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2020 Buick Enclave problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
48%
27 of 56 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

48% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2020 Buick Enclave are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 61% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 3 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 46%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2020 Buick Enclave have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 27 of 56 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Buick Enclave concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (48%), and the largest group is filed under engine (16). For comparison, the 2019 scores 68% and the 2021 scores 22%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
27
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
59
this model year
Fires reported
0
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
6
3 crashes · 2 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE16 · 27%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER12 · 20%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM10 · 17%
POWER TRAIN9 · 15%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM6 · 10%
SERVICE BRAKES5 · 8%

The years either side

2010
38%
101 of 275
2011
45%
77 of 212
2012
33%
36 of 132
2013
51%
27 of 70
2014
48%
40 of 292
2015
28%
17 of 171
2016
53%
16 of 141
2017
31%
10 of 179
2018
49%
30 of 65
2019
68%
26 of 42
2020
48%
27 of 59
2021
22%
5 of 26
2022
too few complaints
2023
too few complaints

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2020 Buick Enclave

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN04/21/20241 INJURED
After waiting at stop light with foot on the brake (auto stop not engaged) the light turned green. After releasing brake pedal and the car rolling approx 1 foot , then starting to accelerate, within 1-1/2 seconds the transmission went into park abruptly. The shift lever displayed “Park” and “Parking brake” on the DIC…

One of 27 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2020 Buick Enclave?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2020 Buick Enclave involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 6 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

power train: automatic transmission20V668000 · Oct 2020

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an…

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer…

fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump20V639000 · Oct 2020

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, Cadillac XT6, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The fuel pump's jet nozzle may have a plastic burr remaining from the manufacturing process, possibly causing a blocked nozzle and an insufficient fuel supply to the engine.

Risk: Insufficient fuel supply can result in an engine stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module. The recall began November 16, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet…

4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
tires21V115000 · Feb 2021
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC…
tires20V684000 · Nov 2020
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse vehicles and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The…
air bags: side/window: curtain: inflator20V446000 · Jul 2020
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5 and XT6, Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 and Traverse and GMC Acadia and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500…
structure: frame and members19V643000 · Sep 2019
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse vehicles. The right-hand frame rail in the engine compartment may be cracked.

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2020 Buick Enclave? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2020 Buick Enclave

Does the 2020 Buick Enclave have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 27 of 56 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Buick Enclave concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (48%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2020 Buick Enclave?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2020 Buick Enclave involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 6 in total: 20V668000 (power train: automatic transmission), 20V639000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Buick Enclave years are better?

Among the Buick Enclave years we track, the 2021 (22%), the 2015 (28%) and the 2017 (31%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2020 (48%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2020 Buick Enclave?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2020 Buick Enclave has an elevated engine complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing engine work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the engine. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.