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Chart based on 73 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.
2008 Buick Enclave
Engine not specified
75000 mi
Apparent failure of Pressure sensor in the Transmission Control Module (P0752). CEL and transmission went into limp mode, second and reverse only. GM has issued a service bulletin for this failure mode.
81000 mi
Another transmission rebuild. Repairing dlr stated that the dlr who did last repair (10k iles ago) didn't do it correctly
Transmission fluid leak has been ongoing but very slow. I had to allow the leak to build in order for the technician to find it. Replaced passenger side output shaft seal under warranty. No more leaks. I paid to flush transmission.
98580 mi
C $3000
Noticeable slipping shifting into 3rd and slightly into 5th. Lurching when in reverse. Replace 3-5-Rev housing,sun gear,control solenoid assembly, replace all necessary pistons, seals and gaskets
126480 mi
C $2700
left and right front axles and CV joints,
5000 mi
Transmission leak detected by independent shop during routine oil change. Install new transmission seal(s).
104000 mi
US $2200
gears don't shift properly, won't go beyond first gear.
had to take it in and have electronic transmission harness replaced & reprogrammed. Cost was about $2000.
86000 mi
Would have kept it but had incident of engine feeling like running on 5 cylinders. Checked it out and determined I might have the 2008 tranny problems.
1000 mi
Reflash of transmission shift points.
56200 mi
US $4400
I was close to home when my car was slow to respond after being at a stop sign. I had three stop signs to get home and each time, it was very slow to respond. After I got it home, could not put the car into gear at all.
140000 mi
Transmission started slipping.Refused to go into Reverse a few times.Check engine light came on,after car downshifted into a lower gear by itself after I came off a freeway exit ramp.Service dept reset the check engine light&I TRADED it in!
109500 mi
3.5.R Wave plate was cracked and spread metal all through the transmission. Replaced wave plate, piston, clutch steel, housing and seals
99000 mi
US $350
Wave plate
86267 mi
US $4701
Replaced Transmission with GM remanufactured transmission(3 yrs- or 100,000 miles) Also they did a Front and Rear Alignment. Note only 86,267 miles, (the extended warranty was 10yrs or 100k, just over 1 year of the 10years wasn't very happy, but to date(02 2022) no other transmission problems and getting better mileage(18-19mpg in town and up to 23+mpg on trips)
109244 mi
US $535
Also discovered rip in front axle cv joint boot (leaking grease), replaced right front CV axle.
128000 mi
US $60
fixed with repair kit the TCM pressure plates
84000 mi
Car would not drive above 20 mph, took in to dealer and they fixed after a week with no charge. Transmission replaced December 2013 under extended warranty.
178000 mi
US $4560
worn cv joints
34300 mi
Wave plate failure. 3-5-R waveplate.
60000 mi
US $4800
Transmission blew on a back road in Oklahoma with only 60000 miles on car. It is the result of a known issue with the 2008 Enclave--a defective wave plate. Transmission so damaged, it could not be rebuilt.
4000 mi
Transmission reflash and front tire well replacement.
51700 mi
Rear seal of transmission replaced as it was leaking; wave plate replaced.
87000 mi
US $1400
The valve body in the transmission had to be replaced. The vehicle was hesitating to go into drive - and then began only going into first gear without changing to second, etc. Limped it to dealership under its own power.
99000 mi
US $700
Left front axle/CV joint leaking and making lots of popping sounds when turning. Had both sides replaced.
1240 mi
TSB update that I found (not the dealer, in fact, they couldn't find it at all until I gave them the TSB#). Transmission has poor shifting, flash update but there will be another one, mark my words.
1000 mi
Reflashed the software for the transmission
1000 mi
engine and transmission reflash
50000 mi
The check engine light came on and the vehicle started making a revving noise when in motion. The transmission control module needed to be replaced.
28700 mi
Leak in transmission cooler line. Replaced under warranty
50840 mi
Complete failure of transmission. Had vehicle towed to a GM dealer who did a complete rebuild. Extended warranty has expired so my cost was $3600.00 (discounted). That was a hard pill to swallow seeing the low mileage.
28000 mi
Both left & right axle shaft seals were leaking.
93300 mi
Transaxle seal(s) leaking at transfer case. Repaired under the 100,000 drivetrain warranty.
124000 mi
US $3200
Transmission failure. Another victim of GM's famous transmission "wave plate" problem. No reverse and would not shift out of low gear. I believe that this is a known problem to GM but they are yet to step up.
transmission searches for 3rd gear before finding it.
13000 mi
I took the Enclave in for transmission flash which helped, but did not cure the early shifting. There will be no more flashes for the '08 so will have to live with it, or sell it.
65000 mi
US $8000
replaced transmission
8000 mi
Reflash transmission controlling computers. We received a tsb on this.
94700 mi
Car did not shift out of 1st gear at times. It looks like they repaired it under the special policy 14404A it says on the work order they removed and replaced the reverse clutch plate. It seemed like it was a fairly major transmission rebuild.
