximate cost of $2,000. as an engineer, i found it hard to believe that both the pump and gear needs replacing. i did some research online and found that many people with same issue who did change pump and gear still had the same issue. further research leads me to believe that the power steering system has a design is defect that needs to be addressed by national highway traffic safety administration (nhtsa). the enclave and other gm vehicles have a variable effort steering (ves) system that varies the amount of effort to steer the vehicle. apparently the steering gear valve solenoid can stick causing lose of steering with no warning. i recommend that nhtsa requires gm to either replace ves system with a highly reliable design or disable the system to reduce possibility of having an accident due to power steering failure. nhtsa is welcome to use my vehicle to analyze the issue. *js

While wife was driving her buick enclave with the kids the power steering pump failed and she narrowly averted being in an accident while trying to turn on an intersection. she was unable to maneuver the vehicle after the pump failed. vehicle was taken to the dealership and it was confirmed that the pump was indeed bad. the dealer also stated that the need to keep the pump in stock because of the amount of failures they see on the buicks and also the chevy traverse. a search on the internet revealed hundreds of complaints of people losing power steering on the chevys and buick models with nothing being done by gm to remedy the situation. losing the ability to steer a vehicle without any warning is a fatally or serious accident waiting to happen(if not already). something needs done to have these known faulty parts recalled or a fix in place. other buick enclave owners as well as the dealership have stated that replacing the pump does not permanently fix the problem but only delays the problem until it occurs again. hopefully my wife and kids will stay out of harms way when it happens again. please press gm for a fix to this problem before someone is injured. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 buick enclave. the contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the power steering failed without warning. the contact stated that he had to increase the amount of effort in order to steer the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure and current mileage was 84,000. *tr

I took my car in to be fixed again. i needed the running lights and a hesitation in the car fixed. so they fixed the problems, but when they went to test drive it the power steering failed. now the power steering needs to be replaced. it seems this car is needs to be fixed all the time. i have had a lot of cars and this is the most i have ever had problems with a car. it really scares me that this can be fixed but will most likely fail again due to the problems with gm's steering. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 buick enclave. the contact stated that while sitting at a complete stop, smoke emitted into the cabin from under the hood. the engine compartment then became engulfed in flames. the fire department was called to the scene and the vehicle was towed to a private mechanic where it was discovered that the power steering components had failed and allowed fluid to leak onto the manifold. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

I brought my car into the dealership in late 2012 for a sound that it was making when i turned my steering wheel. they told me it was "an air bubble in the power steering line" the sound never went away and only got worse- i brought it back into the shop this week- 11/13/13- not the dealership- and i am not being told that my power steering is going out and it has been leaking fluid and damaged my rack and pinion. clearly there are numerous other customers with this same issue and people have had their power steering fail on them while driving- this is a huge safety issue and in my opinion due to the rate of occurrence should be addressed by the manufacturer. *tr

The vehicle (2009 buick enclave) was being serviced at a gm dealer for investigation of a noise we have heard while driving the car. the mechanics determined that the noise was due to the steering mechanism which was beginning to fail and needed to be replaced to avoid potential loss of steering. *tr

While turning (both left and right) at low speeds the vehicle randomly loses power steering control and becomes very difficult to complete the turn. completing the turns becomes so difficult, my wife has to stop the vehicle forward motion and back up, or when crossing traffic, has to continue in a straight path from where control was lost and hope she can make it across to avoid a wreck. times of occurrence are at random when making turns across traffic from low speeds, turning in parking lots and any other time low speed turns are required. frequency seems to be increasing as time goes on. *tr

I own a 2009 buick enclave that started experiencing intermittent steering lock-up issues at approximately 55,000 miles. the steering would intermittently 'lock-up' especially at speeds below 35 mph without warning, the problem became much worse over time. we frequently travel to the nc mountains where there are many 2 lane curvy roads going up/down the mountains, the problem was especially noticeable when traveling in the nc mountains. a vehicle having the steering 'lock-up' is a definite safety issue. i had the vehicle repaired by the dealership when it reached 68,295 miles for $2186.50 due to safety concerns of harming one of my children or wife should a wreck occur due to not being able to steer the vehicle. the repairs consisted of replacing the defective 'steering gear' as well as the power steering pump due to metal shavings from the disintegrating steering gear getting into the power steering pump. in searching encvlaveforum.net many users complained of the same issue with vehicles in the lambda family (enclave, traverse, acadia). a recall should be issued for this defect. *tr

