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Buick Air Bag Recalls Cover Deployment and Warning Light Problems
Buick Enclave appears most often in these notices, with separate concerns involving roof-rail inflators, frontal air bag calibration and roof-rail wiring. Certain 2020 Enclave vehicles have an inflator diffuser that could separate during deployment. Certain 2021 Enclave vehicles may have received incorrect calibration software during dealer service, while certain 2021–2022 Enclave vehicles have potentially incompatible roof-rail connector terminals. The other Buick models have different software concerns. Certain 2019 Encore vehicles have a sensing diagnostic module that may remain in manufacturing mode, preventing deployment. Certain 2021 Envision vehicles have communications gateway software that can make the air bag malfunction indicator light illuminate inconsistently.
Warning signs to watch for
- June 10, 2021 warning-light recall — the air bag malfunction indicator light may illuminate inconsistently on certain 2021 Buick Envision vehicles.
Can you keep driving? What the notices say
None of these Buick air bag notices carries a stop-driving or park-outside instruction. The November 2018 Encore sensing diagnostic module notice and July 2020 Enclave roof-rail inflator notice do not tell owners to stop driving. Neither does the June 24, 2021 Enclave frontal air bag calibration notice. The March 2022 Enclave roof-rail harness connector notice also does not tell owners to stop driving. The June 10, 2021 Envision air bag warning-light notice likewise does not tell owners to stop driving.
What the free repair involves
Dealers reprogram the Encore SDM for the 2018 recall, replace suspect Enclave roof-rail modules for the 2020 recall, update Enclave calibration for the June 24, 2021 recall, and replace Enclave roof-rail harness connectors for the 2022 recall. The June 10, 2021 Envision remedy updates gateway software through a dealer or OTA. Each remedy is free of charge.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| high | 4 |
| medium | 1 |
Models affected most
Where owners report air bags problems most
NHTSA owner complaints filed under air bags for the Buick models and years in this guide. Complaints are unverified reports and are not limited to the recalled defects.
| Vehicle | Air bags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2019 Buick Encore | 11 |
Every recall in this group
| Date | Recall | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2022 | Buick Enclave, Chevy Traverse Side Air Bag Wiring | high |
| Jun 24, 2021 | Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave got wrong airbag software | high |
| Jun 10, 2021 | GM vehicles' airbag warning light works inconsistently | medium |
| Jul 30, 2020 | GM SUVs, Trucks: Roof-Rail Air Bag May Underperform | high |
| Nov 1, 2018 | Buick, Chevrolet Vehicles' Air Bags May Not Deploy | high |
Common questions
Why does Buick Enclave appear in several air bag recalls?
The notices describe separate defects. Certain 2020 Enclave vehicles have a roof-rail inflator concern, certain 2021 vehicles have incorrect frontal air bag calibration, and certain 2021–2022 vehicles have incompatible electrical terminals in roof-rail air bag harness connectors.
Does the Envision recall describe an air bag warning light problem?
The June 10, 2021 notice covers certain 2021 Envision vehicles. Communications gateway software incorrectly processes a loss of communication with the sensing diagnostic module, causing inconsistent illumination. The indicator may fail to warn the driver about an air bag problem.
Which Buick air bag remedy can arrive over the air?
The June 10, 2021 recall for certain 2021 Envision vehicles provides a communications gateway software update through a dealer or over the air. The notice states that the update is free of charge.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.