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Buick Enclave Power Steering Noise

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Comments

  • pburgburtpburgburt Member Posts: 2
    edited July 2012
    Thanks Cassidy5 and jsmith for your response. I took my car in to get serviced this morning for the power steering noise and it took about 2 hours and they replace the steering sector boot and hose and replaced the fluid and the "groaning noise is gone". They said the boot gets dried out and that what makes the noise. Happy with C&D Motors in Waterloo, Iowa. So Far so good! I don't know what it would have,I still have some Bumper to Bumper left.
  • tammy12tammy12 Member Posts: 12
    ok.. i have to say that i love my 2010 enclave and i better since its loaded with every thing i could have possibly put on it.. a bit expensive but i love it!

    the power steering was whinning not long after i purchased it so i brought it in and the dealership changed it out! but it whinning again! havent contacted the dealer yet but i will!

    the a/c works great but most of the time it sounds like it has a bind on it. so much so im scared it wont last long like that!

    had bubbling on the black part between the windows but the dealership changed the film.. no problem with it yet

    while driving if the window is put half way down it kills my ears and it sounds like i have a flat tire doesnt matter whether its a back or front window!
  • tiffanym1tiffanym1 Member Posts: 4
    I had the service manager call a couple of times and explain to them that it was a safety issue and I was barely out of warranty. The first time, they agreed to pay half and finally they agreed to pay for all of it. I also had them pay for all but $200 of the price of repairing the same issue in my daughter's 2008 Saturn Vue by asking the service manager to call again.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    tiffanym1,
    I just wanted to follow up with you and make sure that your concerns have been addressed. If you have any questions comments or concerns please feel free to email me directly. Have a great day!
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    tammy12,
    Thank you for taking the time to post your feedback. I have documented your concerns. Please let us know how things go at the dealer. Feel free to email me directly with any questions comments or concerns.
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    We're glad that everything has worked out so smoothly for you! If you're wondering about any existing recalls on your Enclave, send us the last 8 digits of your VIN to [email protected] and we'd be happy to look this up for you.
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • buckeyewifebuckeyewife Member Posts: 8
    Just want to post AGAIN....car in shop for leak and clunk on acceleration. This is the 8th time for the transmission alone. :lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
  • chosen33chosen33 Member Posts: 10
    I'm reading all of these posts and my 2008 Buick Enclave has had everyone one of these problems. Leaking sunroof, bubbling around window, replaced rack & pinion for steering wheel that locked up on me 5hrs away from home coming from a funeral, and now my transmission. The transmission has been going bad since last year...truck vibrates as I accelerate and transmission light comes on every other week. Many months ago 1 dealer told me I needed a new transmission (as I posted on here before)..got a 2nd & 3rd opinion and both said I didn't. But they couldn't tell me why my car was sluggish and vibrating. Fast forward about 6-7 months now 3rd dealer is telling I need a new transmission. And it's going to cost me about $3500 plus another $1000 because they said the struts will go bad by being on the lift so long while they replace the transmission. So $4500 in total :mad:

    All of these vehicles are having the same problem yet there is no recall. I have to pay thousands of dollars to purchase the car, now I have to pay thousands to keep it rolling also. I love my Enclave, but these issues are terrible and I don't have $4500 to fix my car right now...and it's getting slower by the day....very disappointed!
  • aaplsueaaplsue Member Posts: 37
    My 08 has had steering noise (air noise) I have had it checked 3 times while under warranty from 2 different GM dealers and they said the car was new and they still had not learned of the issue or how to fix it. In 2012 I got an oil change and soon after I noticed the steering now has a rubbing squeaking noise, I'm told I need a rack and pinion. With 50k mi I am now out of warranty. I was told that it's not dangerous and I can drive but if I want the noise to stop I need this fix. After hearing all the stories about COMMON ISSUES needing RP and steering failure I'm wondering if I'm safe. I wish they had discovered the issue while under warranty. I would like to know how many complaints on file with GM and how many more needed for recall?
  • eltraineltrain Member Posts: 1
    Sarah, I am in need of a similar repair on two of the most common items on the 2008 Buick Enclave. The very loud power steering noise and also a faulty transmission. I reported both issues almost 12 months ago to the dealers at Thompson Buick in Raleigh. I was told then that the power steering issues was one the manufacturer had not sent out a fix for and that the dealer would contact us when they did. 12 months later, no contact from the dealer, but I have found many people on this message board were in deed able to get their power steering noise replaced and repaired. As for the transmission, that is an even longer story but does involve the same dealership and the same time period in which no resolution was found, other than "everything should be ok and we will call you if we hear anything from Buick/GM. Looking to get some assistance here with a dealer, the only one in our city by the way, that has thus far underwhelmed us with their willingness to support our claims via a repair.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Hello aaplsue,

