Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Buick Enclave owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While driving 65 mph on the hwy, in rush hour traffic my entire steering column came completely out and I lost control of my vehicle causing a 3 car wreck. The only indicator that something was wrong was that just prior to this happening the tilt on my steering wheel came undone 2 times and by the 3rd time when I pushed the wheel back up to lock it into place it came out entirely. There was no lights, no nothing. No tampering of any kind had ever been done to it whatsoever. And no one has looked at it since. It still falls randomly while driving. I have a picture taken about 5 minutes before this happened and one taken after the accident I will upload.
The contact owns a 2009 Buick Enclave. The contact stated while reversing at 5 MPH, the steering wheel seized and was inoperable. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive to his destination. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the steering wheel sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 179,000.
Having problems with the power steering, was a recall but was informed recall has expired. I didn't purchase the vehicle until 2016, steering wheel is really tight, and going to cost thousands to fix, If this is a problem GM knew about they should at least be willing in some type of assistance to correct it.
Every time I turn right my car turns off. I am able to restart after. I've taken it to several mechanic's and no one seems to know the issue. I've had my battery change circuits change a tune up and my gas filter changed and the car still doesn't work.
While in motion and braking to turn right or left, my power steering completely goes out. The steering wheel becomes very difficult to turn causing me to almost hit another vehicle as the turning radius had become much more larger than I am used to. The power steering does not seem to be impacted while going 15 MPH or higher, it is only while applying brakes and slowing down and turning, right or left. I have been told by an auto shop that loss of power steering is a common problem for GM vehicles between 2009 - 2011 and that even a special coverage adjustment was issued, not a recall though. The special coverage was issued for cars up to 150,000 or 10 years after car was issued for service/sold. Ten years in my case was in February 2019. I called a GM dealer to ask for help and was told I'm out of luck because the 10 years had passed. …
I have had problems with this vehicle since I purchased it in jan 2015, this is one of several things that have gone wrong and make this vehicle extremely dangerous to drive, when steering this vehicle whether slowly into a parking spot or on a turn, the steering locks up on you and becomes extremely difficult to turn, also I have had problems with the transmission, often when trying to speed up to get on highway, it pulls back or the rpms reave really high and the car doesn't go forward. Also once you put the car in park and take your foot off the brake the car actually rolls several inches and bobs back an forth, this actually knocked my child down as she was getting out of car and she hit her head on the concrete. When telling the dealer of these issues their answer is well unless we can get the car to do these things we have no idea what your are talking about and can't fix it. …
When turning the vehicle to the left at a low speed, the power steering stopped functioning. The steering gear box was replaced, and functionality improved slightly for about a month. Mileage at the time was about 90,000. After a month, the issue returned. In addition to the power steering failure when turning left at low speeds, the vehicle started making a grinding noise near the front left of the vehicle, and the vehicle engine would cut in and out intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the steering rack was found to be the issue. The mileage at the time of this issue was about 107,000. Between the 90,000 mile issue and 107,000 mile issue, the power steering would cut in and out unexpectedly, and almost caused several accidents. …
At times the steering locks up at low speeds. It happens normally when turning a corner at low speeds. It locks up and very, very hard to turn. I am sure at some point in a congested area it is going to cause me to cause an accident and possibly hurting or killing someone or myself. This is without a question a safety issue that Buick needs to own. I have read in many forums that allot of Buick owners are experiencing this issue. I have owned alot of vehicles in my life and have never had to pay up to $2200 to fix the steering on a vehicle because of premature failure. I have owned several cars that I have driven over 200,000 miles and never had mechanical steering issues. Buick needs to own this critical safety issue. Respectfully, [redacted]
As I was driving the power steering was randomly going out for just a moment so I checked my power steering fluid and it was fine. The next time I drove it when I went to make a turn the power steering completely stopped working and I almost ran into another car. Very scary with 4 children in the car! Took it to 2 mechanics that I trust and they were both shocked that the steering rack was loose. Both said that it was something they almost never see, it was not something I could have done to make that happen and they were shocked to see that it was a problem. Both told me to look into a recall for it since it was a major safety issue and problem that is not a normal wear and tear. I check my VIN number and there are no recalls but I do see on multiple message boards that this is a big problem for 2009 Buick enclaves with 80,000 miles.
My steering continues to lock up when driving. Making turns steering gets tight. I have had almost had an accident due to this safety issue. At this point I am concerned for my safety and children when driving. There seems to be alot of issues and complaints regarding a replacement steering gear/rack pinion and leaking fluid. At one point do GM think about the safety of their customers. This repair cost is $1709.04. On top of other repairs I just paid $1812.44 to fix other issues that I can somewhat understand but the steering gear and rack pinion is definitely an issue of concern to all families and can definitely loose their life. Every day I get in my vehicle my concern is will my family loose their life if my steering lock up or I cant avoid an accident due to the issue.
Steering complaints in other Enclave years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2009 Buick Enclave?
NHTSA has 108 complaints about the steering of the 2009 Buick Enclave, 49% of the model year's 220 complaints. The component named most often is hydraulic power assist system (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Buick Enclave steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2009 Buick Enclave, though it has 8 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2009 Buick Enclave steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 0 injuries to steering 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.