Engine. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

Power Train complaints

9 reports

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Mileage unknown · Jul 31, 2023

EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

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I PURCHASED MY 2014 BUICK ENCORE APRIL 2021 THAT NEXT YEAR 2022 MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON I TOOK IT TO O'REILLY THEY TURNED IT OFF TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR MY VEHICLE STARTED DRIVING ROUGH I WAS HAVING TROUBLE TAKING OFF ONCE I DID IT WOULD IDLE UP HIGH WHEN I CAME TO A STOP IT WOULD START SHAKING AND IT WOULD TURN OFF CARS WENT AROUND ME I COULDN'T ACCELERATE IT KEPT HESITATING SO NOW I'M SCARED TO DRIVE IT ON THE HIGHWAY THIS YEAR 2023 ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON CURRENTLY HERE'S THE CODE THAT CAME UP p020 THEY DAY MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON APRIL 5TH MY MILEAGE WAS 94,357 MY AC STOPPED WORKING AT THE SAME TIME I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WOULD CAUSE MY AC TO START BLOWIN HOT AIR MY CAR INSURANCE ALLSTATE IS HOW I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE ENGINE ALERT TY,,

NHTSA ODI #11535394

Mileage unknown · Mar 16, 2022

Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

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The contact owns a 2014 Buick Encore. The contact stated that twice while her son was driving the vehicle at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact was uncertain if any warning lights had illuminated. After the most recent failure, the vehicle had become inoperable and failed to restart after multiple attempts. The vehicle had been towed to an independent mechanic and a dealer however, the cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI #11456939

Mileage unknown · Jun 20, 2021

Electrical SystemExterior LightingPower Train

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During the past 3 years I have had to replace the battery 3 times, my daytime running lamps keep turning off, I have had to replace the ignition coil and now my car has been at the dealership for a week because there is an electrical problem they cannot figure out. The chassis control module was replaced but did not fix the problem. My personal mechanic advised the TCM was coding, but dealership said no. I am beyond frustrated! These problems started around 60000 miles and now it has 83000 miles on it and can't be driven. If GM knew about the issues (as found in multiple articles on line) why didn't they disclose?

NHTSA ODI #11421526

53,000 miles · Mar 18, 2021

EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

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I WAS DRIVING ON A 70MPH HIGHWAY. WENT TO PASS SLOWER VEHICLE. THE CAR DID NOT REACT TO THE ACCELERATOR. IN FACT IT SLOWED DOWN WITH THE ENGINE TRYING TO REV UP. LUCKILY, THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES TRYING TO PASS AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE I HAD TO DROP BACK. CAR IS CURRENTLY AT A BUICK DEALERSHIP FOR ENGINE PROPULSION REPAIR. DO NOT HAVE COMPLETE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR YET. WAS TOLD COULD BE APPROX $2300. ONE YEAR EARLIER, AT 50000 MILES HAD SIMILAR ACCELERATION PROBLEMS BECAUSE OF CATALYST CONVERTER. THE CATALYST CONVERTER WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA ODI #11403651

106,000 miles · Jul 10, 2020

Power Train

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IF THE VEHICLE DETECTS A TURBO UNDER BOOST CONDITION, ENGINE POWER IS IMMEDIATELY REDUCED (LIMP MODE) WITH NO INDICATOR LIGHT OR WARNING TO THE DRIVER. THIS HAPPENED ON A MOUNTAIN HIGHWAY, I DID NOT KNOW THE VEHICLE WAS IN LIMP MODE AND AS I ACCELERATED INTO TRAFFIC I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A TRUCK FROM BEHIND. I LEARNED THROUGH EXPERIENCE, IF NO TURBO BOOST ERROR OCCURS DURING THE NEXT DRIVE CYCLE, (IE COMING HOME DOWN THE MOUNTAIN ROAD) THE PENDING CODE IS CLEARED AND THE SAME CONDITION CAN HAPPEN AGAIN, AGAIN WITHOUT SETTING A CEL.

NHTSA ODI #11338554

83,000 miles · Aug 31, 2019

EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

CAMSHAFT COVER FAILED PCV SYSTEM HAD COVER REPLACED AT 50,000 MILES UNDER POWER TRAIN WARRANTY ENGINE LIGHT COMES VEHICLE STALLS AT STOP LIGHT THIS HAPPENED AGAIN AT 80,000 MILES THIS TIME BECAUSE OF CAUSING TO MUCH VACUM HAD TO REPLACE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET SO IT IS MY THOUGHT MAYBE BUICK SHOULD PUT THIS CAMSHAFT CO…