    We're sorry to hear about the steering concern you're having with your Enclave. Have you spoken with Customer Assistance on this already? If you would like for us to check into anything further, please contact us at [email protected] (include your name and contact information, the last 8 of your VIN, and the name of your involved dealership).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good morning eltrain,

    We would be happy to look into this further with you by setting up a Service Request. To do so, we would need for you to email us the following information at [email protected] : your name and Edmunds username, phone and address, the last 8 digits of your VIN and current mileage, and the name of your preferred dealership.

    All the best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • eliseedm4eliseedm4 Member Posts: 1
    I purchased my 2008 Enclave about a year ago from a dealer. It had around 46000 miles on it. Like other owners my steering also makes a squeaking noise. My car doesn't accelerate like a normal vehicle. I can press the accelerator and it takes a few seconds to take off. I had the dealership check it and they said no problems.My water pump went out while we were out of town for Thanksgiving. It was still under warranty. My automatic lift gate had a problem and was also covered under warranty. However my son laid the front passenger seat back and it wouldn't raise back up. It cost me $700 to repair my seat motor. Now the brake system light is on along with the stabilitrack light. My side mirrors have to be readjusted every time I drive it. The check engine light is bad to come on if the gas cap is not put on exactly right. Unfortunately the only good thing I can say is that my enclave is sharp looking. I wish it's performance would match its looks.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good morning eliseedm4,

    We're sorry to see that you've had so many difficulties with your Enclave. Have you contacted Customer Assistance already on this? If you would like for us to check into anything further with you, please send us an email at [email protected] (include your name and Edmunds username, phone and address, the last 8 of your VIN and mileage, and the name of your preferred dealership).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • aaplsueaaplsue Member Posts: 37
    A few hours after getting enclave back from rack and pinion replacement the car fails again. Break light and stabili trak light comes on. Next day no problems until I press stabili trak button, it stays on. Next day everything working fine. I took it to the dealer and I'm told I have a faulty brake master cylinder $546 repair. I'm told to not drive the car. I want to see the park and take pictures after it's pulled. Is it true they send the faulty part to GM or do I need to get it myself then have GM send for it? I need to know why this happened especially after having the car fair twice in 1 week (MAJOR) $$$ on my part. The 08 still has bugs and faulty parts and I'm not happy about spending another $$ on a car I can not trust. Warranty just expired. Not sure if this issue was happening while in warranty.
  • justdavecjustdavec Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2008 Enclave, have had the struts replaced twice, sway bar links replaced once and rattling again, and the power steering pump replaced once and now howling and hanging up again. This vehicle has 73k miles on it and has been plagued with these types of problems, not to mention the black applique bubbles around the windows and the right-side view mirror that has a mind of its own. At last service had power steering checked again and was told had a minor leak and they added some fluid. Absolutely did not remedy the issue. Today it is worse and heading back to the dealership for further diagnosis of the power steering and rattling. I highly suspect the rack and pinion and pump will need replacing and sway links are worn. This issue with the steering locking/hanging up is a serious safety issue. Looks like there is plenty of documentation to solidify a case when someone has a serious accident as a result. If this vehicle is not a valid candidate for a recall I don't know what is. Nice ride and great looks, but I do not off road with this vehicle to be seeing such issues. Can't say I'd buy another or recommend it to others. Cost of ownership is ridiculous.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    justdavec,
    We hope that all goes well with your dealership and we look forward to an update.

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • justdavecjustdavec Member Posts: 3
    Meyer Automotive in Seward diagnosed it needing power steering pump, and rack and pinion replaced. Can you please provide me some assistance with this?
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Hey justdavec,

    We can certainly look into this further! Please email us the following information at [email protected]: your name and Edmunds username, phone and address, last 8 digits of your VIN and current mileage, and the name of your involved dealership. We cannot guarantee what the end resolution will be, but we will certainly investigate what if anything can be done in the situation.

