Buick Encore

Where it stands out against its peers

• Steering: more complaints than 93% of 2015 cars — 22% of its 124 complaints, where an ordinary 2015 car has 8%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

56% of 2020 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 13V105000

  If the steering wheel separates from the steering column while driving, the ability to steer could be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.

  General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and make any necessary repairs on the steering wheel. These services will be provided at no charge to the customer. The safety recall began on May 21, 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300. This is General Motors campaign number 13098.

• 14V298000

  If the air bag does not to deploy in the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury to the front passenger.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side front air bag, free of charge. The recall began on July 30, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick) or 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14211.

• 14V417000

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

  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.

• 14V446000

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

  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.

• 14V488000

  If the seat belts do not remain locked in the retracted position when under load, the seat occupant may not be adequately restrained in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front the driver's and the passenger's lap belt pretensioners, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. GM sent interim notifications on October 7, 2014 and will send a second notification when remedy parts are available. The recall began on November 20, 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14171.

• 15V146000

  The circuit board wear may cause a sudden loss of electric power steering assist, increasing the risk of a crash.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the steering column assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 24, 2015. 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 15168.

• 15V162000

  If the label is missing front and rear rim size information, the owner may replace the rims with ones that are an incorrect size, increasing the risk of crash.

  GM will notify owners, and will send owners a corrected label, free of charge. The recall April 29, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15166.

• 16V502000

  If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

  GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

5 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  Engineering analysis, opened September 2021, still open.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Buick filed 459 bulletins about the 2022 Encore.

• Electrical system: 83
• Engine and engine cooling: 80
• Equipment: 80
• Power train: 23
• Engine: 22
• Wheels: 20
• Exterior lighting: 11
• Structure: 9
• Visibility: 8
• Equipment adaptive/mobility: 6
• Other: 117

• This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless projection issues · August 2026
• PI to help diagnose A/C concern · July 2026
• This Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still displayed after an OTA event and how to reset/clear the message. · July 2026
• Pi created to provide GM dealers with information on gathering information for projection issue · May 2026
• This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless projection issues · May 2026
• This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available. · April 2026
• Improvements to OnStar functionality. · April 2026
• This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect. · March 2026

451 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.