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NHTSA ODI #11252563

Mileage unknown · Aug 15, 2018

EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other

BATTERY WEST EVEN A YEAR OLD AND IT WENT OUT. DEAD. COOLANT WAS LEAKING. BUT WASN'T LEAKING AT FIRST. I BELIEVE THEY DAMAGED IT. WHEN WE TOOK IT FOR CHECK UP THE SAME WARRANTY WAS GOING OUT AND THEY SAID WE WILL MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS WORKING. THEY JUST HALF FIX EVERY THING AND GOT THE MONEY. THIS IS A LEMON.COOLANT LEAK AND C…

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NHTSA ODI #11120011

68,000 miles · Aug 9, 2018

Power Train

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ON 5/26/18 I TEST DROVE A USED 2014 BUICK ENCORE AT GULF COAST CHEVROLET BUICK IN ANGLETON TX. I LIKED THE CAR BUT NOTICED IT IDLED A LITTLE. I SPOKE WITH THE SALES ASSOCIATE AND THE SERVICE TECH AND THEY BOTH SAID THAT WAS NORMAL FOR THE CAR. I DECIDED TO PROCEED AND PURCHASE THE VEHICLE. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH THE CAR, INCLUDING THE ROUGH IDLE GETTING WORSE. SINCE MAY 26 2018 MY CAR HAS BEEN BACK AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS 4 TIMES. EACH OF THOSE TIMES I REQUESTED FOR THE ROUGH IDLE TO BE LOOKED FURTHER INTO ALONG WITH THE OTHER ISSUES IT WAS HAVING. THIS LAST TIME I TOOK IT IN ON 07/30/18 DUE TO A SERVICE LIGHT COMING ON BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE, I TOLD THEM FOR A SECOND TIME THERE WAS STILL A CHIRPING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD AND TOLD THEM AGAIN IT HAS A ROUGH IDLE THAT SEEMS WORSE. THAT WHILE IN PARK AND WHILE SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BREAK ITS ROUGH/SHAKEY FEELING. AND WHEN SITTING AT STOP LIGHTS IT ALSO WILL SPUTTER WHILE SITTING THERE IN GEAR. THEY TOLD ME, THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE SERVICE CODE AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT, THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE SPUTTERING, BUT IT DID NEED A NEW CAMSHAFT SEAL. THAT THE BLOWN SEAL WAS CAUSING IT TO CHIRP AND REPAIRING IT PROBABLY FIXED THE ROUGH IDLE. IT DID NOT FIX THE ROUGH IDLE! I SPOKE WITH SERVICE MANAGER AND THE GENERAL MANAGER ON 08/07/18 AFTER SERVICE CALLED ON 8/5/18 SAYING THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE ALL THE ISSUES I EXPLAINED. SERVICE MANGER SAID THEY COULD NOT GET IT TO DUPLICATE THE ROUGH IDLE AND SPUTTERING. THE GENERAL MANAGER TEST DROP MY CAR AND THEN GAVE MY KEY BACK SAYING YOUR CAR IS READY IT RUNS FINE. AS I GO TO LEAVE THE DEALERSHIP IT DOES THE ISSUE AGAIN. I DRIVE IT OVER TO SERVICE TO GET THEM TO SIT IN IT AND FEEL WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. HE DOES AND SAYS HE FEELS IT, BUT ITS PROBABLY JUST THE AC AND HANDS ME THE KEY BACK.

NHTSA ODI #11118671

10 miles · May 26, 2017

Power Train

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 BUICK ENCORE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED IN THE DRIVE GEAR AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND SURGED FORWARD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUN BUICK GMC (3333 SUNRISE HIGHWAY WANTAGH, NY 11793), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT FOUND SERVICE BULLETIN: PI0928C ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE, BUT THE DEALER FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEALER'S FAILURE TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ISSUE HAD BEEN ONGOING SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN AUGUST OF 2014. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10.

NHTSA ODI #10991792

Official recalls

17V437000 · Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE ; Seat Belts:pretensioner

Jul 10, 2017

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Seat Belts:pretensioner

Consequence: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.

Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

Consequence: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Air Bags:frontal

Consequence: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

16V651000 · Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE ; Seat Belts:pretensioner

Sep 8, 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Seat Belts:pretensioner

Consequence: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

Consequence: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

Air Bags:frontal

Consequence: A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

14V446000 · Seats

Jul 23, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore and Cadillac ATS; 2014 Cadillac CTS, ELR, Chevrolet Caprice and SS vehicles; and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Trucks. Due to an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly, the front seats in the affected vehicles may not stay secured in place during a high load condition such as a crash.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A seat that does not stay secured increases the risk of occupant injury in a vehicle crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat hook bracket assembly weld and replace the lower seat track, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14340.

14V417000 · Equipment:electrical

Jul 2, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured August 7, 2012, to August 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured May 10, 2011, to August 16, 2012 equipped with a Calix oil pan/block heater. In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14257.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.