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • hpy2hpy2 Member Posts: 3
    Is anyone getting this message? All of a sudden and everytime I go to brake, the ding sound triggers to to service stability traction control or service brake system. I think that maybe a technician changed my mechanics read when I had to have the windshield wiper tube unplugged about a month ago. Now no matter what even when I'm parked the message continues to pop up over and over and over again but no slippery roads, no ice, no wet pavement what's going on??????? :(
  • ch47dr1ch47dr1 Member Posts: 1
    Just took my 2009 Buick Enclave back to the dealership for the third time over the whining and whizzing noise in the steering wheel and several other small problems found when we purchased the car in July. Three different people told me that this noise is normal. "Excuse me." I am a Federally licensed mechanic and noise coming from the steering wheel when you turn is never normal. My Enclave is just now getting to 60,000 miles and it was a GM Certified used car. It's a real pile of junk. I guess I can look forward to having a lot of work done. At least we still have a little warranty left. I gearing up for a long hard fight, especially after what the Service manager told me this morning about fixing the vinyl appliques on the doors. They replaced them and did shoddy work. The appliques where not properly sealed at the edges and the vinyl was already coming unglued in less than one day. The manager said that this was a used car and it had to stop somewhere. Good workmanship never stops, just bad workmanship. Like I said before, it was a GM Certified used car. All of this should have been discovered when it was certified. Only four more trips to go under Texas Lemon Law. :mad:
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good morning ch47dr1,

    We're sorry that the noise concerns you're having with your steering wheel remains unresolved after so many trips to your dealership. Have you started anything with Customer Assistance on this matter yet? If you would like for us to get a Service Request set up and check into this further for you, please email us at [email protected] with more details (including your name and Edmunds username, phone and address, the last 8 digits of your VIN and current mileage, and the name of your involved dealership).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • twt2twt2 Member Posts: 6
    Been following the threads of problems with Buick Enclave. I have a 2009 and have the power steering problem, transmission and applique peeling. I have been this vehicle's biggest fan, but not now that the dealer wants me to pony up three grand for recent problems. To think I was thinking about getting a Buick sedan to replace my second car a lexus. But why would I? My Lexus' reliability has been unbelievable. Why would I want to take a chance now that I am having problems with the one I currently have. And all of my problems aren't isolated..sounds like what many others are experiencing.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Hello twt2,

    If you wanted for us to check into the current repairs your dealership has recommended for your Enclave, please contact us at [email protected] with more details (including your name and Edmunds username, phone and address, a summary of your current concerns, the last 8 of your VIN and mileage, and the name of your address).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • ch47drch47dr Member Posts: 1
    I am sorry Sarah, but I have tried and tried to get to [email protected] , but it seems not to exist, anyway, let me say that our last experience with our local dealer was a less than pleasant. They keep the car for 11 days and nothing was done to it other than install a plastic retainer on a piece of side trim. We are in the process of sending letters to the general manager of the buick dealership as well as the service manager of the chevrolet service center. Also, we are contacting the Texas State Attorney General in reference to the dealership not disclosing at the time of sale a possible life-threating problem with the Buick Enclave that has been know to GM for several years. If I had a good email address for you other than [email protected] I would send a copy to you.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Maybe the @ sign is getting you. We mask it to foil spambots. Try manually typing the address into your email.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Sorry about the difficulty with our email address, ch47dr. If you wanted to try my work email at [email protected] we'll see if that does the trick.

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • mjaquettemjaquette Member Posts: 2
    edited November 2012
    I noticed a clunking in my steering this morning. I was not surprised to see that its not covered by the powertrain warranty! Have not taken to dealer to get checked out but I have noticed that a lot of other people have had this same problem. What are my options? 2008 buick enclave 69245 miles
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Good morning mjaquette,

    I hope you get some good insight from members of the Edmunds community. If you do decide on working with a dealership on this and want for us to look into it further with them, please contact us via email at [email protected] (include your name and contact information, the last 8 digits of your VIN and mileage, the name of your involved dealership, and a brief recap of the situation).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • mjaquettemjaquette Member Posts: 2
    Thanks, sarah! I will send you the info. I have yet to contact my dealer on this matter. But plan too tomorrow.
  • muttmutt1muttmutt1 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2008 Buick Enclave that I purchased new in 2009. I September of 2011 I smelled what smelled like power steering fluid or some other kind of coolant. I checked my fluid levels and they were all ok.
    Now I have this terrible groaning in my power steering unit. I have talked to the dealer ship and they said they are very aware of the problem but there are no recalls on this. They said that with as many people as they have had this problem you would think GM would recall these cars. I love the car but this issue unless handled the right way will keep me from buying a new Enclave. Has anyone heard of a simple fix for this extremely annoying problem.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    muttmutt1,