My vehicle has experienced the exact same as numerous complaints for this model and year. at low speeds, the power steering will intermittently fail. just as everyone else, i am told i need a new steering gear, power steering pump, and alignment. this is a safety issue. recently when trying to pull out from a gas station, the power steering failed and it was very difficult to continue turning into near lane without being pulled into the farther lane with oncoming traffic. if this would have been a daughter, i cannot imagine what would have happened (pull into oncoming traffic for a head on collision and possible death). further, to demonstrate buick and gm are fully aware of this problem, when i had it investigated at the local buick dealer, the service department told me that gm changed the power steering pump after that model year because the "7-van pump" installed does not give a great amount of flow of fluid, and it is now replaced with a 12-vane pump. he probably wasn't supposed to tell me that. buick and gm offer absolutely no assistance. it is one thing if there was something wrong with an amenity or something. but a safety issue should be recalled or assistance given. again, there are numerous complaints of exactly the same issue. is it going to take someone pulling out and being pulled into oncoming traffic before gm does the right thing? will an innocent person have to die before the proper action is taken? very upset with the lack of interest from gm and buick for the sole purpose of "saving a buck". where is the integrity? *tr

After highway driving for a couple hours, i exited onto the off ramp and stopped at the intersection. when my time came to turn, the steering wheel would not move. i was out in the middle of traffic, and almost was hit by oncoming traffic. i had to brute force the steering wheel to get it to move while vehicle moving. while vehicle was moving at city speeds (20-40mph) i was able to steer. later that day the steering seemed to work again, but was noisy and made scraping sounds at the ends of travel. recently the problem returned again, where there is no assist in steering at stopped position (unless i rev the engine up to 2000rpm), and when i am driving the steering assist seems to be back. i am extremely concerned that this is a safety issue and will eventually cause a serious accident. from the other complaints it sounds like the complete steering system is at fault, and in some cases after repair this can happen again. what is being done to remedy this? the complaints go back to 2010.... *tr

I have already issued a complaint regarding this issue and continue to have issues with not being able to turn the vehicle in traffic. there have been over 60 complaints filed with the nhtsa regarding steering failure of this vehicle and similar platforms while in traffic. gm has already been shown to fail to correct safety issues despite having knowledge of such (hence the current significant media coverage). there is a class action suit against gm in relation to this issue (the judge so far has ruled against gm to have the suit dismissed giving validity to the issue). i kindly request nhtsa re-evaluate this issue and initiate an investigation. i apologize for using this section to inquire but did not locate any other means of inquiry. *tr

The steering wheel started to make a rubbing, squeaking sound upon turning left or right at low speeds. by the next day, i had lost power steering completely at low speeds. i went to make a turn, thinking i had power steering and almost got in an accident because i was unable to turn the car as quickly as usual. it was so scary! i took the car to the dealer who has had it in the shop the last four days. they are replacing the entire steering column. i hope that will solve the problem, but after reading tons of complaints online at buick enclave forums, i fear that this issue is widespread and is an on-going problem, no matter how many "fixes" at the dealership. *tr

I was driving and attempted to make a turn, the power steering failed and i almost crashed into another vehicle, with other traffic coming toward me around 45 mph. over the past couple weeks, the power steering intermittently failed and took significant effort to turn. this is a used vehicle so i am unsure of the previous frequency of occurrence. i took the vehicle to the buick dealership who found the steering gear was at fault and had to replace it at a cost of $900. upon researching the cause, i have found that this is a common occurrence with this and other gm products. i am documenting this to assist the bureau in determining that this is a very serious safety issue with this product and should be evaluated and issued a recall. *tr

My husband went to make a right hand turn and when he turned he lost power steering and the abs light, traction control icon, brake light and "service all wheel drive" all came on at the same time. my dash looks like a christmas tree. *tr

At parking lot speeds when you try to turn into a barking lot space the power steering locks up it takes a lot of strength to turn it any further. i can't let my wife drive it any more because she could not turn it.i am waiting for this to happen at higher speeds.from what i see on the internet i am not the only one that is having this problem.i think this should be added to the rest of the recalls that gm has if this would happen at higher speeds it could be a real problem. *tr

At low speed the steering will not function correctly. i was going thru parking garage and as i turned the steering would not respond. this is now occurring at low speeds and steering locks up.it is ok at above 10mph. *tr

I was stopped on the street waiting to pull in my drive way as traffic passed. i attempted to turn expecting to pull in as normal but steering wheel locked up and missed driveway. to avoid traffic accelerated into yard due to steering not working as anticipated. steering returned to normal intermittently. *tr

The power steering loses power when making a turn. the steering still works just with no power assist. this is extremely scary as the wheel suddenly pulls out of your hand unless you are gripping very tightly with both hands. the power steering can then return just as suddenly. the only good thing is that it seems to only happen at lower speeds so while i may hit another car while pulling into a parking space i probably won't kill myself or some other driver while driving at speed. *tr

Power steering intermittently fails when turning. very dangerous when crossing traffic during a left turn, or when maneuvering around pedestrians in parking lots. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 buick enclave. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the power steering failed. the contact stated that he had to increase the amount of effort in order to steer the vehicle. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 65,000.