16120 mi
OIL LEAK FROM TRANSMISSION/TRANSFER/TRANSAXLE. DYE WAS ADDED AND MANY SEALS WERE REPLACED DURING THE REPAIR
26000 mi
transmission oil was too low to detect on dipstick.
Problem: Leaky seal between torque converter and transmission
79000 mi
Fluid leaking. Replace seal.
77000 mi
The dreaded clutch wave plate failure. Wave plate and associated parts replaced.
140000 mi
US $1000
Shift solenoid stuck. replaced solenoid and rebuilt valve body
156000 mi
US $1000
replaced CV boot and front driver side drive shaft. After replacement I notice transmission fluid on garage floor. They may or may not have caused the leak when replacing the shaft but there was no leaking before hand. replaced front cover to the transfer case. It was moist, not quite leaking so I had it replaced since I already had the vehicle in the shop
186000 mi
I finally took the Enclave to have the dealer diagnose the jerking I felt when shifting from 2nd to 3rd and again from 3rd to 4th. If I manually shifted it was smooth. Basically, it was the torque converter going out thus a new transmission was needed
143 mi
US $4000
Transmission would shift OK when driven hard, but driven lightly would shudder in certain gears. Diagnosis was the TECHEM, but with the mileage I decided to do entire transmission. Turns out internals were in perfect condition, so perhaps I wasted some money. Surprised me - even the wave plate was in perfect condition.
68000 mi
Failed 3-5-R wave plate in the transmission had to be replaced.
55000 mi
Transmission after driving highway speed for 20 min or more would fail to shift past 4th gear, even in manual mode. Check engine light came on and DIC indicated overheating fluid. Shop has determined that entire trans must be replaced.
69900 mi
US $3500
Wave plate broke -- required new transmission. GM paid for $1,200 and I paid the other $2,500 for a remanufactured tranny with a 3 yr 100k mile warrnaty. This is a known issue in the 2008/2009 Enclaves (and traverse and Acadias).
104780 mi
Wave plate was replaced under special warranty.
139000 mi
Replaced transmission & torque converter
144510 mi
US $400
Vehicle would not shift out of 1st gear on many occasions, had to clear the codes (shift solenoid) until I could bring it to the shop. When at the repair shop they could not get the vehicle to repeat this problem. Replaced CV Joints, Vehicle still has same problem
9000 mi
Seal in transfer case blew. The seal was replaced, drove car for a week but still leaked. They tried to replace seal again, when it fell into the transfer case. They eventually replaced the entire transfer case having the car for over a week the second time.
4000 mi
Transmission front coverter seal was leaking ----
Seal, transmission/transaxle coverter replaced
53500 mi
Bad transfer case replaced. Done under warranty related to the transfer case repair. Car was making a clicking sounds when driving. Not sure about the name for the repair.
66000 mi
Cracked wave plate
87300 mi
US $600
Replaced cv joint.
30200 mi
Transmission oil cooler line started leaking at one of the crimped ends. They replaced it even though it was not supposed to be covered under the power train warranty because of the small number of miles on the car.
82000 mi
wave plate replacement
96000 mi
US $250
speed sensor replacement
79000 mi
Transmission would not shift, wave plate failed.
5000 mi
Transmission reflash to improve shift performance.
67000 mi
US $2400
Transmission blew 3 days out of warranty and the company would not fix
70000 mi
US $170
transmission slipping; transmission disassembled and part replaced; still shifting rough after receipt of vehicle so had to return to shop for further work
78000 mi
Transmission shifting roughly and incorrectly, replaced pressure plates
90000 mi
US $620
Transmission - no reverse, 3rd or 5th gear. Transmission was removed and rebuilt.
85000 mi
Transmission replaced under warranty.
64480 mi
C $100
replace Stick shift .
shifter paddle failed.
65000 mi
Vehicle would not shift gears properly. The Wave plate(s) was replaced
72200 mi
US $100
The AWD sensor needed to be cleaned and adjusted because it was malfunctioning
11000 mi
Trasnmission had slow leak, shop ordered parts.
95000 mi
US $3000
Car was having difficulty shifting in various gears. After a while, the car would not shift into reverse. for the first time, car was seizing up and would not shift into reverse. the transmission light was also on.
27000 mi
Had the tranny reflashed.
120700 mi
US $1000
Wave Plate Issue, which has since been issued under a recall notice.
72500 mi
US $100
Driveshaft bolts fell out
113300 mi
35r waveplate failed Struts froze while car was on the lift
23000 mi
Driver noticed transmission fluid under car. Dealer found the transmission speed sensor leaking aroung the O-ring. The ordered a new speed sensor with expedited shipping and replaced it.
48000 mi
While driving transmission stopped working. Engine spun freely in gear. Onstar did remote diagnostic and found tranny to be at fault. Dealer said all tranny bolts sheered off. Transmission getting replaced.
Solenoid in transmission was faulty and required replacing. Symptoms included being intermittently stuck in park, engine "revving" when in drive and refusing to move forward, and "check engine" (or transmission?) light constantly on.
"Check engine" li
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frequently 2008 Buick Enclave problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.