    Are you looking to fix this concern with your power steering on your own, or were you still looking to work with the dealership? Let us know if we can check into anything further with your dealership for you by emailing us at [email protected] (include your name and contact information, the last 8 digits of your VIN and mileage, and a brief summary of the situation).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • pat08pat08 Member Posts: 2
    I'm the original owner of an 2008 Buick Enclave we also bought the GMPP 72/100 bumper to bumper insurance. I've been stranded by this car five times where it had to be towed to the dealership. Three times it was caused by a complete Power Steering failure to where there was no steering. A frightening experience especially when it happened in traffic. Some of the parts replaced, three times, the PS Pump, the Gear Assembly. We've decided to dump this car since there is no warning before the PS fails it just freezes up creating a life threatening situation. Additional items requiring major repair or replacement over the years include, the radio navigation system, various door appliqués, the transmission control module, instrument panel compartment door, power vacuum brake booster, and perhaps just as serious as the Power Steering problem was the Camshaft timing chain with steering linkage outer tie rod. This last problem kept the car in the service center for over two weeks. Thank goodness we bought the insurance or the repair costs would have been HUGE. The Enclave is great in many ways but the safety hazards and on going failures give this car an "F".
  • mgmd11mgmd11 Member Posts: 4
    Pat08, your Enclave experience is similar to ones many of us have had. I have a 2009 with 72,000 miles now. Unfortunately, I did not buy the extended warranty so I had to pay for a new power steering pump and a new rack & pinion gear. I have also had the transmission replaced which was covered by the power train warranty. Last month, the front sway bar broke in two while making a turn and was dragging on the ground. This was not covered by warranty but the Buick mechanics were so dumbfounded as to how this could happen, I was not charged for the replacement so kudos to my dealer for that. I am now looking for a new car before something else breaks.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    pat08,
    We're so sorry to hear about the many troubles you had with your Enclave! Is there anything we can look into for you at this time? If so, please don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected].

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • carman336carman336 Member Posts: 1
    I wish we had visited this forum BEFORE we purchased our 08 Enclave. It just turned 90k miles and we also have a howling noise in the power steering as well as a low speed vibration in the drive train. We had been driving a 2004 Lexus RX330 with 120k miles that never gave us any problems. When we wanted to get a newer vehicle, we decided to give GM a try once again and the Enclave really appealed to us. We love the looks, the interior is well appointed and all of the options are nice and convenient. However, we are completely unimpressed with the way this vehicle rides-- much rougher than the Lexus. Now we are experiencing mechanical issues and are in the process of having it checked out at a local Buick dealer. After what we've read here, I'm afraid to hear back from them! Stay tuned. Incidentally, prior to the Lexus, we drove a 2007 Chevy Avalanche that had to have the transmission replaced when it went out completely without warning at 70,XXX miles. Thankfully, it was still under GM's drivetrain warranty.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Keep us posted on what you find out, carman336. We're available should you want for us to check things out further - email us at [email protected] (include your name and contact information, the last 8 digits of your VIN and contact information, and a summary of the situation).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • dwarstldwarstl Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2010 enclave that is having power steering failure. I almost got in an accident when I was making a legal u turn at the light and barely could turn the wheel. If I'm moving a little I can turn it better, but it is definitely not right! After reading all these posts , there needs to be a recall! My 17 year old son was the first to notice it. He was complaining that it was hard to park and get out of tight spots because if your foot is on the brake you have no power steering! I will report this to the safety bureau, but Buick had better step up and stand behind their product. We are trying to buy American , but 65k miles is not enough for this to happen. I have a 1987 Saab that has no steering problems and it has over 200k on it! Come on GM , step up!
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    dwarstl,

    Are you going to be working with your dealership on this? Please let us know if we can check into anything further on this with you and your service department.