Purchased on 05-25-2013 as a replacement vehicle for a 2004 nissan xterra. noticed when turning into parking space or driveway that power steering suddenly turned into manual steering and was difficult to turn. took vehicle in for an unrelated problem( dvd stuck in player) and ask them to check power steering. ? maybe low fluid? no problem found. did some online research only to find this has been a common problem years 2008 to 2010 usually resulting in replacement of pump and rack and pinion.called dealership and reported problem, they are now ordering a steering pump to see if it will fix problem.i have only had the car 3 days and driven 200 miles. also found that them problem includes gm acadia and chevy traverse. *tr

I have already had the steering rack replaced previously... now, today, the steering pump is failing and needs to be replaced... this is a safety issue... i have notice a number of other enclave owners experiencing this problem. there should be a recall on this item. *tr

Issue: car makes loud screeching noise, loss of power steering, engine fan constantly running and car a/c heats on one side and cools on the other. resolution: dealership located leaking gear and pump damaged which caused noise. replaced power steering gear and power steering pump. flushed power steering system and evac and recharge a/c system. issue #6 *tr

First noticed problem 5 months after purchase in october 2012. turning into parking lot, left or right at a stop light, steering wheel locks up. steering rack replaced and problem is still not fixed. nothing kicking out code with diagnostics and fluids are fine. *tr

I bought my enclave brand new. i now have 73000 miles on it. we took the car in because it was becoming very hard for me to turn the wheel and i could have been in an accident because of this. the dealership told us that the power steering pump and the power steering rack & pinion had to be replaced! what??!! i had never heard of anyone that i know of having this kind of major issue with their car at 73000 miles. we did some research and found that there have been several other buick owners with this same issue with fewer miles on their car. this is a safety issue that buick needs to research and resolve. my other safety problem is the power liftgate. if your car is parked on a hill, the power liftgate will drop on top of you with no warning. the liftgate struts dont work when your car is parked on a slope. *tr

Power steering fails intermittently when maneuvering at low speeds executing tight turns such as going into or out of a parking spot. there are many online vehicle owner complaints and this is clearly an accident waiting to happen that the ntsb needs to get in front of . *tr

At speeds between 25 and 45 mph, the power steering fails and the wheel is hard to steer to the left or right. the problem was intermittent; however, the problem is progressively getting worse. on one occasion, i attempted the make a right-hand turn at an intersection and almost hit a car to my left. after that incident, i brought the vehicle to a certified dealer and was told the power-steering gear and pump need to be replaced at a cost of approx. $3,000. additionally, the condition did not qualify for warranty work. i continue to drive the vehicle because i have no choice at this time, but i have to be cautious at every turn and strong-arm the steering on occasion. not bad for a $45,000 vehicle! thanks buick! *tr

I was driving with my family on vacation in the mountains and the vehicles steering began to lock up in every turn. we almost hit multiple people. the vehicle drove fine in a straight line it's only when cornering or turning. took it to a dealer to ask of they have ever heard of this problem because i read numerous incidents online of people having the same issue. every dealer told me they haven't heard of a steering problem with the enclave. i really find this hard to believe with all of the post online. they want to replace the entire steering rack at a ridiculous price. i do not believe that the issue they are only guessing! there have multiple occurrences since and very close calls. this vehicle will have to be parked until we get some help with this issue!!!! please help!!! *tr

My 2009 buick enclave started out with a feeling in the steering when turning to the limits either left or right which was checked out by the dealership as being nothing. then the power steering pump started making noises which was determined by the dealership as something the occurs in this type of pump but is not a safety issue. then the noise became louder and loss of power steering when the engine is initially started and at lower speeds ie in a parking lot. now there feels like a detent in the steering at the straight foreword position and it is noticeable when turning (on the highway) and takes some strength and awareness to overcome the problem. the dealer advises that there is no recall and the car is no longer covered on warranty. *tr

While driving at very low speed--usually when preparing to park or turning at very low speed, the power assist goes out completely, and to complete turn it is very difficult and much worse than the "old fashion" manual steering systems. no indication that such failure is going to happen and failure is very unexpected. no failure at speeds above less than 5 miles per hour. *tr

