Buick Encore Common Problems
The Buick Encore’s current generation has been in the market for 9 years now and has seen quite a lot of issues reported as of date. Although the newer model years have seen a massive reduction in the number, some niggles still remain frequent. Let’s see what all issues were the most troublesome for the owners:
Electrical issues:
- Battery failures: Many Encore owners have reported the battery of the car to die at very low mileage. Some complainants have also reported the battery going bad in under a year of purchase.
- AC issues: Some people have complained that the AC system of the car blows out uneven amounts of air. In some cases, the whole system ceased functioning and emit a smoky odor inside the cabin.
- Insufficient lighting in the instrument panel: The instrument panel and the infotainment system are dim. This issue causes a lot of issues while driving and the driver has to take his/her eyes off the road to operate the system.
- Start/stop issue: People have complained about the start/stop engine of the Buick Encore stalling the car when coming to a stop. The system also fails to start the engine when the car has to move, causing a major hindrance to the traffic.
Mechanical issues:
- Throttle body issues: The throttle body is reported to malfunction and force the car into limp mode, drastically limiting speed. This has caused some collisions as well.
- Brake failure: The brakes of the Encore have been reported to lose pressure and fail, affecting the handling. The issue has also caused injuries to the occupants by way of collisions.
- Engine fires: People have reported black smoke coming from the under-side of the engine, followed by the engine bay catching fire. There have been no fatalities reported yet. The issue was more frequent in the pre-facelift model years with complaints flooding in to date.
Safety features issues:
- Airbags not deployed: Many owners have complained about the airbags not deploying even after impact. This has caused injuries to the occupants inside in a crash. The incidents continue to post a recall made for the same issue, but were more prevalent in the older model years.
- Unintended acceleration: People have purported incidents of unintended acceleration due to issues in vehicle speed control. The complainants have reported the car to suddenly pick up speed while at low speeds, causing the car to hit objects in proximity.
Buick Encore Recalls
The Buick Encore is no stranger to recalls and has had quite a lot of it in the pre-facelift time. The latest iterations have proved to be very reliable without a single recall listed under their name. The latest recall for the Buick Encore was made on October 29, 2020, and had affected 194,000 units of various other models as well.
General Motors recalled various cars in its portfolio With NHTSA Campaign Number 20V668000. These affected units also included the Buick Enclave, the Chevrolet Blazer, the Cadillac XT4, the Cadillac XT6, and the GMC Acadia. The transmission oil may leak and cause a loss of motive power. This might happen due to loose/missing bolts in the start/stop accumulator endcap. Such a leakage increases the risk of a crash. The leaking fluid may come in contact with an ignition source and increase the risk of a fire. Dealers inspected and replaced the start-stop transmission accumulator, free of charge. The details about the other recalls are mentioned below:
|
S. No.
|
Date
|
NHTSA Campaign Number
|
Issues Noticed
|
Additional Remarks
|
|
1.
|
March 28, 2013
|
13V105000
|
Steering
|
An improperly fitted steering wheel fastener could cause the steering to get separated from the steering column and result in loss of handling, increasing the risk of a crash.
|
|
2.
|
June 6, 2014
|
14V298000
|
Airbags
|
The passenger-side airbag might not deploy due to an improper weld on the passenger side front airbag inflator, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
|
|
3.
|
July 2, 2014
|
14V417000
|
Equipment
|
Damaged engine block heater cord can cause electrical shock if handled while plugged in, increasing the risk of injury.
|
|
4.
|
July 23, 2014
|
14V446000
|
Seats
|
The front seats may not stay secured in case of a crash, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
|
|
5.
|
August 8, 2014
|
14V488000
|
Seatbelts
|
The driver- and passenger-side lap belt pretensioner might extend and not adequately restrain the occupants, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
|
|
6.
|
March 13, 2015
|
15V146000
|
Steering
|
The circuit board for the power steering may come in contact with the steering column assembly, causing a loss in power steering assist. This may affect the handling and increase the risk of a crash
|
|
7.
|
March 20, 2015
|
15V162000
|
Equipment
|
Absence of rim size information on tire placards makes for a risk if the owner installs improper rims, increasing the risk of a crash.
|
|
8.
|
July 5, 2016
|
16V502000
|
Electrical System
|
A defective electronic park lock lever might let the car roll away as occupants are exiting, increasing risk of injury.
|
|
9.
|
September 8, 2016
|
16V651000
|
Airbags
|
A faulty sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) will enter into a diagnostic test and will not deploy the airbags and pre-tensioning in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
|
|
10.
|
July 10, 2017
|
17V437000
|
Airbags
|
A faulty sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) will enter into a diagnostic test and will not deploy the airbags and pre-tensioning in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
|
|
11.
|
November 1, 2018
|
18V774000
|
Airbags
|
The airbags won’t deploy if the Sensing Diagnostic Module (SDM) is in "manufacturing mode”, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
|
|
12.
|
September 3, 2020
|
20V537000
|
Seats
|
The rear attachment bolts of the front seats might not have been installed properly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
|
|
MODEL YEARS
|
AIR BAGS
|
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
|
EQUIPMENT
|
POWER TRAIN
|
SEATS
|
SEAT BELTS
|
STEERING
|
|
2013
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
2014
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
2015
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
2016
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
2017
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
2018
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
2019
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
2020
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
|
2021
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
2022
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
What model year of the Buick Encore to avoid?
The Buick Encore has been a boon for the people aiming for a hassle-free commute with a posh cabin and powerful engine. The recent model years have been stupendous but the same is not true about the other model years. The pre-facelift Encore models were quite a pain to drive with constant issues popping up. Having said that, we’d suggest avoiding the 2013 to 2016 Encore if you want a satisfactory ownership experience.
Should you buy the 2022 Buick Encore?
The 2022 Buick Encore is an amazing offering and ticks all the boxes one needs for a comfortable drive daily. It is a no-nonsense luxury commuter that pairs in a posh cabin with compact dimensions and potent engine options. The design has been improved by a lot while the reliability has been top-notch for the newer variants. If one wants to go for a pre-owned Encore, consider buying the 2019 model year and above for a trouble-free experience.
