‘Can’t Make This Up’: Florida Woman Buys A Buick. Then It Breaks Down The Second Time She Drives It

A Florida woman who recently purchased a used Buick Enclave said the vehicle shut down on her after only driving it twice.

The mother of four, who posts online under the moniker Sassy (@infamous_sassy), recorded herself in the purportedly broken-down vehicle. In the clip, her children can be heard talking amongst each other in the background.

“I cannot make this up. The car shut off on me. Probably only the second time I’ve driven it, and we’re stuck in the heat. This can’t be my life,” she says into the camera as her video comes to a close.

Previously, she recorded herself dancing with her children after securing the vehicle. Before that, she informed her followers online that thanks to GoFundMe donations, she was able to afford the purchase of the used vehicle. However, her most recent update indicates that not all was well with the purchase.

Used 2010 Buick Enclave Breaks Down: 'I Cried My Eyes Out'

In the comments section of her post, Sassy told others that she was distraught over losing the vehicle. Gaining access to the car, she explained, was necessary for her to secure more shifts at work. Additionally, being able to drive afforded her the ability to complete DoorDash orders for extra cash.

Neither of these prospects is possible for her, she says, since her vehicle is out of commission. According to her, she was told she wouldn’t need any major repairs to the Enclave after purchasing it.

“I cried my eyes out cause I got it a good price they told me everything that was wrong … [just] minor fixes got them fixed and now it’s something completely different and I’m completely broke and supposed to be at work right now,” she penned.

In another comment reply, she shared that the car’s previous owner said that they would give her her money back for the vehicle and allow her to keep it. This stipulation, however, is under the condition that his mechanic would inspect it and determine whether or not it needed a major repair.

“The original owner was in shock  when I told him he sent his mechanic to me and said that if it’s a major fix that’s he’s giving me my money back and I could still keep the car,” she wrote.

'2-Hour Walk Home'

In an update, she shared that the original owner’s mechanic had sent an Uber to her and her children so they could get home. Furthermore, she recorded herself making a two-hour walk to her house from her job in this video after the incident with her car. In other exchanges with folks online, Sassy discussed how her vehicle was a 2010 Buick Enclave, so she expected there to be some issues with it.

2010 Buick Enclave: Is It Worth It?

According to Car Complaints, several users have reported engine problems with the car, followed by issues with steering and its air conditioning/heating system. This RepairPal page on the same vehicle cited numerous “transmission fault and/or check engine light” complications. Others mentioned that they dealt with check engine light codes as well.

According to Cars.com, there have been six National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recalls doled out for the 2010 Buick Enclave. The most recent one was issued on October 7, 2021, for the car’s airbag mechanism. In the NHTSA report, the Enclave was deemed at risk for having airbags that may explode upon deployment. Earlier in the year, yet another airbag recall was issued, but for that time, it was for improperly attached units.

The 2010 Enclave’s seatbelts were called into question with regards to structural integrity concerns. The NHTSA ruled that the GM car’s safety harnesses may degrade and snap over time, making it impossible for drivers to fasten them reliably in the vehicle. Other recalls for airbags and seatbelts were issued by the regulatory body in previous years as well.

More Enclave Worries

In this automotive forum, other Buick Enclave drivers complained about their vehicles shutting off without warning. Like this 2010 car owner who wrote, "The car [Buick Enclave] shut off while I was driving it, I was starting to go from sitting at a red light and it just shut itself off. I’ve just purchased this car and already it’s a hunk of junk.” They also added that they experienced a slew of electrical problems due to water damage, a matter they chalked up to “bad design.”

A 2011 Enclave owner also reported a similar issue, as did someone else with a 2008 variant of the vehicle.

Your Mechanic attributes this frustrating phenomenon to several possible issues. The first: a “malfunctioning transmission.” According to the website, vehicles with automatic transmissions that sustain torque converter damage may turn the engine off. “A defective TCS or torque converter solenoid can also cause this issue,” Your Mechanic wrote.

The outlet also stated that “low fuel pressure, dirty or defective fuel injectors, or broken fuel pump[s]” may be the culprit. Additionally, a “bad oxygen sensor or mass flow sensor” can cause this to happen. Or “loose or corroded wires in [the car’s] wiring harness” as well. Other possible diagnoses include “faulty idle air control actuator[s]” or “clogged or restricted EGR valve[s],” as per the site’s write-up.

Motor1 has reached out to Sassy via TikTok direct message and Buick via email for further information.