My 2009 buick enclave has intermittent loss of power steering, mainly at lower speeds to make turns. this is a very dangerous situation. when this occurs, it takes a lot of strength for me to turn my vehicle. i have read numerous complaints of the same problems of other enclave owners and many different attempts to repair without success. i also came across a web site that states there is a class action lawsuit against gm for said problem. this is such a safety issue that immediate action is needed today! peoples lives are in danger, inside and outside of these vehicles. this failure happens without warning! your prompt attention is appreciated! recalls need to be ordered asap. *tr

My power steering, in my 2009 buick enclave, has caused me problems for almost two years. the power steering has made weird (and loud) noises, when doing slow speed turns. there always seemed to be resistance when turns are made (especially if a slow, sharp turn is needed), above the norm. finally, today, the entire power steering/rack pinion drive went out. i almost got into an accident, when trying to turn left out of an intersection today. it now requires a huge effort to turn the wheel and the car is not safe to drive. *tr

The steering began making strange noises intermittently soon after we bought it. we didn't know if it was just something that would go away, but other than slight noises, it was just a small distraction. soon, it became harder and harder to steer at times, and the noises have increased. now, we sometimes are scared we will not be able to turn the wheel effectively at the necessary times, and my wife has had it lock up on her. we are scared for our safety. in looking online, it is clear that this is a manufacturer defect. we have taken it to the gm chevrolet dealership, but they can't really fix it because there is no "recall" on it, and we are out of the warranty period. however, had we taken it initially, we would not have known that the initial problem would get worse and worse, but it was there all along. *tr

Power steering fails intermittently in parking lots and at slow speeds. am almost unable to turn the steering wheel at all, then it "gives" causing the car to jerk. *tr

Recently when driving at low speeds & making right or left turns my steering seems to tighten up. at first the was just occasionally but now more frequent. it's almost as it totally locks for a moment or two. i have a couple occasions when turning i had no control, most recently it happened when going around a round about, it locked up wouldn't turn anymore & i ended up going in another lane, slamming on my breaks. i was very close to hitting other cars. *tr

The power steering on my 2009 buick enclave intermittently (3-4 times per day) locks up preventing me from turning the wheel. after an incident, the power steering seems to re-engage. however, there have been multiple close calls when i have not been able to turn quickly. from the buick/gm message boards, this seems to be a very common problem with little to no action from buick/gm. *tr

For about a month now, our power steering seems to be tightening up when steering a tight radius like turning a sharp corner or pulling into a parking space. it is very frequent occurring every day now. i have 3 kids i drive daily to multiple locations and am worried about my and their safety. if i was driving at a high speed and had to swerve to avoid something in my path this would make me very nervous. i have read many blogs about this issue and gm had better take this into serious consideration for a world-wide recall. i cannot believe for the price of this vehicle the amount of issues it has. very very disappointed in this car. *tr

In the last 2 months, i have had multiple problems with the power steering tightening and locking up, narrowly avoiding running off the road or into another vehicle several times. when i took the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic, they declared that the power steering rack had malfunctioned and that there were metal shavings in the power steering pump. both the power steering rack and pump would need to be replaced. it was also determined that this was not caused by wear and tear. when i researched similar complaints online it appears that this is a recurring problem with the 2008 and 2009 buick enclaves due to faulty equipment by gm. i am very concerned that this make result serious accidents and request the nhtsa to look into this matter. *tr

Steering went out without warning. items necessary to correct problem are replacement of power steering and gears. gm does not cover under power train warranty. by simply viewing edmunds.com you will see that this problem has affected multiple years and multiple consumers. the issue is an obvious design problem for buick and should be recalled and fixed. *tr

I was slowing down to make a right turn into my parents drive when the power steering failed (felt like it was locking up). at the time i was pulling a small trailer so i had to pass up the driveway to keep from getting into an accident. i turned around again and everything seemed fine. later that day it happened again and then it was 6 weeks before it happened again. i called my service advisor who said there may be air in the line. i had just serviced my car. the symptoms continued off and on for several months off and on...and i finally had the rack and pinion replaced on june 14, 2012 as well as the power steering pump. i am very concerned there may be other similar vehicles with similar issues that may cause a serious or even fatal accident. *tr

Hard to turn. my wife almost hit by a tractor trailer. appears to be a common problem with most enclaves. *tr

Purchased june 2009. coolant level has never stayed at full level. after adding coolant it eventually drops in level. lately, having problems with the power steering. sometimes it becomes very difficult to turn wheel. current mileage is 89,000. *tr

