Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Buick Enclave owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2008 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that the vehicle had failed to start intermittently. The contact stated that upon attempting to turn off the vehicle, the vehicle failed to turn off. The contact stated that her husband, who was a mechanic, had inspected underneath the hood and noticed that the wiring harness underneath the engine was melting. The contact's husband scanned the vehicle with a vehicle scanner and retrieved diagnostic trouble codes that indicated a computer module failure. The contact's husband purchased the module, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the module was installed and flashed; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact's husband diagnosed that the wiring harness failure had caused the battery to overcharge and fail. The contact's husband replaced the battery and the alternator; however, the failure persisted. …
The contact owns a 2008 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she noticed that water was leaking inside the vehicle through the sunroof. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that there were several unknown point of entry of water, and mold had developed in the parts of the vehicle that were mostly affected by the water intrusion. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing electrical failures due to water damage. The contact stated that the windshield wipers were operating erratically and other unknown electrical parts had failed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who could not determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. There was no further information provided. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. …
I purchased my vehicle January 2014. Since then I have had major issues with it leaking when it rains,. Water enters the sunroof and drips throughout the vehicles overhead as well as soaks the passenger side carpet. Water drips from the visor, the overhead lights (which could result in an electrical fire) in the front middle and back of the vehicle it seeps through the seat belt height adjusters and the area where the side airbags deploy (which could cause deploy issues). The problem has gotten so bad my vehicle is starting to smell like mold and I am afraid that after a year of this problem mold has grown under the carpet as well as in the overhead foam. My biggest concern is if my child is exposed to this for an extended period of time it will flair up his asthma. A child with asthma is very sensitive to mold and mildew and he is very sensitive as well as has allergies to mold. …
The driver side inside door handle broke away from the mechanism. In order to exit the vehicle I had to roll down the window and use the exterior door handle. Locks, windows, and exterior handle work properly. I drove to work and it worked fine. When I parked and tried to get out it would not work. It happened originally in 10/2014. The dealership told me I had to replace the entire door, which I could not afford, so they "jerry-rigged" it with a screw and charged me $125.00 labor. It has now happened again, and another dealership said I can replace the interior mechanism for about $350. I contacted Buick cs regarding the issue, and was told that due to the age of my vehicle they could do nothing. This is a safety issue. In an emergency, I would not be able to exit my vehicle. And as a person with a disability this is a primary concern. …
On 7/11/2015 when I opened the lift gate of my vehicle, the gate would not stay open. It slowly started to close. This problem persisted for about 4-5 days. About 6 days later, the gate was working fine. On 7/19/15 I opened the lift gate and was standing underneath it getting my child's stroller out of the back of my SUV. I heard a loud pop and the lift gate came crashing down on the top of my head. I was then trapped under the lift gate and struggled to get free (I had the stroller in my arms). I was able to free myself and locate my sunglasses (which were on top of my head when the gate crashed down) about five feet away. At this point, the lift gate was completely closed. I tried opening it again and it came crashing down. Currently, the lift gate will not stay open and I am unable to use the gate, and therefore unable to use the interior back area of my car. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that the stability traction control warning light continuously illuminated. The contact mentioned that every time the failure recurred, the vehicle would drastically decelerate making it extremely difficult to operate. The contact had to turn the vehicle off and on in order to reset the computer. The vehicle was able to restart each time but the failure was getting progressively worse. The vehicle was to be taken to a dealer to inspect and diagnose the failure. Also, the contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 15V415000 (structure) and was waiting on the permanent remedy and part to repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was contacted and could not provide an estimated date for when the vehicle would receive the recall repair. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that the liftgate was lowering improperly, difficult to open, and became shut to the point that it could no longer be opened. In addition, the liftgate ajar warning indicator flashed; however, the liftgate was closed at the time. The vehicle was repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 15V415000 (structure), but the contact stated that the recall repair failed to provide a permanent remedy. Sudbay Chevrolet Buick Cadillac GMC (88 causeway st, gloucester, ma 01930, [phone]) diagnosed that the control module needed to be replaced and stated that further testing was required to determine if any other repairs were needed. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
2008 Buick Enclave without accidents nor sunroof or windshield repair or replacement has been experiencing water leakage from visor joints, side curtain panels and under the steering column. My radio amplifier suffered water damage and 2" of water has pooled afoot of my vehicle floor. The issue has been present as of March 2018 and has returned for repair every two months since to date and is there again today. This issue is not able to be rectified nor solved. I have researched and found flooding and water accumulation issues are a known, common and repetitive issue with this make model and year. This will result in electrical and more significant power, and operation problems. A repair, fix compensation and deep cleaning is necessary.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking water on the driver and passenger side of the vehicle where the fillers that hold the side air bags were located. The vehicle was also leaking water through the roof in the rear, underneath the sensor used for reverse assistance. The rear seat belts were also leaking water. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who stated that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The dealer determined that the headliner needed to be removed in order for a water test to take place to indicate the origin of the leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Buick Enclave. While opening the trunk, the trunk door failed to open. On several other occasions, the trunk opened independently after being closed or did not close properly. The door would also fall and close independently. The failure recurred several times. On one occasion, the trunk door struck the contact's son on the head. Medical attention was not required. The vehicle was taken to ron smith Buick GMC (1900 auto center dr, merced, ca 95340), but the dealer was unable to diagnose the failure and stated that they could not find any issue with the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 122,500.
Related recalls
Structure › Body › Hatchback/liftgate
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured January 3, 2007, to February 29, 2012, 2009-2012 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured July 6, 2008, to March 9, 2012, 2007-2012 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured September 15, 2006, to February 29, 2012, and 2007-2010 Saturn…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power liftgate actuator motor control unit so that the motor will prevent the rapid closing of the lift gate, free of charge.
Body complaints in other Enclave years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2008 Buick Enclave?
NHTSA has 77 complaints about the body & structure of the 2008 Buick Enclave, 14% of the model year's 536 complaints. The component named most often is body (37 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Buick Enclave body problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 15V-415 (hatchback/liftgate, Jun 30, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2008 Buick Enclave body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 86,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 26 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.