2019 BUICK ENCLAVE Power Train Problems

The car hesitates when accelerating. It feels like its going to die. Also, the car has shut off randomly with the display saying "not in right conditions to start". The dying has happened a few times.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection? The issue appears to be related to the auto start-stop system and/or an EVAP-related component, as the vehicle will sometimes completely shut off instead of restarting when stopped. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? When the engine shuts off, the vehicle loses all power, including steering and brake assist. This has happened at red lights, stop signs, and in school zone traffic. I have to restart the vehicle while stopped in active traffic lanes, which puts me and others at high risk of being hit. I am a single mom with 3 young children. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. A Buick dealership inspected the vehicle earlier this year. They observed the stalling issue but could not identify a single cause. They suggested possible repair attempts, but the issue has continued. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? It has only been inspected by a Buick dealership service department. No other agencies have inspected it. Were there any warning lights, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure? When did they first appear? No warning lights or messages appeared when it first happened. The problem began before I replaced the battery, and replacing the battery did not resolve the issue. Additional Description: When I come to a stop—at red lights, stop signs, or in traffic—the vehicle’s auto start-stop system activates like normal, but instead of restarting, the engine will completely shut off. I then lose power steering and braking support and must restart the car in the middle of the roadway. It is unpredictable and unsafe. Sometimes it’s instantly but today I sat there for 15 minutes waiting. I took it straight to autozone and everything tested good.

This is the third time in less the last couple of months that the air conditioning system on this 2019 Buick Enclave has failed. The vehicle consistently blows only hot air, regardless of whether it is in motion or stationary. The problem does not fluctuate with changes in speed or drive duration. In addition, there is a consistent noise coming from the dashboard area that resembles a hydraulic hinge or actuator.

The 2019 Buick Enclave was taken in for transmission fluid flush & check. The dealer came back and stated that the torque converter needed replacement. The car was still under mileage warranty but just past the roll-off-line date by a month. There are numerous issues all over the internet related to The Enclave torque converter issues. Even a service bulleting PIP5608J that covers these exact issues. It is a wide spread safety issue. If the transmission fails, what is the outcome at high speeds? It has just over 69,000 miles. Todays transmissions should last 150,000 miles minimum. Unacceptable!

The contact owns a 2019 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that while at a stop light the Auto START/STOP feature malfunctioned. The contact stated that after releasing the brake pedal, the vehicle turned off instead of restarting the engine. The contact stated that several minutes had passed before being able to restart the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V668000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 60,000.

Mileage: 60,000

I found where there was a recall on 2019 Buick and mine was not listed. It is doing what I have read about the recall. The transmission is shuttering at low speeds.

The contact owns a 2019 Buick Enclave. The contact stated that upon the start of the vehicle, a loud grinding noise would emit from the rear end of the vehicle. To correct the failure, the contact operated the vehicle in front-wheel drive instead of all-wheel drive. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for service, but the contact was given a diagnostic fee and declined. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the cause of the failure was linked to the rear differential. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

Mileage: 87,000

There are a couple of issues causing our concerns about the car. 1. Alternator - The alternator was reported went bad after only 4 years of usage, the dealer refused to pay the fixing cost for this. Due to the failure of the alternator, the car lost all the power in the middle of the road with our entire family in the car during the night, very dangerous. The car suddenly stopped at the road with 50MPH speed limit. 2. Engine and Catalytic converter pipe - The engine light is on due to abnormal feeling of the engine power, the dealer could not fix the issue in weeks and no rental car provided and we were asked to drive the car home and waiting for order status of the parts. 3. Exhaust system failure - The dealer mentioned the welding of the connection is bad ( still under warranty ) but refused to fix it but ask the customer to pay for the replacement and labor.

Traveled and car begin to shake when I got to destination. The shift gears lights started going from neutral to Low gear and my speed began to drop down even when I was accelerating. The engine light came on and the stabilitrak light was on during times I stop at lights or stop lights only when in traffic but not on the highway. After seen by an auto service dealer, the stabilitrak light still comes on during stops at the light or stop signs and hesitation to accelerate with a heaviness to steer. There appears to be a dragging or pull when accelerating not very smooth. The service was with the transmission, however, no attempt to fix the stabilitrak and now I am to take it back in, not really enjoying my vehicle, my American vehicle, this really saddens me.

Stabilizer trak

On the morning of October 25, 2021 at approximately 7:05 am, I was fixing to leave to go to work. The carport light was on, so I open the door to my car, slid into the driver’s seat, started the car up and the lights came on. As I was starting to get out of the car to go turn the carport lights off, I realized the car was going backwards. I tried to get back into the driver’s seat to try to stop the car but I was unable to do so. The door knocked me down on the concrete floor of the carport and the front left tire ran over both my legs. The car continued to go backwards, the door hit the column between the carport bays but continued to travel backwards down our approx. 11-foot paved drive way, crossed the dirt road and stopped when the back of the car went into the deep ditch that runs along the dirt road at that point. When my husband arrived, the car was still running and the lights were on. The man driving the wrecker for the local EMA Director and my husband all looked at the gear shift and the car was in PARK.

WHEN VEHICLE REENGAGING FROM AUTO START/STOP DURING STOPS IN TRAFFIC AND/OR LIGHTS/SIGNS, SLAMMING INTO GEAR AFTER REMOVING FOOT FROM BRAKE, PRIOR TO PUSHING GAS PEDAL. HAPPENS IN HIGHWAY TRAVEL (IF HAVING TO COME TO A STOP) AND CITY TRAVEL. DEALERSHIP REPLACED AUXILIARY FLUID ACCUMULATOR AND ADDED FLUID TO TRANSMISSION. OWNER NOW REALIZES FLUID SPOTS IN DRIVEWAY ARE WHERE VEHICLE MUST HAVE BEEN LEAKING SOME FLUID.

Mileage: 16,000

TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAR SUDDENLY SHIFTED ITSELF INTO NEUTRAL AND COULD NOT BE ENGAGE BACK TO ANY DRIVE GEARS. BRAKES WERE INOPERABLE AND ACCELERATOR WAS IN OPERABLE. FINALLY CAME TO A STOP BY COASTING TO THE SHOULDER AND WAITING FOR SPEED TO DROP FAR ENOUGH TO GET VEHICLE TO GO INTO PARK.

Mileage: 1,500