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • tammy12tammy12 Member Posts: 12
    hey i had a whinning in my steering on my 2010 enclave and brought it in several times for it! finally last time i brought it in they had a fix for it! it was leaking out the steering fluid! so every time i had my regular service they would fill it up and it would stop whinning but then would start up again! take it to the dealer and let them know to look for the fix kit to stop the leak! if its that bad you might want to not drive it too much before they do it! golden motors in galliano louisiana found the fix for me!! hope this helps i have no more whinning and my steering is smooth for over 4 months now!
  • llee1968llee1968 Member Posts: 2
    I am an original owner of a 2008 Buick Enclave - which I have loved up until this point. I had referred two people to the dealership I purchased mine at and they bought one as well - it is a great vehicle, however, I have noticed a noise in the steering column when I am turning the steering wheel. It started out small at first but has progressively gotten louder. To the point I don't have anyone ride with me because I am embarrassed that I have such a nice car but a noise I can not get rid of - I am so disppointed. I called the GMC/Buick dealership and spoke with the service manager and he advised this is an inherent issue with the Buick Enclaves!! He said he does not know why GM has not sent a fix out or recalled for this issue as they have had complaints. He said that GM told them they can replace the power steering fluid with coolant because it is thinner. I was advised it is a known issue and has to do with the proximity of the power steering cable to something else and the noise is caused from this coming up into the steering column. I am SO DISAPPOINTED!! I had heard the noise while under warranty but thought it was just something minor - it is now a little over 100k miles, out of warranty and I don't know what to do. I just knew when I told the service manager and he said it was a known inherent problem, that GM would fix this without a cost to me!! I had just paid it off and had hoped to have it for many many years as I love it other than this. I feel bad for referring others to buy one. I can not believe a company as large as GM can not help those out with the problem and provide a fix. I am just so disapointed and a bit jaded.
  • chosen33chosen33 Member Posts: 10
    Sounds like the issue I had before they replaced the rack and pinion. I had that noise for months and yes I was also embarrassed. Eventually, while I was 5hrs from home, my steering wheel begin to lock if I turned or slowed down. It went away when they replaced the rack and pinion
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    llee1968,

    Let us know if we can work with you and your dealership on this matter - we can be reached at [email protected] (include your name and contact information, the last 8 digits of your VIN and mileage, and a summary of the situation so far).

    Thank you,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • paenclavepaenclave Member Posts: 1
    This post is for someone at GM.

    We are the original owners of a 2008 Buick Enclave. After the dealership replaced anti-sway struts (approx 67,000 miles) I noticed a clunk when the steering wheel was turned. It seemed to be more pronounced in cold weather and when the car was cold. We took the car in to dealer and they told us that the rack and pinion needed to be changed.

    I was charged $57.00 for the diagnosis. When we got the car back the power steering pump was noticeably louder. The dealer told me the steering rack was safe, but to get rid of the noise, I would have to pay about $1000 for parts and labor. I checked and the reservoir was low. There was no sign of a leak (of the closed system).

    I can provide the vehicle he VIN via email.

    Are there any steering related SBs on the vehicle?

    Can you research the VIN to determine if the vehicle has variable steering? The owners manual indicates it has variable steering.

    As an aside, we enjoyed our Enclave up until about the 67,000 mile point. The steering problem, that based on other owners' comments appears to be systemic, replaced a shock, and a replaced a water pump (included two returns to the dealer for loose clamps/leaks) have eroded my confidence in the vehicle.

    Thanks,

    Scott McConnell
    Sent from my iPad
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Mr. McConnell,

    We would be happy to check into your questions further. Could we please have you forward your inquiries, a well as the last 8 digits of your VIN, to us via email at [email protected]?

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • tjarm121tjarm121 Member Posts: 1
    I just received the same diagnosis on my 2010 Enclave with 66K miles. Never came up during any previous visits to the dealership although we had asked them to look into the noise previously, but this time I need to replace the power steering pump and steering rack at a cost over $1,800 (only covered to 50K miles per dealer). When I mentioned the noise this time they seem to know exactly what it was before looking at the car. Clearly there is a problem with the design if so many people are having the same issues. Had we been told to keep an eye on this previously, or if GM would correct what ever is causing all these leaks, there would be a lot less complaints.

    Tom
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    tjarm121,
    How is everything running after the replacement of the pump and rack? We're sorry that you encountered these repairs on your Enclave, but hopefully everything's operating well for you now.
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • lovemycar22lovemycar22 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2009 Buick Enclave and it makes noises when going over bumps. Took it in and they suggested i replace the struts at $1,000 cost. Told me they have had a lot of problems like this but that Buick has not issued any recall yet. Has anyone else here had this problem, and did you replace the struts or just leave as is. I am told it is not dangerous just noisy. And how can we get Buick to address this?
    Thanks in advance for any insight, as i love the car but HATE the noise. Maybe time to trade in on different car with less noise....
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    lovemycar22,

    We can check into any options available to you on the struts, but cannot guarantee any results up front. Please contact us at [email protected] with more information (including your name and contact details, the last 8 digits of your VIN and mileage, and a summary of the situation).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • chosen33chosen33 Member Posts: 10
    I have a 2008 Enclave and have this problem..I was told I need to replace front struts..it's been this way for a year..driving fine with it for awhile but now it's quite noisy , bumpy and real embarrassing when u have passengers..I'm going to break down and have them done
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