Buick Reliability Overview
Based on 27,942 real complaints filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Buick reliability varies significantly by model. Compare models below and review the specific model-year page before buying.
Is Buick reliable? Quick answer
Based on 27,942 real NHTSA complaints across 19 Buick models
Buick reliability varies significantly by model and year. Some Buick models have consistently low complaint rates; others show recurring electrical faults patterns across multiple generations. The brand-level reliability score is less useful than picking the specific model + year you're considering.
- Buick Encore Gx· 284 complaints
- Buick Enclave· 3,230 complaints
- Buick Envision· 334 complaints
- Buick Park Avenue· severity 132962
- Buick Roadmaster· severity 132447
39 reported fatalities in Buick complaints. Scroll down for the full model-by-model breakdown, or use the links above to jump to a specific model's year-by-year page.
Best Buick Models to Buy
Lowest complaint severity among Buick models with enough data for a confident comparison (200+ complaints).
Worst Buick Models to Avoid
All 19 Buick models — sorted by severity (highest first)
Buick Park Avenue
(1984–2005) high severityBuick Roadmaster
(1989–1999) high severityBuick Riviera
(1982–1999) high severityBuick Lesabre
(1982–2006) high severityBuick Century
(1981–2005) high severityBuick Terraza
(2005–2007)Buick Rendezvous
(2001–2007)Buick Rainier
(2003–2007)Buick Reatta
(1988–1993) high severityBuick Regal
(1982–2020)Buick Lucerne
(2006–2011)Buick Lacrosse
(2005–2019)Buick Verano
(2012–2017)Buick Envista
(2024–2026)Buick Cascada
(2016–2019)Buick Encore
(2013–2022)Buick Envision
(2016–2025)Buick Enclave
(2008–2025)Buick Encore Gx
(2020–2025)Pick your model above, then check the VIN.
NHTSA data tells you which models & years to avoid. The VIN tells you if this specific car has hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Most Common Buick Problems
Components most reported across all Buick models in NHTSA complaints.
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Faults | 2,537 | 2.0% |
| Engine Problems | 1,720 | 1.6% |
| Airbags | 1,615 | 18.1% |
| Steering Defects | 1,245 | 5.9% |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 927 | 3.7% |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 869 | 1.0% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 733 | 12.4% |
| Unintended Acceleration | 724 | 20.6% |
| Engine & Cooling | 620 | 1.3% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 605 | 1.0% |
Buick Reliability — Frequently Asked Questions
How many NHTSA complaints does Buick have?
Buick has 27,942 NHTSA consumer complaints across 19 distinct models in the VinItel database (1995–present). 5.9% of those complaints involved a crash, and 39 involved a fatality. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation via VinItel.
Which Buick model has the most NHTSA complaints?
By total complaint volume, the top Buick models are: Buick Lesabre (4,860 complaints), Buick Regal (4,440 complaints), Buick Enclave (3,230 complaints). Note that higher-volume models naturally accumulate more complaints, so per-model severity depends on sales volume and crash rate. See the full sortable ranking at vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/buick.
What are the most common Buick problems?
Across all Buick models in the NHTSA database, the most-reported issue categories are: Electrical Faults (2,537 complaints, 2.0% crash rate); Engine Problems (1,720 complaints, 1.6% crash rate); Airbags (1,615 complaints, 18.1% crash rate). Crash percentages indicate how often that component failure resulted in an accident — higher percentages are safety-critical.
Which Buick model years should I avoid?
Buick models with the highest severity scores include Buick Park Avenue and Buick Roadmaster. Specific model years to avoid depend on the model — click any Buick model to see its year-by-year breakdown with complaint counts, crash rates, and recalls. Our AVOID label is applied when a year's normalized complaint rate exceeds 1.5× the model's median.
Which Buick model is the most reliable?
Among Buick models with at least 200 NHTSA complaints (enough data for a confident comparison), the lowest severity scores are: Buick Encore Gx (284 complaints), Buick Enclave (3,230 complaints), Buick Envision (334 complaints). Lower complaint volume plus lower crash/fire/injury rates indicates fewer reported safety issues per vehicle on the road.
Is Buick a reliable car brand?
NHTSA complaint data shows reliability varies significantly by model and year within every major brand — including Buick. A brand-level reliability verdict is misleading because it averages a bad year of one model with a great year of another. VinItel's approach: pick your target Buick model + year and view that specific page for actionable reliability data. See vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/buick to browse all 19 Buick models.
Should I buy a used Buick?
Buying used requires two checks: (1) research the specific model + year for known problems using the NHTSA data on this page, and (2) run a VIN report on the exact car to check for hidden accidents, title issues, and odometer rollbacks. VinItel offers both — reliability research is free, individual VIN reports are $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99). Common Buick issues to ask about during inspection include electrical faults.
Looking for accident history? See Buick accident & safety statistics from our 16M+ vehicle history database.
Buying a Buick?
Check the specific VIN for hidden accidents, title issues, and full vehicle history — just $4.99.
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