Intermittent, complete failure of power steering / steering assist at low speeds, e.g. when braking at a left turn or when parking, resulting in difficulty controlling the direction of the vehicle. *tr

The steering will bind up and almost lock up resulting in a very difficult turn. this is a major safety issue as if the vehicle will not turn there could easily be a crash. this "steering lock up" issue seems to happen while turning into an entrance, or parking lot or turn signal or onto another road. there are no issues while driving but having a vehicle lock up while trying to turn is a problem. this safety issue not only affects the driver and passengers but it also affects the safety of the general public. this vehicle has been in the buick shop 3 times for this issue-1st time i was told it was the power steering fluid, but that didn't fix it. the second time i was told it was a defective water pump leaking onto the drive belt but that didn't fix it. the 3rd time i was told that they could not find the issue but they would file a claim. well, the issue still exists and i have emailed buick customer service with no response but this is a major safety issue that must be resolved! *tr

Squeaking brakes and steering noise. resubmitted for repair could not duplicate at dealership. resubmitted in 2011 and 2013, water pump replaced, steering gear box replaced, steering pump replaced, throttle body cleaned. engine timing off at idle, harsh/ruff transition between gear shifts. rear hatch failed to operate. sensor replaced, then actuator replaced, then control buttons replaced then final control button and internal door sensors replaced not by warranty, rear hatch struts failed and dropped on child and owners heads, open and close buttons non responsive on remote for the hatch. only the interior hatch release button worked. onstar would not power down, no notice it was connected, dropped cell calls and killed battery. upon jumping, the control module for onstar failed as did cellular antenna not covered by warranty. brakes squeaking and fluttering plus pulse at slow down. master cylinder had hydraulic fluid leaking into brake lines, boost pump failed and repeated flushing did not clear the system. air in lines caused brake failure near collision avoided with evasive operator driving maneuvers, 3rd flush cleared the lines not covered by warranty. steering unstable on uneven roadways and in left and right turns, repeat/recur, final submission 4th time, engine mount broken and possible spark plugs for idle problems. replaced sparke plugs did not resolve idle speed or hard shift out of 3/5 gears. a/c outage three times, no leak detected, freon loaded and reloaded: evaporator coil diagnosed as problem. total dash disassembled, several electrical issues surfaced since including onstar, ecm errors, nav sys stayed on, cell phone not connecting and check engine light illuminating without cause codes. over $16500 in repairs completed on this vehicle, some covered by warranty, some not, by 2013 nearly all repairs not covered by extended warranty. *tr

In the past i had jerking or slipping of transmission at approximately 40 miles an hour, or the engine was having a coil miss fire. i had 3 new coils installed by dealer under warranty with similar problems before. took to dealer and they could not determine if transmission was slipping or engine miss firing, but no code on miss firing engine. slipping or hesitating of transmission is more likely but can not determine since does not act the same consistently. steering noise started in the winter approximately november 2013, but off and on since; steering seems a little stiff but not failing yet like so many other complaints i have read about here. i was charged $342.81 for dirty throttle body and oil in the air dust tube which might cause misfire, they cleaned and replaced bank 2 value cover and cleared codes, performed idle lean reset. this did not fix problem on 05/19/2014. i returned on 06/10/14 and left car till 06/11/14 the dealer let me use a loaner over night. the dealer said stumble/misfire at times was not acting up enough to diagnose. i had the cars automatic transmission flush service on 02/26/14 and there was no problem at that time. in the course of owning this vehicle i had 3 coils replaced with problems starting 01/05/10 one coil, second coil on 08/11/10. third coil shortly thereafter, this is after complaining since 12/02/2009 about engine shudder. the misfire/stumble is still happening about 40 mph and sometimes around 20mph if you are slow going but not on a pull or accelerating. we love the car, but the problems are getting expensive and the worry of what else can go wrong is stressful. i did not mention the warranty repairs of water pump going out front motor mount failure, shift lever, airbags, seat belts, left out remote mirror failure, engine and transmission code updates. dealer seem ok, so gm can not fix or will not due to cost. *js

Tl*the contact owns a 2009 buick enclave. the contact was driving approximately 35 mph on normal road conditions; proceeding to a traffic signal. suddenly, there was a vibration noise coming from the power steering system. the driver pulled over to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle. the vehicle was able to resume operation. the failure occurred whenever the brakes were depressed. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing. the failure was related to the power steering pump which was replaced. the failure mileage was 1,000. the current mileage was 11,000. the consumer stated the vehicle developed a power steering noise and vibration feeling when holding the steering wheel. gm stated the noise was normal. updated 04/16/10. *jb