Buick Encore Reliability
855 NHTSA complaints (2013–2022). Complaint rate: 11.6 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2015 Buick Encore. The 2020–2022 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ENGINE.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Buick Encore Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 208 | 2.4% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 82 | 2.4% |
| POWER TRAIN | 70 | 7.1% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 68 | 8.8% |
| AIR BAGS | 67 | 50.7% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 56 | 0.0% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 55 | 20.0% |
| STEERING | 46 | 6.5% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 30 | 13.3% |
| SEAT BELTS | 26 | 30.8% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | — | 70 | 7 | — | View 2013View→ |
| 2014 | — | 92 | 5 | — | View 2014View→ |
| 2015AVOID | — | 185 | 11 | 3 | View 2015View→ |
| 2016 | — | 118 | 8 | 1 | View 2016View→ |
| 2017 | — | 123 | 21 | 5 | View 2017View→ |
| 2018 | — | 101 | 14 | — | View 2018View→ |
| 2019 | — | 116 | 16 | — | View 2019View→ |
| 2020GOOD | — | 30 | 2 | — | View 2020View→ |
| 2021GOOD | — | 9 | 0 | — | View 2021View→ |
| 2022GOOD | — | 11 | 1 | — | View 2022View→ |
See also: Buick Encoreaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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