FREE VEHICLE RESEARCH
2018 Buick Enclave AWD
The 2018 Buick Enclave AWD has no open NHTSA safety recalls on file, 64 owner complaints, and gets about 20 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.
SPECS
2018 Buick Enclave AWD at a glance
- Engine
- 6-cyl 3.6L
- Cylinders
- 6
- Displacement
- 3.6 L
- Drivetrain
- All-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Automatic 9-spd
- Body
- Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
- Fuel
- Regular
Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 11, 2026.
SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA
No safety recalls on file with NHTSA for this year and model. That's a good sign.
NHTSA has opened one or more investigations covering this model. Recalls can follow an investigation, so check NHTSA for the latest before you buy.
Open safety recalls are free to fix at any franchised dealer. What recalls mean → Source: NHTSA recalls, as of July 11, 2026. Recalls can be issued any time, confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
OWNER COMPLAINTS · NHTSA
64 filed- 15
POWER TRAIN
After two transmission flushes and being told by a Buick dealership's service technicians that nothing is wrong with the vechile's transmission, it has now failed completely at ~90k miles.
- 15
SERVICE BRAKES
Several times I have been stopped at a red light, and my parking break will come on without me engaging it. I was almost hit by other vehicles the last time my vehicle did this. People were blasting their horns and speeding around me becaus
- 7
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2018 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shut off and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the alternator was replaced 4 times before the dealer dia
- 6
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2018 Enclave w/106k on the odometer and the catalytic convertor cracked. $2200 repair.
- 6
ENGINE
Exhaust leak from broken front exhaust pipe. This has been a known defect in this make/model however the year of my vehicle was not included in the extended repair window and should have been. The exhaust leak was identified by the dealersh
- 2
SUSPENSION
I am submitting this letter to formally report two ongoing issues with my 2018 Buick Enclave. First, I have experienced persistent problems with the emissions purge valve. My vehicle has repeatedly triggered diagnostic trouble code P0496,
Problems owners reported to the government, useful for spotting patterns, not proof any one car has them. What complaints mean → Source: NHTSA complaints, as of July 11, 2026. Owner-submitted reports, not verified diagnoses.
CRASH-TEST RATINGS · NHTSA NCAP
- Overall
- ★★★★★
- Frontal
- ★★★★☆
- Side
- ★★★★★
- Rollover
- ★★★★☆
Government crash tests of this model; not every trim or year is tested. Source: NHTSA NCAP, as of July 11, 2026.
FUEL & RUNNING COST · U.S. EPA
- Combined
- 20 mpg
- City / Hwy
- 17 / 25
- Est. fuel / yr
- $3,100
- CO₂ / mi
- 446 g
EPA lab estimates; real mpg varies by how you drive. Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov, as of July 11, 2026. Annual cost assumes 15,000 mi/yr at EPA's reference price.
All figures above come from free U.S. government sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, investigations, crash tests) and the EPA (fuel economy and specs). We don't show market price, insurance cost, or proprietary reliability scores, because there's no free, reliable public source for them. For a verdict on a specific listing, with a fair-offer number and what to ask the seller, that's the VINly app.
BEFORE YOU BUY
What to check on this car
Watch for a pending investigation
NHTSA has an open investigation covering this model. A recall can follow an investigation, so check nhtsa.gov for the latest before you commit.
-
Test-drive the basics
Cold start, full-lock steering both ways, firm brakes with no pulsing, smooth shifts, and every electronic feature. Warning lights should come on at key-on, then go out.
-
Check the title and the VIN
Confirm the title status in hand matches the listing, and that the VIN matches across the dash, door jamb, and title. VINly does not show ownership or accident history, for that, run a paid report like Carfax.
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Ask the seller the right questions
Why they are selling, any service records, accident or panel-repaint history, how many owners, and whether any open recalls were completed.
See the full used-car inspection checklist. None of this replaces a hands-on inspection by a mechanic.
Quick answers
Are there any recalls on the 2018 Buick Enclave AWD? +
No open NHTSA safety recalls are on file for the 2018 Buick Enclave AWD. Recalls can be issued at any time, so confirm with the VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
What gas mileage does the 2018 Buick Enclave AWD get? +
The EPA rates the 2018 Buick Enclave AWD at 20 mpg combined (17 city / 25 highway), about $3,100 a year in fuel.
How safe is the 2018 Buick Enclave AWD? +
NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2018 Buick Enclave AWD 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars for rollover resistance.
What do owners complain about on the 2018 Buick Enclave AWD? +
Owners have filed 64 complaints with NHTSA for the 2018 Buick Enclave AWD, including 5 involving a crash. The most-reported area is power train.
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