NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 19 complaints against the 2021 Buick Enclave. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2021 Buick Enclave complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2021 Buick Enclave has generated 38 NHTSA complaints and has 2 active recalls. If your 2021 Buick Enclave has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Buick pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Brake defects affecting safety may qualify for California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, which applies to defects likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. The 2021 Buick Enclave has generated 12 NHTSA complaints related to braking, including ABS failures, grinding, reduced stopping power, and warning lights. Owner reports include: “Brakes started grinding at 1000 miles. I will filed a complaint with the dealership and hope they record it. Now I have approximately 2100 miles on the car and it continues to sound and feel like my brake pad and rotor on the right front are grinding every time I apply the brakes. On July 23 2021 an own coming 18 wheeler did not see me and made a left turn in front of me at the traffic light . I step on the brakes lightly to stop but the car made the metal to metal sound and kept moving forward. So I had to jam on the brakes to stop. All wheels slid forward immediately except the front right. I think different brake pads and rotors are needed on this vehicle. This is definitely a safety issue to all drivers as well as others that are on the road.” (NHTSA Complaint #11430512)
The 2021 Buick Enclave has generated 4 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “The catalytic converter has been replaced 3 times. The flex pipes has been repaired and replaced 4 times and the exhaust pipes has been welded on 5 times. The back tail pipe fail off while driving and had to be welded. The exhaust on this vehicle has given me many problems.” (NHTSA Complaint #11670139)
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2021 Buick Enclave include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 4 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “Power Liftgate was functioning erratically and now it won’t open at all. Currently there is no way to manually open the liftgate or access the rear of the vehicle without climbing through the vehicle to get to the trunk area. Electrical switches on inside, exterior of vehicle nor the keyfob will open the liftgate. Previously the liftgate opened on its own at unintended times and now it has simply quit working. Safety issue was when it was opening while driving. It is not currently doing this since it won’t work anymore. Complete Failure happened around 54K miles.” (NHTSA Complaint #11644448)
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2021 Buick Enclave include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 2 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “Problem: The back hatch or trunk door pops open randomly on its own, many times a day. In a parking lot once. It hasn’t happened while I’ve been driving. Safety issue because if it were to open while in public and a person wasn’t in the vehicle, then anyone could enter the vehicle and theft could occur. Yes, the vehicle is available for inspection. A service center confirmed that it’s the switch in the back hatch. No, the vehicle hasn’t been inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance. No, there haven’t been any warning lights with this issue.” (NHTSA Complaint #11679079)
The 2021 Buick Enclave has generated 2 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “The contact owns a 2021 Buick Enclave. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the tailgate latch independently unlocked. The contact stated the failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The vehicle was scheduled for an inspection and diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 39,700.” (NHTSA Complaint #11659614)
The following 2 recalls have been issued for the 2021 Buick Enclave by the NHTSA or Buick. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: AIR BAGS:SENSOR:FRONTAL IMPACT
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will update the air bag calibration software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 29, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM’s number for this recall is N212340220.
Component: AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: Roof rail air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the harness connector to the roof rail air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM’s number for this recall is N212352140.
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2021 Buick Enclave:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Buick to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Buick must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2021 Buick Enclave qualifies as a lemon under California law, Buick may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Buick a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Buick dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Buick pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Buick a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Buick is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2021 Buick Enclave has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
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